Ishtar (goddess)

Ishtar was an ancient Mesopotamian goddess associated with love, beauty, desire, fertility, and war. She was a major deity in Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian cultures, symbolizing both nurturing and destructive forces. Often depicted with weapons or as a figure of dramatic sensuality, Ishtar reflected the complex nature of human relationships and societal dynamics. Her most famous myth involves her descent to the underworld, illustrating themes of death and rebirth. As a powerful and multifaceted goddess, Ishtar played a central role in religious rituals, state politics, and cultural narratives of her time.