Inanna is the Sumerian counterpart of the Akkadian goddess Ishtar.
Inanna was one of the most important deities in Sumerian religion. She was associated with love, sexuality, fertility, political power and warfare. Her principal cult center was Uruk, the same city closely connected with Gilgamesh in Mesopotamian tradition.
As Mesopotamian cultures and languages changed, many Sumerian gods acquired Akkadian names or equivalent forms. Inanna and Ishtar are not merely similar figures from unrelated religions; they represent a major example of continuity and adaptation across Sumerian and Akkadian traditions.
The correspondence can cause confusion when readers compare texts. Inanna appears in Sumerian compositions such as Inanna’s Descent to the Underworld, while Ishtar is the name used in the Akkadian Epic of Gilgamesh. Their myths and titles can vary by period and text.