The Atrahasis is the Akkadian/Babylonian epic of the Great Flood sent by the gods to destroy human life. Only the good man, Atrahasis (his name translates as `exceedingly wise’) was warned of the impending deluge by the god Enki (also known as Ea) who instructed him to build an ark to save himself.

Who wrote the epic of Atrahasis?

The Epic of Atrahasis by Anonymous.

Where is the Atrahasis epic?

ancient Mesopotamia ‘Atrahasis’ is an epic from ancient Mesopotamia. The story exists in many versions, though the most complete text dates from about 1700 B.C. from Babylonia. It is written in the Cuneiform alphabet on several clay tablets.

What is the purpose of Atrahasis?

The Atrahasis Epic presents the flood story in a context comparable to that of Genesis, that of a Primeval History. Man’s creation, his raison detre, as doing the work of the gods and thus relieving them of the need to labor. indicate the prerequisites of human life upon earth.

How is humanity created in the epic of Atrahasis?

As part of his organization of the universe, mankind was created from the blood of Kingu, the cohort of Tiamat, and Babylon was established as Marduk’s city. Another famous text is the Gilgamesh Epic. The 12 tablets of this epic begin and end at the walls of Uruk, the city which Gilgamesh founded.

Where are Atrahasis tablets found?

the library His tablets were found in the library of one of his relatives. The story was perhaps a favourite in his family.

Where is Tiamat from?

In music, Tiamat is a Swedish Gothic metal band that formed in Stockholm in 1987.

What is Enki the god of?

Ea, (Akkadian), Sumerian Enki, Mesopotamian god of water and a member of the triad of deities completed by Anu (Sumerian: An) and Enlil.

How do you pronounce Atrahasis?

Phonetic spelling of Atrahasis

  1. atra-ha-sis.
  2. a-tra-ha-sis.
  3. ah-trah-hah-sis.

Why did enlil send a flood?

In the later Akkadian version of the flood story, recorded in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enlil actually causes the flood, seeking to annihilate every living thing on earth because the humans, who are vastly overpopulated, make too much noise and prevent him from sleeping.

When was the epic of Atrahasis discovered?

The Atrahasis story also exists in a later fragmentary Assyrian version, the first one having been discovered in the library of Ashurbanipal. In 1965, W.G. Lambert and A.R. Millard published additional texts belonging to the epic written around 1650 B.C.E.

Who is Enki?

The god Ea (whose Sumerian equivalent was Enki) is one of the three most powerful gods in the Mesopotamian pantheon, along with Anu and Enlil. He resides in the ocean underneath the earth called the abzu (Akkadian apsû), which was an important place in Mesopotamian cosmic geography.

What is the epic of Gilgamesh summary?

It follows the story of Gilgamesh, the mythological hero-king of Uruk, and his half-wild friend, Enkidu, as they undertake a series of dangerous quests and adventures, and then Gilgamesh’s search for the secret of immortality after the death of his friend.

How many pairs of animals did Noah take?

(Interestingly, there’s a conflicting Biblical description in the story of Noah that indicated God wanted Noah to take seven pairs of clean animals… and a pair of the animals that are not clean… and seven pairs of the birds of the air also.) The Biblical flood would probably kill most of the plant life on Earth.

Who was King Gilgamesh?

Most historians generally agree Gilgamesh was a historical king of the Sumerian city-state of Uruk, who probably ruled sometime during the early part of the Early Dynastic Period ( c. 2900 – 2350 BC). … The inscription credits Gilgamesh with building the walls of Uruk.

What does the Bull of Heaven throw around with its tail?

Gilgamesh and Enkidu work together to slay the Bull; Enkidu goes behind the Bull and pulls its tail while Gilgamesh thrusts his sword into the Bull’s neck, killing it. Gilgamesh and Enkidu offer the Bull’s heart to the sun-god Shamash. … Enkidu tears off the Bull’s right thigh and throws it in Ishtar’s face.

WHO warned Atrahasis?

Enki admits that he warned Atrahasis, in defiance of Enlil: I made sure life was preserved (Dalley 34). The text is fragmentary at this point, but apparently Enki persuades Enlil to adopt a more humane plan for dealing with the population and noise problem.

How did Utnapishtim confirm that the flood has subsided?

When Gilgamesh reached the distant home of Utnapishtim the Faraway, he demanded to know how this one man gained everlasting life. … When the waters went down, Utnapishtim sent birds — a dove, a swallow and a raven — from the boat and when they did not return, he knew it was safe to come out of the ship and life resumed.

When was Noah’s Ark written?

The version closest to the biblical story of Noah, as well as its most likely source, is that of Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh. A complete text of Utnapishtim’s story is a clay tablet dating from the seventh century BCE, but fragments of the story have been found from as far back as the 19th-century BCE.

What happened to Tiamat’s body?

The story tells how Tiamat, the saltwater goddess, and her mate Apsu, the fresh water god, coupled to produce what would become several generations of younger gods. … He commanded the wind to enter Tiamat’s mouth and puff up her body. He then killed her with an arrow that split her into two halves.

Is Tiamat a Sumerian?

It has been suggested that Tiamat is the Babylonian version of the Sumerian Mother Goddess Nammu (also given as Namma) but there are significant differences between the two deities, notably that Nammu is consistently a nurturing, caring figure while Tiamat is vengeful and tempestuous.

Who are Tiamat’s parents?

… deep beneath the earth) and Tiamat (the personification of salt water) or Lahmu and Lahamu, the first set of twins born to Apsu and Tiamat. Anshar and Kishar, in turn, were the parents of Anu (An), the supreme heaven god.

Is Zeus a enlil?

Anu (An) is Zeus’s Babylonian (Sumerian) counterpart as supreme sky god and impartial ruler. Enlil is Zeus’s Babylonian counterpart as punitive storm god.

Who is EA’s father?

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. He is also referred to as the son of the goddess Nammu, a primordial mother goddess who gave birth to the earth and heavens.

What happened to Marduk?

Marduk’s Importance to Babylon When he was assassinated by his sons in 681 BCE, it was considered Marduk’s retribution for the insult to himself and his city. … Herodotus’ claims aside, however, Marduk was understood to reside in his temple, not the heavens, among the people of his city.