Polytheistic pantheons consist of countless gods. A few of them are usually played a larger role in the myths and in the exercise of religion. And some minor deities are only known and worshiped locally, and the next town over never heard of that specific deity.

​

The ancient region of Mesopotamia, the area around the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, was home to many civilizations over the prehistoric and ancient centuries. And they all shared the same gods, though sometimes with different names. The most important for all of them were the Seven Gods who Decree Fate.

​

The main god was An, or Anu, the personification of the Sky, and often named as the creator of the universe. Together with his consort Ki, the goddess of Earth, he had many children, among them many of the remaining six decreeing gods. He was the king of the gods and the deity to create humans.

​

The next is Enlil, son of An, and god of the winds and the fates. He is depicted as a leader, leading the gods after his father assumed his position as highest deity, but also caring for the humans, caring for their well-being as a benevolent, fatherly deity.

​

Then there was Enki, a sharp and witty, mischievous yet benevolent god, though he is often depicted as trickster god in modern depictions. A god of water, allowing flora and fauna to live, the connection between humans and the gods.

 

Those three make up what is called the Triad of Heaven, as each of the three are also seen as embodiment of celestial bodies: An as the equatorial sky, Enlil as the Northern sky and Enki as the Southern sky.

​

Next up is Ninhursag. She was also known as Ninmah, and because the ancient sources are very vague, she could also be An's consort, Ki. The mother goddess of the Mesopotamian pantheons, she is also the goddess of the mountains, goddess of fertility and the protector of pregnant women and their unborn children.

​

Nanna, or later known as Sin or Suen, was the god of the moon, and, deriving from that, god of time, light and the god who guides those seeking to unravel the mysteries of life.

​

Similar to the moon god, there is also Utu, the sun god. His light and warmth allows life to exist on Earth. He is the god of truth and justice, able to see even into the darkest places with his bright light. And as such, he is the lawbringer of the gods, passing them down to the humans.

​

Finally, the last one is Inana. Probably the most complex member of the Pantheon, she has many aspects and facets. She was a goddess of war and justice, of political power as well as a patron for workers in the field of sexual love. There are more sources naming her than any other deity, and these stories often feature Inana trying to take over the territories of other deities.