Weaving the Sumerian and Akkadian Descent Narratives: Editorial Methodology and Comparative Framework

Inanna's Descent to the Underworld survives in two textual traditions: the Sumerian Inana's Descent to the Nether World (ETCSL 1.4.1) and the Akkadian Descent of Ishtar to the Underworld (tablet K.162). A new annotated retelling synthesizes both into a single continuous narrative, accompanied by over fifty scholarly notes documenting every departure, invention, and synthesis. This paper describes the editorial method: the relationship between the source texts, the six principles governing their combination, the role of the apparatus, and a worked example.