A BABYLONIAN MYSTERY.

The article focuses on the ancient Babylonian clay relief known as the Queen of the Night, an enigmatic goddess figure dating from around 1792–1750 BCE during Hammurabi’s reign. Despite extensive scholarly analysis, her precise identity remains uncertain, with leading hypotheses identifying her as Inanna/Ishtar, the goddess of love and war; Ereshkigal, queen of the Underworld; or Lilith, a demoness figure, though each theory faces iconographic and contextual challenges. The relief’s distinctive features—including wings, talons, two lions, and symbolic rod and ring—have prompted debate over her divine status and possible hybrid nature. Ultimately, the Queen of the Night remains a significant but unresolved figure in Mesopotamian religious history.