The Sumerians and Babylonians commemorated the death of the god Tammuz
The ninth of Tammuz was a sad day for the Sumerians and Babylonians, as they commemorated the death of the god Tammuz (also known as Demuzi).
Grief rituals:
Sadness begins on the second day of Tammuz: Babylonian calendars indicate that sadness and crying over Tammuz begin on the second day of the month.
Condolence processions: Sad processions carrying torches were held on the ninth, sixteenth, and seventeenth of July.
Palakkadian Ritual: On the last three days of the month, a celebration known as “Balakkadian” in the Akkadian language was held. During this celebration, a statue of the god Tammuz was symbolically displayed and buried.
Lamentations of Tammuz:
Sumerian poetry: We have come across many elegies written by Sumerian and Babylonian poets lamenting the god Tammuz.
Excerpts from Elegies: Some of these elegies show his sister's grief over his death, and her pleas to save him from evil forces.
They surrounded him, seized him, and... stared at him.
- They defamed the boy... and the axe
- They cut his stone with knives. They surrounded him
Because of her brother, the sister began roaming around the city ( ) like ( ) a bird ( ) and saying:
- Brother, let me... evil, let me bring... "1"
The spread of the July cult:
Cult throughout Sumer: Mourning the death of Tammuz was practiced throughout Sumer, which shows the importance of this doctrine.
The month of Dumuzid: In the city of Lagash, the sixth month was called “Dumuzid” after the god Tammuz.
The transmission of worship to the Babylonians: The worship of Tammuz and the holiday of mourning for it were transferred from the Sumerians to the Babylonians later.
July's association with another goddess:
His Association with Amma-Ushugal-Anna: The god Tammuz was associated with the goddess Amma-Ushugal-Anna, a goddess from the city of Lagash.
Description of Amma-Ushugal-anna: Amma-oshugal-anna is sometimes described as a heroic warrior.
Sources:
Ishtar and the Diamond of July: by Dr. Fadel Abdel Wahed Ali, p. 127.
Black & Green 1992: , p. 73.