Sumerian religion refers to the mythology, pantheon, rites and cosmology of the sumerian civilization. Mesopotamian mythology refers to the myths, religious texts, and other literature that comes from the region of ancient mesopotamia in modernday west asia. Enki was the son of anu, the sky god, in sumerian and akkadian mythology and the son of apsu, the primordial father, in babylonian texts. Isimud appears in the legend of inanna and enki, in which he is the one who greets.
Mesopotamian mythology, the myths, epics, hymns, lamentations, penitential psalms, incantations, wisdom literature, and handbooks dealing with rituals and omens of ancient mesopotamia. Nov 17, 2016 sumerian mythology influenced all of mesopotamian mythology including the babylonian, akkadian, and assyrian religions. Norse mythology was a major influence in the aggressive, violent lives the vikings led. Before the beginning of kingship in sumer, the citystates were effectively ruled by. Pages in category sumerian mythology the following 15 pages are in this category, out of 15 total. Usumu is a minor god, the messenger of the god enki, in sumerian mythology. The core of the book is eighteen essays, six each on the pantheon, on mythology, and on religion. In ancient sumerian artwork, isimud is easily identifiable because he is always.
The latest copy of this faq is available via anonymous ftp pending. Understanding planets in ancient mesopotamia enn kasak, raul veede this is a copy of the article from printed version of electronic journal folklore vol. As uatharaphelun noted, etcsl is the best place to look for sumerian mythology in translation online if you prefer reading in print, the literature of ancient sumer by jeremy black provides a compilation of etcsl entries and introductions for each text. The origin and development of the cuneiform system of writing 302 b. As late as ezekiel, there is mention of a sumerian deity. The sumerian religion influenced mesopotamian mythology as a whole, surviving in the mythologies and religions of the hurrians, akkadians, babylonians, assyrians, and other culture groups.
This magnificent myth with its particularly charming story involves inanna, the queen of heaven, and enki, the lord of wisdom. Traces of sumerian religion survive today and are reflected in writings of the bible. Sumerian mythology book ancient history encyclopedia. He looked towards the lowland and saw the high gods of the mountain ofwhere the sun rises note. Sumerian mythology visit the links to learn about sumerian myths related to objects in the sky, the earth, and aspects of their world. It consists of over three hundred lines, only about half of which are complete. The most significant myths of a given culture are usually the cosmogonic, or creation myths, the sacred stories evolved and developed in an effort to explain the origin of the universe, the presence of the gods, and the existence of man. Mesopotamian mythology is the collective name given to sumerian ca. The sumerian gods personified local elements and natural forces. Sumerian religion was the religion practiced and adhered to by the people of sumer, the first literate civilization of ancient mesopotamia. This book is our first authoritative sketch of the great myths of the. She gave birth to anki, the universe at first they were heaven and earth in one, a vast mountain of soil and sky. In fact, the name nunki may stem from a play on the sign sequence, as the two.
A guide to sumerian mythology kindle edition by macleod, kezip. Shamash was a sun god according to the sumerian mythology. My thanks are due to professor magnus olsen for permission to translate the work, and to professor william witherle lawrence, of. In the course of the year goo, the writer was entrusted with the task of co1. But too look at sumerian mythology alone, we have to look back far. A study of spiritual and literary achievement in the third millennium b. It concludes with a sketch of a number of theo logical, ethical, and literary ideas of the sumerians which seem. Norse mythology has some similarities but many differences from sumerian, egyptian, greek, and roman mythology. In fact, traces and parallels of sumerian myth can be found in genesis. Drives, motives, and values 249 eight the legacy of sumer 269 appendixes 301 a.
This myth 51 is the closest extant sumerian parallel to the biblical cainabel story, although it ends with a reconciliation rather than a murder. Historical and religious texts from the temple library of nippur. Feb 16, 2010 cuneiform and the advent of writing, astronomy, astrology, farming and religion. The selection is rounded off by three essays that study ancient mesopotamian religion and mythology in relation to the hebrew bible. In sumerian mythology and later for assyrians and babylonians, anu was a skygod, the god of heaven, lord of constellations, king of gods, spirits and demons, and dwelt in the highest heavenly regions. By purchasing books through this website, you support our nonprofit organization.
An started out as the king of all of the gods, but later diminished in importance. He is also referred to as the son of the goddess nammu, a primordial mother goddess who gave birth to the earth and heavens. Anu the supreme god of heaven, enlil god of water, and ea god of magic were among the gods most worshipped by the sumerians. Thus the goddess istar akkadian, for instance, is dealt with under her sumerian name inana. Immediately behind him is his janusfaced messenger isimud, who plays an important role in several of our enki myths. Ancient mesopotamian religion and mythology selected essays. Kig is a god in sumerian mythology, later known as ea in akkadian and babylonian mythology.
The sumerians regarded their divinities as responsible for all matters pertaining to the natural and social orders. Sumerian cuneiform, the earliest written language, was borrowed by the babylonians, who also took many of their religious beliefs. Sumerian myths were passed down through the oral tradition until the invention of writing. Usumu is a minor god, the messenger of the god enki, in sumerian mythology in ancient sumerian artwork, isimud is easily identifiable because he is always depicted with two faces facing in opposite directions in a way that is similar to the ancient roman god janus mythology. Whatever little is known of sumerian mythology is largely surmised from the modified, redacted, and in a sense, garbled versions of the babylonians who conquered the sumerians toward the very end of the third millennium b. Inanna and enki the transfer of the arts of civilization. The concept of godthe gods as king in the ancient near east. All myths are laced with metaphors many leading to gods and creators as ancient alien who came to earth to create a race called humans and what followed after that.
A study of spiritual and literary achievement in the third mil lennium b. A brief treatment of mesopotamian mythology follows. He was originally patron god of the city of eridu, but later the influence of his cult spread throughout mesopotamia and to the hittites and hurrians. Sumerian mythology by samuel noah kramer goodreads. The concept of godthe gods as king in the ancient near. Sumerian mythology revised edition samuel noah kramer a real addition to the body of world mythology. A logogram is a reading of a cuneiform sign which represents a word in the spoken language. Sumerian hymns and prayers to the god ninib from the temple library at nippur philadelphia, 1911. In particular the societies of sumer, akkad, and assyria, all of which existed shortly after 3000 bce and were mostly gone by 400 ce. American anthropologist no people has contributed more to the culture of mankind than the sumerians, and yet it has been only in recent years that our knowledge of them has become at all accurate or extensive.
In enkis power struggle with enlil, he is called the lord defiant, the prince defiant, the king defiant. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Cuneiform and the advent of writing, astronomy, astrology, farming and religion. Halloran the following lexicon contains 1,255 sumerian logogram words and 2,511 sumerian compound words. The mesopotamian scribes compiled long lists of their gods.
Isimud is a minor god, the messenger of the god enki, in sumerian mythology. Entertaining stories though with willful selfcentered gods and typical herculean hero oafs and then there is the flood myth i would have loved to learn more about their mythology, ways of worshipping and their culture but that will be. The first essay in the anthology is morals in ancient mesopotamia 1958. Sumerian literary texts from nippur in the museum of the ancient orientto appear in the near future under the auspices of the american school of oriental research at bagdad and the american council of learned. Sumerian mythology mythology and folklore the white.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading legends of sumer. Pdf the god enki in sumerian royal ideology and mythology. This faq is posted on the third of every month to alt. Aspects of sumerian culture are touched upon as are parallels with biblical stories. The sumerians thought that a great domed roof contained the sky, the stars, the moon, and the sun which lighted the cities beneath it.
The literature that has survived from mesopotamia was written primarily on stone or clay tablets. The webs source of information for ancient history. The sumerians were a nonsemitic, nonindoeuropean people who lived in southern babylonia from 40003000 b. The journey of the watergod to nippur sumerian mythology by samuel noah kramer. Geography played a major role in the evolution and development of norse mythology, just as it did in sumeria and egypt. Norse mythology will serve alike the student of old norse literature, and the general reader who seeks an authoritative guide through the world of northern myth and legend.
One of the most difficult groups of concepts to identify and interpret is that represented by the sumerian word kur. Enki and eridu the journey of the watergod to nippur. This book is our first authoritative sketch of the great. Historical and religious texts from the temple library of nippur mlunchen. Reality is a computer generated consciousness hologram in which the characters it creates are programmed to believe it is real. The bulk of sumerian parallels can, however be found much earlier, in the book of genesis. Sumerian mythology influenced all of mesopotamian mythology including the babylonian, akkadian, and assyrian religions. According to sumerian mythology, in the beginning of time, humanoid gods ruled over our planet. After enki had spoken thus to him, isimud the minister followed his masters instructions closely. He was originally patron god of the city of eridu, but later the influence of his cult spread throughout mesopotamia and to the canaanites, hittites and hurrians. Brown, not the authors, translators, or publishers. Mar 27, 2014 sumerian cuneiform, the earliest written language, was borrowed by the babylonians, who also took many of their religious beliefs. Ancient mesopotamian religion and mythology selected. Isimud overtook inanna, and the incensed goddess accused enki of.
These works were primarily preserved on stone or clay tablets and were written in cuneiform by scribes. Mesopotamian mythology, the myths, epics, hymns, lamentations, penitential psalms, incantations, wisdom literature, and handbooks dealing with rituals and omens of ancient mesopotamia a brief treatment of mesopotamian mythology follows. A concluding volume will endeavor to sketch the reli. Enn kasak, raul veede understanding planets in ancient. This is similar to cronos in the greek myths, who was overthrown by his son and was rarely talked about after. View sumerian mythology research papers on academia. However, within the entries, the sumerian or akkadian name is used as appropriate, depending on the sources or periods referred to. The sumerians regarded their divinities as responsible for all matters pertaining to the natural and social orders 34 before the beginning of kingship in sumer, the citystates were effectively ruled by theocratic priests and religious officials. This magnificent myth with its particularly charming story involves inanna, the queen of heaven, and enki, the lord of wisdom its contents are of profound significance for the study of the history and progress of civilization, since it contains a list of over one hundred divine decrees governing all. When the gods came down from the heavens much needed to be done on the planet and they literally terraformed the earth in order to make it habitable while they mined its minerals from the soil. A history of mesopotamian religion by thorkild jacobsen is somewhat outdated, and i dont subscribe to all of his. However, within the entries, the sumerian or akkadian name is used as appropriate. Before time began there was only darkness and the goddess nammu, the primordial sea.
He was later known as ea in akkadian and babylonian mythology. That one of its primary meanings is mountain is attested by the fact that the sign used for it is actually a pictograph representing a mountain. The sumerians held the belief that a sacred ritual marriage between the ruler and inanna, goddess of love and fertility, brought rich harvests. It was believed that he had the power to judge those who had committed crimes, and that he had created the stars as soldiers to destroy the wicked. Sumerian literature, in proceedings of the american philosophical society85. Kramer didnt look at the beliefs of the sumerians, with the eye of a twentyfirst century researcher, but of a forth millennium b.