Geography/Culture: Mesopotamia: Babylonia, Akkadian, Assyria. A Semitic overthrow of Sumeria occured in 2360 BC. References to Ishtar occur at least as early as 1850 BC in Nineveh. From Her temple in Erech (built or restored approximately 2700 BC), Her worship spread through Babylonia and Assyria. She was also recognized in Egypt.
Linguistic Note: Her name may be derived from that of the warlike astral god of the desert, Athar. Or his from Hers of course.
Description: Queen of heaven and earth; Benevolent Goddess of fertility, vitality in general, the moon, music, song, healing and sexuality; Life-giving power; Mother of Deities; Begetter of all; Source of all life; Personification of nature; the Star from Whose vulva flows all life; She Who represents the life which leads to death and rebirth; Queen of Nineveh; Ever virgin Warrior; Lustful-one; Divine wanton; the Promiscuous; the Compassionate Prostitute; Mother and Guider of humanity; anciently wise Judge and Councellor; Lady of prophetic vision; Star of prophesy; Mistress of the winds.
Invocations, Pleas, Hymns and Other Homage to HER: Ishtar
To Whom Sacred: branches; date-palm; bird; dog; lioness (on which She rides); lion; heifer/bull, especially the horns; mountains; the planet Masat (ie Venus); lapis-lazuli; vulva; wine; double-serpent sceptre; bow and arrows; scimitar; gold 8-pointed star (which equals guiding light); mushrusshu dragon.
Her holy women are called Ishtaritu, or Qadishtu). They take lovers from temple visitors as an expression of the sacredness of sexuality, 'the gift of Ishtar'. Her priests, Kurgarru, or Ishinu were self-castrated {seems rather contradictory}.
Festival: originally annual male human sacrifice which became modified to cutting off locks of hair. Shapatu, the night of the full moon when special offerings of food and drink were made to Her and celebration filled the temples.
Iconography: She wears a long-flounced garment, tiara-crown, a 6-stranded necklace, and has an insignia on Her shoulder; Her right-hand is upraised in a gesture of recognition or salutation.
Male Associates: consort, (in Assyria) Assur. Anu is also called Her consort. She is sometimes associated with Marduk. Son, Tammuz.

Titles/Variants, etc:
• Aspect: Absusu, ----, Who is linked with Kilili-Mushritu, She-Who-Leans-Out-Invitingly.
• Aspect: Abtagigi, She-Who-Sends-Messages-of-Desire, Who is also linked with Kilili-Mushritu.
• She assimilated the Goddess Agasaya, Shrieker, (Who is linked with Dilbah, {Star-of-the-East}), and adopted Her name as a title.
• Perhaps identical to Anaitis, {Blameless-One}, Who is linked with Anahita, Immaculate-One.
• As Goddess of love She is identified with Greek Aphrodite, {Froth-of-Replication}.
• She is identified with Artemis, High-Source-of-Water, as Huntress, by Her bow and arrows though Her arrows may have signified the sun's rays.
• Perhaps transliteration variant: Ashdar, ----, Who is linked with Astart, Conceiving-Womb.
• Analogous altogether, it's said, in Her name and attributes to Astart, Conceiving-Womb.
• The name of Atargatis, Opportune-Time, (Who is linked with Derceto, {Great-Whale}), may be etymologically related to Ishtar, Light-Giving.
• She was merged with the (older?) Goddess, Babylonian Aya, The-Bride, Who is linked with Aa, Great-Mother.
• Title: Belit, Lady, Who is linked with Zarpanit, Silver-Shining.
• Title: Belit-Mati, Lady-Mother, Who is also linked with Zarpanit.
• Title (adopted from Inanna, Queen-of-Heaven), Dilbah, {Star-of-the-East}.
• She is also called: Gingira, ----.
• Title: Har, {Pregnant-Mountain}, Who is linked with Kilili-Mushritu, She-Who-Leans-Out-Invitingly.
• She assimilated Sumerian Inanna, Queen-of-Heaven.
• The name of Ishah, ----, (Who is linked with Eve, Mother-of-all-Living), which looks/sounds like a variant of Ishtar, Light-Giving, and which is an alternate name for Eve), may have some etymological connection with the name Ishtar.
• Variant: Istar.
• Variant: Istaru, .
• Title: Kilili-Mushritu, She-Who-Leans-Out-Invitingly, though distinguished from Ishtar in Her Cycle of Transformations.
• Title Masat, ----, Who is linked with Dilbah, {Star-of-the-East}.
• Ishtar. Light-Giving. is also called Nana, Old-Queen.
• Adopted title: Nin-Kasi, Lady-Horn-Face, Who is linked with Aa, Great-Mother.
• Adopted title: Nin-Kharak, Lady-of-the-Mountain, Who is linked with Nin-Kharsag, Mountain-Queen.
• And the adopted title Nin-Lil, Lady-of-Power. Who is linked with Zarpanit, Silver-Shining.
• Title: Nin-Si-Anna, Lady-of-the-Eye-of-Heaven, Who is linked with Aa, Great-Mother.
• She is considered comparable to Lydian Omphale, Earth's-Navel.
• She is called Pyrrha, Red-One, (Who is linked with Pandora, All-Giving), by the Greeks in their story of the flood.
• Title: Qadesh, Holy-One, Who is linked with Anath, {Strength-of-Life}.
• Sammuramat, {Sublime-Dove}, (Who is linked with Semiramis, Beloved-of-the-Dove-Goddess), is said by some to be a form of Ishtar, Light-Giving.
• Title: Sharrat-Shame, Queen-of-Heaven, as the full moon.
• Hurrian form of Her name Shaushga, ----.
• See also early Hebraic Tamar, Date-Palm.
• Title: Ulsiga, She-of-Heaven-and-Earth.
• Title: Zanaru, Lady-of-the-Lands.
• Title: Zib, ----, Who is linked with Kilili-Mushritu, She-Who-Leans-Out-Invitingly.