Document Type



Through a comparative study of contemporary America and ancient Mesopotamia, the devotional practices directed towards the goddess Inanna in ancient Mesopotamia and towards celebrities in present-day America are analyzed. Celebrities have replaced Inanna in terms of representing exceptional figures exemplifying certain qualities--qualities of motherhood, fertility, sexual appeal, wisdom, intelligence, and even that of the warrior--once associated with the ancient goddess. The position of women within these cultures is an important aspect of the research. In ancient Mesopotamia, the position of women decreased over the millennia, from 4000 BCE to 1000 BCE, in which the people of Sumer, Akkadia, Assyria, and Canaan existed. In the United States, on the other hand, the position of women has increased within society in the past few decades. These changing factors within each respective time-period is reflective of the devotional practices performed, and the popularity felt, towards their respective goddess figures. Further research to include more cultures is needed in order to clarify as to whether societies need to create these figures in some way.