The Seven Anunnaki Gates of Aralu, Enki releasing the Anunnaki from their Palace prison is back-story to this tale of Ishtar’s descent to the Underworld. Enki also creates a demon to achieve this. At the gate of Aralu, Ishtar assumes a menacing aspect, and she threatens to break down the door and shatter its bolts and bars if she be not admitted straightway. Ishtar is met by the keeper of the gate endeavors to soothe the irate deity, and goes to announce her presence to Ereshkigal (Allatu), the mistress of Hades. It would appear that Ishtar has journeyed there in search of the waters of life, to restore her husband Tammuz to life. Ishtar on entering the somber domains is obliged to pass through seven gates, at each of which she is relieved of some article of dress or adornment (evidently in accordance with the ancient custom of Aralu). At the first gate the keeper takes from her “the mighty crown of her head” During the time that Ishtar is confined within the bounds of Aralu all fertility on the earth is suspended, both in the animal and vegetation. Knowledge of this disastrous state of affairs is conveyed to the gods by their messenger, Pap-sukal, who first tells the story to Shamash, the sun-god. Shamash weeps as he bears the matter before Ea/Enki and Sin, gods of the earth and the moon respectively; but Enki, to remedy the sterility of the earth, creates a being called Ashushu-namir, whom he dispatches to the underworld to demand the release of Ishtar. She cannot resist the power of the conjuration, where she bids Namtar, the plague-demon, to release the Annunaki or earth spirits, and place them on a golden throne, and pour the waters of life over Ishtar. Namtar obeys ; in the words of the poem, he “smote the firmly-built palace, he shattered the threshold which bore up the stones of light, he bade the spirits of earth come forth, on a throne of gold did he seat them, over Ishtar he poured the waters of life and brought her along.” Ishtar is then led through the seven gates of Arula, receiving at each the article of attire whereof she had there been deprived. Finally she emerges into the earth-world, which resumes its normal course. Narrated and Created by A.Christie Information: Professor A.H.Sayce Lewis Spence and A.Christie (Ancient Mystery)