Ishtar and Tammuz

Subtitled 'A Babylonian Myth of the Seasons', this is an extremely attractive blend of word and picture which retells the story of the goddess Ishtar and her son Tammuz, 'the Green One.' Made jealous by the popularity enjoyed by Tammuz when she sends him to live on the earth, Ishtar has him killed. The earth becomes 'an all but lifeless place with trees bare, meadows without grass or flowers, the birds huddled and silent' and its people pray for Tammuz's restoration. Ishtar is moved by their sense of loss and departs for the realm of darkness, ruled by Allatu, the half-woman, half-lioness. Tammuz is set free - but only on the condition that her returns to Allatu for six months each year. Moore's text does justice to the high passions and dramatic switches of fortune in the story, whole Balit's rich, colourful and stylised artwork engagingly frames and decorates the narrative.