In Sumerian mythology, who rules the underworld during Inanna’s descent?

In Sumerian mythology, Ereshkigal rules the underworld during Inanna’s descent.

Ereshkigal is the Sumerian goddess of the realm of the dead. In the descent story, Inanna enters Ereshkigal’s domain and is forced to give up her insignia at seven gates before appearing before the underworld queen.

The encounter is not a simple battle between two equal gods. Ereshkigal exercises the authority of the underworld, and her judgment leads to Inanna’s death. The rescue that follows depends on Enki’s clever intervention and on the requirement that another divine figure replace Inanna.

Ereshkigal is sometimes compared with later depictions of underworld goddesses, but she should not be confused with Persephone or Hades from Greek mythology. Her role belongs specifically to Mesopotamian religious literature and is especially prominent in Sumerian texts.