Myths from Mesopotamia

by Stephanie Dalley

The stories translated here all of ancient Mesopotamia, and include not only myths about the Creation and stories of the Flood, but also the longest and greatest literary composition, the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Myths from Mesopotamia

Author: Stephanie Dalley

Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks

ISBN: 0199538360

Page: 339

View: 325

The stories translated here all of ancient Mesopotamia, and include not only myths about the Creation and stories of the Flood, but also the longest and greatest literary composition, the Epic of Gilgamesh. This is the story of a heroic quest for fame and immortality, pursued by a man of great strength who loses a unique opportunity through a moment's weakness. So much has been discovered in recent years both by way of new tablets and points of grammar and lexicography that these new translations by Stephanie Dalley supersede all previous versions. -- from back cover.

Greek Myths and Mesopotamia

by Charles Penglase

Examines the Mesopotamian influence on Greek mythology in literary works of the epic period, concentrating in particular on journey myths. A major contribution to the understanding of the colourful myths involved.

Greek Myths and Mesopotamia

Author: Charles Penglase

Publisher: Routledge

ISBN: 1134729308

Page: 292

View: 617

The Mesopotamian influence on Greek mythology in literary works of the epic period is considerable - yet it is a largely unexplored field. In this book Charles Penglase investigates major Mesopotamian and Greek myths. His examination concentrates on journey myths. A major breakthrough is achieved in the recognition of the extent of Mesopotamian influence and in the understanding of the colourful myths involved. The results are of significant interest, especially to scholars and students of ancient Greek and Near Eastern religion and mythology.

Mesopotamian Myths

by Matt Clayton

This book includes two captivating manuscripts: Mesopotamian Mythology: A Captivating Guide to Ancient Near Eastern Myths Sumerian Mythology: Captivating Myths of Gods, Goddesses, and Legendary Creatures of Ancient Sumer and Their ...

Mesopotamian Myths

Author: Matt Clayton

Publisher:

ISBN: 9781952191176

Page: 190

View: 641

This book includes two captivating manuscripts: Mesopotamian Mythology: A Captivating Guide to Ancient Near Eastern Myths Sumerian Mythology: Captivating Myths of Gods, Goddesses, and Legendary Creatures of Ancient Sumer and Their Importance to the Sumerians

Ancient Mesopotamian Religion and Mythology

by W.G. Lambert

His principle legacy is a large number of superb critical editions of Babylonian literary compositions. Many of the texts he edited were on religious and mythological subjects.

Ancient Mesopotamian Religion and Mythology

Author: W.G. Lambert

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

ISBN: 9783161536748

Page: 295

View: 644

The late W.G. Lambert (1926-2011) was one of the foremost Assyriologists of the latter part of the twentieth century. His principle legacy is a large number of superb critical editions of Babylonian literary compositions. Many of the texts he edited were on religious and mythological subjects. He will always be remembered as the editor of the Babylonian Job (Ludlul bel nemeqi, also known as the Poem of the Righteous Sufferer), the Babylonian Flood Story (Atra-hasis) and the Babylonian Creation Epic (Enuma elish). The present book is a collection of twenty-three essays Lambert published between the years 1958 and 2004. These endure not only as the legacy of one of the greatest authorities on ancient Mesopotamian religion and mythology, but also because each makes statements of considerable validity and importance. As such, many are milestones in the fields of Mesopotamian religion and mythology.

The Garden of Eden Myth

by Walter Mattfeld

It is understood that the Hebrews in the book of Genesis are refuting the Mesopotamian account of why Man was created and his relationship with his Creators (the gods and goddesses).

The Garden of Eden Myth

Author: Walter Mattfeld

Publisher: Lulu.com

ISBN: 0557885302

Page: 184

View: 304

Scholarly proposals are presented for the pre-biblical origin in Mesopotamian myths of the Garden of Eden story. Some Liberal PhD scholars (1854-2010) embracing an Anthropological viewpoint have proposed that the Hebrews have recast earlier motifs appearing in Mesopotamian myths. Eden's garden is understood to be a recast of the gods' city-gardens in the Sumerian Edin, the floodplain of Lower Mesopotamia. It is understood that the Hebrews in the book of Genesis are refuting the Mesopotamian account of why Man was created and his relationship with his Creators (the gods and goddesses). They deny that Man is a sinner and rebel because he was made in the image of gods and goddesses who were themselves sinners and rebels, who made man to be their agricultural slave to grow and harvest their food and feed it to them in temple sacrifices thereby ending the need of the gods to toil for their food in the city-gardens of Edin in ancient Sumer.

An Introduction to Ancient Mesopotamian Religion

by Tammi J. Schneider

Marduk's names, so some form of the myth must have had a role during the
second millennium.29 The ritual function of ... of the major religious events of the
Mesopotamian calendar.31 It originally commemorated the god leaving his
temporary ...

An Introduction to Ancient Mesopotamian Religion

Author: Tammi J. Schneider

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

ISBN: 0802829597

Page: 146

View: 772

In her book, the author offers readers a compact guide to the religion of the peoples living in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers from the beginning of the Bronze Age to the time of Alexander the Great and Darius III. Drawing on extant texts, artifacts, and architecture, Schneider uncovers both an intriguing pantheon of deities -- including Marduk, Ishtar, and many others -- and the complex, fluid, and highly ritualized religious experience of the people who spent their lives serving and appeasing them.

Middle Eastern Mythology

by S. H. Hooke

Based on firsthand sources, this book recounts the legends of the Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Hittites, and Canaanites, in addition to discussing the mythological elements of the Jewish apocalyptic literature and the New Testament.

Middle Eastern Mythology

Author: S. H. Hooke

Publisher: Courier Corporation

ISBN: 9780486435510

Page: 198

View: 344

The role of mythology in ritual and its place in the origins of customs, cults, and hero worship are the areas covered by this survey. Based on firsthand sources, this book recounts the legends of the Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Hittites, and Canaanites, in addition to discussing the mythological elements of the Jewish apocalyptic literature and the New Testament. The author's well-documented commentary highlights the similarities between various Middle Eastern legends and offers revealing citations from documents, tablets, and inscriptions recovered by archaeological excavations. It contains 16 black-and-white illustrations.

Babylonian Mythology

by Don Nardo

This volume looks at Babylonian Mythology, drawing connections between ancient Babylonian culture and its myths, explaining how the beliefs, values, and experiences of that culture are represented in its treasured stories.

Babylonian Mythology

Author: Don Nardo

Publisher: Greenhaven Publishing LLC

ISBN: 0737766476

Page: 104

View: 638

This volume looks at Babylonian Mythology, drawing connections between ancient Babylonian culture and its myths, explaining how the beliefs, values, and experiences of that culture are represented in its treasured stories. Readers are treated to a map of ancient Mesopotamia, a family tree of the major gods, a table of major characters with name pronunciations with brief descriptions, sidebars, and fact boxes.

Mesopotamian Mythology

by Scott Lewis

And so much more! These stories and many more are compiled in story form in Mesopotamian Mythology: Classic stories from the Sumerian Mythology, Akkadian Mythology, Babylonian Mythology and Assyrian Mythology.

Mesopotamian Mythology

Author: Scott Lewis

Publisher: Classical Mythology

ISBN: 9781728715650

Page: 156

View: 103

Do you know that the Mesopotamians did not believe in life after death? Or that their Queen of the Underworld and their arrogant God of War and Pestilence had an epic love story? In this collection, you will enjoy the epic stories of Ancient Mesopotamia that echoed through other great works like the Bible and the Odyssey. The Sumerian belief system offers a fascinating insight into the lives of these ancient people as they struggled to establish the first empires of man. Some of the fantastic stories included are: - The Epic of Gilgamesh: The adventure of Gilgamesh, a tyrannical king who is blessed with a true friend and companion, Enkidu. As they set out to make their names, the young men encounter demons, gods and goddesses, and death. It is the first recorded hero's epic! - Creation Myths: The Ancient Mesopotamians had a vivid idea of their origins. Learn how they saw their role in the cosmos and interpreted events in their lives. - The Descent of Ishtar: No good collection of myths would be complete without a trip to the Underworld. In this myth, the Queen of Heaven is not content with her lot and seeks to gain the power of the Underworld as well. - The Epic of Etana - One of the original action-adventure stories is the story of Etana. Through divine providence, Etana is elevated from shepherd to king but cannot conceive an heir. With help from the gods and a less than honorable giant eagle, he seeks to find the plant that will let his wife bear him a child. - Ereshkigal and Nergal: Stories of star-crossed lovers are common enough, but the Mesopotamian version has a unique twist. Ereshkigal and Nergal are the most unlikely of bedfellows! And so much more! These stories and many more are compiled in story form in Mesopotamian Mythology: Classic stories from the Sumerian Mythology, Akkadian Mythology, Babylonian Mythology and Assyrian Mythology. Get your copy and dive into this fascinating world today!

Mesopotamia

by Publishing Historical Figures

Mesopotamia: A Comprehensive Guide to Sumerian Mythology Including Myths, Art, Religion, and Culture

Mesopotamia

Author: Publishing Historical Figures

Publisher:

ISBN: 9781648642302

Page: 82

View: 987

Mesopotamia: A Comprehensive Guide to Sumerian Mythology Including Myths, Art, Religion, and Culture

From Distant Days

by Benjamin Read Foster

This paperback edition is well-suited for college courses in Biblical Studies, Classical Studies, Religious Thought, Mythology, or Comparative Literature.

From Distant Days

Author: Benjamin Read Foster

Publisher: Capital Decisions Limited

ISBN:

Page: 438

View: 846

A selection and abridgment of Benjamin Foster's comprehensive, two-volume work on Babylonian and Assyrian literature, Before the Muses. This paperback edition is well-suited for college courses in Biblical Studies, Classical Studies, Religious Thought, Mythology, or Comparative Literature. Among the many compositions included are: Epic of Creation; Story of the Flood; When Ishtar Went to the Netherworld; How Nergal Became King of the Netherworld; How Adapa Lost Immortality; Etana; the King without an Heir; Anzu the Bird Who Stole Destiny; How Erra Wrecked the World; Legends of Sargon of Akkad; Legend of Naram-Sin; Tukulti-Ninurta Epic; Nebuchadnezzar and Marduk; Tiglath-Pileser and the Beasts; The King of Justice; Letters from Gods; Marduk Prophecy; Oracles to Assyrian Kings; Prayers to the Gods; Coronation Prayer for Assyrian Kings; Sargon II for His New City; Assurbanipal Pious Scholar; Nebuchadnezzar II for His Public Works; Diviners' Prayers; Dialogue between a Man and His God; Poem of the Righteous Sufferer; A Sufferer's Salvation; The Babylonian Theodicy; Who Has Not Sinned?; The Piteous Sufferer; Elegy for a Woman Dead in Childbirth; Love Charms; Love Lyrics; Ishtar at the Tavern; The Faithful Lover; At the Cleaners; The Poor Man of Nippur; Why Do You Curse Me?; The Jester; The Gilgamesh Letter; The Dialogue of Pessimism; Land for the Birds; Counsels of Wisdom.

Epics of Early Civilization

by Michael Kerrigan

For centuries, the epics, legends and myths of Mesopotamia's ancient civilization lay buried under the desert sands, along with great cities like Babylon, Nineveh, Ur, and Ashur, waiting for the day when archaeologists would reveal them to ...

Epics of Early Civilization

Author: Michael Kerrigan

Publisher: Time Life Education

ISBN:

Page: 143

View: 160

For centuries, the epics, legends and myths of Mesopotamia's ancient civilization lay buried under the desert sands, along with great cities like Babylon, Nineveh, Ur, and Ashur, waiting for the day when archaeologists would reveal them to the modern world. These myths represent some of the earliest literature ever found. Peopled with characters like the goddess Ishtar and the warrior-king Gilgamesh, they are filled with universal themes that resonate even today.

Gods Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia

by Jeremy A. Black

This illustrated text offers a reference guide to Mesopotamian religion, mythology and magic between about 3000 BC and the advent of the Christian era.

Gods Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia

Author: Jeremy A. Black

Publisher: British museum Press

ISBN:

Page: 192

View: 284

Ancient Mesopotamia was a highly complex culture whose achievements included the invention of writing. This illustrated text offers a reference guide to Mesopotamian religion, mythology and magic between about 3000 BC and the advent of the Christian era. Gods, goddesses, demons, monsters, magic, myths, religious symbolism, rituals and the spiritual world are all discussed in alphabetical entries ranging from short accounts to extended essays.

A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology

by Dr Gwendolyn Leick

... B. (1972) Dumuzi's Dream (Mesopotamia 1) (Copenhagen) Alster, B. (1973) '
An Aspect of "Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta" ', Revue d' Assyriologie 67 Alster,
B. (1973) 'On the Interpretation of the Sumerian Myth "Inanna and Enki'", Ugarit ...

A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology

Author: Dr Gwendolyn Leick

Publisher: Routledge

ISBN: 1134641028

Page: 240

View: 546

The Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology covers sources from Mesopotamia, Syro-Palestine and Anatolia, from around 2800 to 300 BC. It contains entries on gods and goddesses, giving evidence of their worship in temples, describing their 'character', as documented by the texts, and defining their roles within the body of mythological narratives; synoptic entries on myths, giving the place of origin of main texts and a brief history of their transmission through the ages; and entries explaining the use of specialist terminology, for such things as categories of Sumerian texts or types of mythological figures.

The God Ninurta

by Amar Annus

This chapter shows that the conception of Ninurta's identity with the king was present in Mesopotamian religion already in the third millennium BC. Ninurta was the god of Nippur, the religious centre of Sumerian cities, and his most ...

The God Ninurta

Author: Amar Annus

Publisher: State Archives of Assyria

ISBN: 9789514590573

Page: 242

View: 669

The current investigation has been divided into three main chapters. In the first two chapters, the primary focus is the relationship between Ninurta and kingship. The first chapter gives a diachronic overview of the cult of Ninurta during all historical periods of ancient Mesopotamia. This chapter shows that the conception of Ninurta's identity with the king was present in Mesopotamian religion already in the third millennium BC. Ninurta was the god of Nippur, the religious centre of Sumerian cities, and his most important attribute was his sonship to Enlil. While the mortal gods were frequently called the sons of Enlil, the status of the king converged with that of Ninurta at his coronation, through the determination of the royal fate, carried out by the divine council of gods in Nippur. The fate of Ninurta parallels the fate of the king after the investiture. Religious syncretism is studied in the second chapter. The configuration of Nippur cults left a legacy for the religious life of Babylonia and Assyria. The Nippur trinity of the father Enlil, the mother Ninlil, and the son Ninurta had direct descendants in the Babylonian and Assyrian pantheon, realized in Babylonia as Marduk, Zarpanitu, and Nabu, and as Assur, Mullissu, and Ninurta in Assyria. While the names changed, the configuration of the cult survived, even when, from the eighth century BC onwards, Ninurta's name was to a large extent replaced by that of Nabu. In the third chapter various manifestations or hypostases of Ninurta are discussed. Besides the monster slayer, Ninurta was envisaged as farmer, star and arrow, healer, and tree. All these manifestations confirm the strong ties between the cult of Ninurta and kingship. By slaying Asakku, Ninurta eliminated evil from the world, and accordingly he was considered the god of healing. The healing, helping, and saving of a believer who was in misery was thus a natural result of Ninurta's victorious battles. The theologoumenon of Ninurta's mission and return was used as the mythological basis for quite a few royal rituals, and this fact explains the extreme longevity of the Sumerian literary compositions Angim and Lugale, from the third until the first millennium BC. Ninurta also protected legitimate ownership of land and granted protection for refugees in a special temple of the land. The "faithful farmer" is an epithet for both Ninurta and the king. Kingship myths similar to the battles of Ninurta are attested in an area far extending the bounds of the ancient Near East. The conflict myth on which the Ninurta mythology was based is probably of prehistoric origin, and various forms of the kingship myths continued to carry the ideas of usurpation, conflict, and dominion until late Antiquity.

Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization

by Rupert Matthews

Describes the Ancient Mesopotamians and their myths with factual explanations about how people really lived at the time.

Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization

Author: Rupert Matthews

Publisher: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc

ISBN: 1404280375

Page: 48

View: 920

Describes the Ancient Mesopotamians and their myths with factual explanations about how people really lived at the time.

Myth

by G. S. Kirk

Myths. in. Ancient. Mesopotamia. I : Introduction The literature of ancient
Mesopotamia is an enthralling and neglected subject, and it possesses a special
relevance to Greek myths and the understanding of myth in general. Influence on
 ...

Myth

Author: G. S. Kirk

Publisher: Univ of California Press

ISBN: 9780520023895

Page: 299

View: 566

This book, developed out of the 1969 Sather lectures at Berkeley, California, confronts a wide range of problems concerning the nature, meaning and functions of myths. Professor Kirk's aim is to introduce a degree of coherence and of critical awareness into a subject that arouses profound interest today, but which for too long has been the target of excessive theorizing and interdisciplinary confusion between anthropologists, sociologists, classicists, philosophers and psychologists. Professor Kirk begins by discussing the relation of myths to rituals and folktales, and the weakness of universalist theories of function. He then subjects Lévi-Strauss's structuralist theory to an extended exposition and criticism; he considers the character and meaning of ancient Near Eastern myths, their influence on Greece, and the special forms with rational modes of thought, and finally, he assesses the status of myths as expressions of the unconscious, as elements of dreams, universal symbols, as accidents along the way to some narrative objective. The result is a significant critical venture into the history and philosophy of thought, imagination, symbol and society.--From publisher description.

An Anthology of Ancient Mesopotamian Texts

by Sabine Franke

This book takes the reader on a journey back to the birth of literature in Mesopotamia, which seems to us so far and yet so near.

An Anthology of Ancient Mesopotamian Texts

Author: Sabine Franke

Publisher: Pen and Sword

ISBN: 1473834341

Page: 120

View: 870

Sabina Franke has gathered the best stories of ancient Near Eastern literature surrounding the Mesopotamian gods, men and kings. This book takes the reader on a journey back to the birth of literature in Mesopotamia, which seems to us so far and yet so near. Fairy tales, myths and epics of ancient Near Eastern literature are still able to charm readers today and allow us to delve into the fascinating life of the ancient Near East. This book includes fables such as the tooth worm which causes tooth pain as well as the great myth of Innanas which describes the transition of the goddess Ishtar into the underworld. There are also daily life stories such as that of a student and the Sumerian incantations against a crying baby.

Gender and Aging in Mesopotamia

by Rivkah Harris

Rivkah Harris’s cross-cultural and multidisciplinary approach breaks new ground in assessing Mesopotamian attitudes toward youth and mature adulthood, aging and the elderly, generational conflict, gender differences in aging, ...

Gender and Aging in Mesopotamia

Author: Rivkah Harris

Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press

ISBN: 9780806135397

Page: 288

View: 632

Rivkah Harris’s cross-cultural and multidisciplinary approach breaks new ground in assessing Mesopotamian attitudes toward youth and mature adulthood, aging and the elderly, generational conflict, gender differences in aging, relationships between men and women, women’s contributions to cultural activities, and the "ideal woman." To uncover Mesopotamian perspectives, Harris combed through primary sources - including literature and myth, letters, economic and legal texts, and visual materials. Even such pivotal cultural influences as the Gilgamesh Epic and Enuma Elish are reinterpreted in an original manner.

Mesopotamian Myths

by Henrietta McCall

These and other stories are here retold, based on the latest translations, and illustrated with the works of both contemporary and later artists inspired by the rediscovery of these ancient characters and themes.

Mesopotamian Myths

Author: Henrietta McCall

Publisher: University of Texas Press

ISBN: 9780292751309

Page: 80

View: 655

Briefly describes the rediscovery and decipherment of the Mesopotamian myths and legends, introduces and retells the Epic of Gilgamesh, and others, and examines their importance, both past and present