Isjtar -2-

The Zodiak is the ring of constellations. As Dilbah, the Morning Star, she would dress in warclothing, get seven lions in formt of her carriot and go out hunting, on human and animal alike. As the Evening Star Zib, she was worshipped by the Qadishtu, holy women who wpuld openly make love in her temple at full moon. Isjtar was the patroness of the sacred prostitution, in her very important cultcentre, the city of Erech, lived many prostitutes.
The rainbow was like a chain. It could be used as a bridge to heaven for the righteousness, but she would also use it as a barrier. It is written that she put her neckless of jewels in front of the althar of Enlil, so he could not accept anymore offers. She punished him like this for he has caused a great flood in which many people had died. In Genesis in the bible this myth of the rainbow is explained as a token of God that he will never again flood the world. This puts Enlil and God at the same place in mythology.
The rainbowgoddess of the Maya, Ixchel, was kept responsible for the great flood. She has, just like Isjtar, a jar of water as one of her symbols.

In songs about her, the unity of male and female are sung. The legendary king Gilgamesj refused her, so she send the heavenly bull upon him, who killed his best friend in stead of him. This legend is sometimes related to the ritual of the sacred marriage between the priestess of Accad and the king, followed by the offering of the king for the fertility of the land and the wellbeing of its people.
Having sex in the temple was part of her cult. Man would seek her help in case of impotence and women in case of bareness. To get her attention people would offer sheep, essence and beer, or one would burn one of her statuettes. Herodotus mentiones a ritual of a prostitute in the temple: every woman in Babylonia should, at least once in her lifetime, do her service as a prostitute in the temple.

Prayer to Isjtar
Representations