Who was the mother of Gilgamesh?

Ninsun was the mother of Gilgamesh in Mesopotamian tradition.

Ninsun, whose name is often interpreted as “Lady Wild Cow,” is a goddess in Sumerian mythology and appears as Gilgamesh’s divine mother in the epic tradition. Gilgamesh’s father is sometimes identified as Lugalbanda, a legendary king of Uruk, making Gilgamesh part divine and part human in the poem’s characterization.

Ninsun is not merely a genealogical figure. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, she is wise, compassionate, and capable of interpreting dreams. When Gilgamesh dreams about meeting Enkidu, Ninsun explains the dream as a sign that he will gain a powerful companion. She also adopts Enkidu symbolically as another son, strengthening the bond between the two heroes.

Readers sometimes confuse Ninsun with Aruru, a creator goddess associated with making Enkidu, or Ishtar, the goddess whose rejected advances lead to conflict with Gilgamesh. Siduri is different again: she is a tavern keeper or wise woman whom Gilgamesh encounters during his search for Utnapishtim. These figures are important to the story, but none is Gilgamesh’s mother.