They were associated with the tutelary gods of specific cities, and are often considered to be priestesses by modern authors, though this conclusion is not universally accepted, and it is sometimes argued they should be treated as a fully separate class.
Groups of nadītu are also attested in other cities, but they were not necessarily subject to the same regulations as in Sippar, for example those in service of Marduk, known from Babylon and other sites, were allowed to marry.
[1] It could be represented by the Sumerogram LUKUR, which originally designated a type of priestess possibly regarded as the "junior wife" of a god she served.
[5] However, this approach has been criticized by Katrin De Graef, who argues it might lead to a misunderstanding of ancient institutions, and states using the original Akkadian nadītu is preferable.
[1] There is no evidence they already existed in the Ur III period, and despite the use of the term lukur to refer to Old Babylonian nadītu there is no indication that the women designated by the former label in the third millennium BCE had a comparable role in society.
[15] The walls surrounding the gagû were most likely monumentally tall, and their repair was considered an accomplishment suitable to commemorate in year names by Babylonian rulers.
[18] They also originated in different social classes, with attested relatives including smiths, scribes, doctors, clergymen, military and judicial officials, and in some cases rulers.
[22] According to Katrin De Graef, at the same time it cannot be ruled out that they were allowed to engage in intercourse which did not result in pregnancy, and additionally two cases of nadītu apparently becoming pregnant and subsequently giving the child up for adoption has been identified.
[26] Adoptive motherhood among nadītu was seemingly primarily an economic institution, and the foster daughters were typically expected to provide their mothers with sustenance in exchange for becoming their heiresses, and in some cases they could be married off in order to acquire bride price (terḫatum).
[31] It was originally assumed that the gagû in Sippar was abandoned during the reign of Samsuiluna, around 1686 BCE, though subsequent research revealed that it continued to function in the times of Samsuditana.
[29] In addition to Sippar, groups of nadītu also resided in other cities, including Babylon, Kish, Nippur and Tell Ishchali, though they were not necessarily subject to the same regulations.
[37] In contrast with these in service of most gods who possessed such devotees, they resided in various locations, including not only his cult center, Babylon, but also Damrum, Dilbat, Isin, Kish, Lagaba, Larsa, Nippur, Sippar, Sippar-Amnanum, Suhu and Ṣupur-Šubula.
[38] The wide range of attestations presumably reflects the growth of Marduk's importance through the Old Babylonian period, and the establishment of his cult in various cities.
[36] Lucile Barberon speculates that marrying a nadītu of Marduk might have been perceived as a display of willingness to integrate into Babylonian culture promoted by the First Dynasty of Babylon.
[44] A gagû overseen by an official referred to as wakil nadiātim in which nadītu dedicated to the local war god Zababa resided existed in Kish.
[6] The texts from Tell Ischali, presumed to be ancient Nerebtum, a city in the kingdom of Eshnunna,[46] do not contain much information about religious officials, but they mention five women designated as nadītu, three of whom, Kurrītum, Amat-Šamaš and Aja-bēlet-mātim, are explicitly identified as being in the service of Shamash.
[47] A purported reference to a nadītu of Ninsianna on a seal from Uruk from the reign of Rîm-Anum is most likely a misreading, as this individual bears the masculine name Bēl-Anum, which alongside the reexamination of the remaining traces of the title lead Andrea Seri to conclude that the office meant was that of gudu4, [48] Akkadian pašīšum, "anointed one", known to be a class of religious personnel.