Siduri (the name means "young woman" in Hurrian and might be an aspect of Ishtar) is a character in the Gilgamesh epic, an "ale-wife", a wise female deity associated with fermentation. In the Old Babylonian version of Gilgamesh, Siduri tries to talk the hero out of his quest for immortality, urging him to enjoy life just as it is.

"As for you, Gilgamesh, fill your belly with good things; day and night, night and day, dance and be merry, feast and rejoice. Let your clothes be fresh, bathe yourself in water, cherish the little child that holds your hand, and make your wife happy in your embrace; for this too is the lot of man."

Gilgamesh reaches Siduri's home by the sea via a tunnel underneath Mt. Mashu, the high mountain from which the sun comes into the sky.

Visit the Bitum Boutique for this and other wonderful family plaques or Samarcande Bahktiari's Kilim Bazaar for stunningly beautiful backgrounds you can use in your Bitum.

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