Before she descended,

She put on all her ornaments

Of power, the seven symbols

Of her queenship:

She put on her head the desert

Crown, put tiny lapis beads

Around her neck and longer lapis

Beads, dark and sleek,

Fell to her breast where two

Perfect oval jewels made a

Bewitching breastplate;

She took her hand

The measuring rod and

The measuring line,

And put on her wrist

The golden ring.

Shadowing her eyes with

Seductive kohl, drawing

Over her shoulders the robe of

Heaven, the goddess Inanna

Began her journey. Thus did the

Great goddess of heaven

Begin her journey, begin her

Descent into hell.

-Sumerian poem