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Combined Enuma Elish Presentation

Combined Enuma Elish Presentation. Shepard’s Cities Fall 2011. The First Tablet: Important Characters. Apsu- a primeval god of fresh water and male virility Tiamat- Apsu’s counterpart; the goddess of the sea and chaos; winter and barrenness

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Combined Enuma Elish Presentation

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  1. CombinedEnumaElish Presentation Shepard’s Cities Fall 2011

  2. The First Tablet: Important Characters • Apsu- a primeval god of fresh water and male virility • Tiamat- Apsu’s counterpart; the goddess of the sea and chaos; winter and barrenness • Anu- the god of the sky; son of Ansar and Kisar, children of Apsu and Tiamat • Ea -(Enki) son of Anu; killer of Apsu; name commonly translated as "Lord of the Earth" • Mummu- vizier/minister to Apsu and Tiamat • Kingu- replaces Apsu as Tiamat’s husband; she gives him immense power, command over her armies, and the Tablets of Destiny • Tablets of Destiny are tablets written on clay tablets in cuneiform that, throughout Mesopotamian mythology, conferred the right to rule the gods Anunnaki- the sons of the gods (e.g. Anu and Ea) whom Tiamat tries to destroy

  3. Story Line • The first tablet starts with the story of how the gods came into the world. • At first there was chaos when the waters of Apsu and Tiamat were mingled together • Anu was very powerful compared to the rest of the gods. • Throughout the first tablet there is a period of unrest and chaos. Apsu was going to kill the gods, his sons, but was killed first by Ea. • Then Tiamat seeks revenge and starts a war against the Anunnaki. She promotes Kingu, her new husband, to have power over the gods, receiving Anu’s power and the Tablets of Destiny.

  4. Importance (What It Tells Us about Babylonian/Mesopotamian Society) • Anthropomorphic gods • The gods become afraid, angry, and seek revenge • Babylonians saw the gods as part of nature • For example, Tiamat as the sea • A cosmic struggle between order and chaos • The gods seek justice/revenge • Order/justice established with power and force • Babylonians believed in spells and incantations • Origin of the Hebrew Genesis story

  5. Tablet 2 - Main Characters • Tiamat: God of Chaos • Kingu: Tiamat’s son, leader of Tiamat’s forces • Ea: God of Knowledgy, slayer of Apsu • Ansar: A primordial God, Ea’s father • Anu: Ansar’s son • Marduk: Ea’s son

  6. Plot Line • Ea hears of Tiamat’s plot and tells Ansar • First Ansar sends his son Anu to stand up to Tiamat, but he fails • Marduk accepts challenge of facing Tiamat and her army

  7. Social Values • Importance of Father-son relationship • Kingu wants to avenge father’s death • Marduk wants to make Ea proud by accepting challenge to face Tiamat • Ea goes to father first with information, shows how much he trusts his father • Respect for father • Women not seen as leaders, take more of a behind the scenes role • We see this when Tiamat tells Kingu to lead her army

  8. Third Tablet - Key Characters • Ansar- Babylonian sky god • Tiamat- Creator of all things • Lahamu- Sea monster (the flood) also first born daughter of tiamat and apsu • Annunaki- All the lesser gods • Anu- Sky god and essentially the main Sumerian god • Ea (enki)- God of crafts and water • Marduk- Patron god of Babylon • Lahmu (hairy)- First born son of apsu and tiamat • Igigi- Elder gods

  9. Short Summary • The Third Tablet of Enuma Elis tells the story of the Annunaki and the Gods. The Annunaki were frustrating the Powerful Gods, especially Tiamet, the God of all creation. The Gods then attacked the Annunaki. • Tiamet summoned demons to attack the Annunaki and Lahamu also sent a flood. The Annunaki were wiped out. The Gods then celebrated with each other with wine and “exalted their spirits.”

  10. Society • This tablet tells us a small bit of Sumerian moral values: drunkenness is not considered a “bad thing.” • At the end of the tablet it reads “The sweet drink, the mead, confused their… They were drunk with drinking, their bodies were filled. They were wholly at ease, their spirit was exalted.” • If gods did it, then what about the ancient Sumerians? The logical conclusion is the ancient Sumerians tended to drink heavily as a substitute to the rancid water supply. • If they drank this much they would become compulsive drunkards and so to justify themselves, they portrayed the gods in the same light.

  11. Fourth Tablet - Characters • Tiamat: Slain leader, Mother of the Gods • Kingu: God raised up by Tiamat, who Taimat took as her husband despite his being her son • Dug-ga: God • Marduk: Leader who was the enemy of Tiamat and who killed her and her followers. • Ansar: Father of Marduk

  12. Marduk is made omnipotent and demostrates his power by making a garment vanish. Marduk Praised by the other Gods for confronting Tiamat, Proclaimed to be the highest among them Marduk creates the four winds to use as a net to catch Tiamat, as well as tempests and other weather, and sets out. Marduk is crowned king, given an invincible weapon, and armed with lightning and other weapons

  13. Tablet IV Part II Marduk followed after Tiamat, riding a chariot more terrifying than the storm Wearing a tempest The gods beheld him Marduk gazed onto Kingu (Tiamat's spouse)so that he stopped moving and his will was nullified Marduk told Tiamat she had become great, evil Created an evil plan against the other gods After hearing these words Tiamat lost reason and began uttering piercing and wild cries They began fighting and Marduk used his net to catch her He pushed the winds through her mouth and into her belly Her courage was taken away and her mouth was left wide open He grabbed his spear and burst her stomach

  14. Marduk kills Tiamat and mutilates her body. • Marduk then captures the gods that supported Tiamat, breaks their weapons, and holds them in bondage. • Marduk conquered Kingu and Dug-ga who were Tiamat’s gods and took back the tablets of destiny. • Marduk split up Tiamat’s body and spread the pieces out across the globe. • Marduk then surveys his work.

  15. What does this tablet say about Sumerian Culture? • The Sumerians had a strong concept of payback for your crimes- may be connected to code of Hammurabbi. • They subscribed to a monarchic system, as illustrated by Marduk’s crowning.

  16. The Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Tablets Key Characters Key Characters • Marduk- Newly appointed King of the Gods. Son of Ea. Kills Tiamat and Kingu. Creator of earth and sky • Ea (Enki)- deity of crafts, mischief, water, intelligence and creation. King of Gods. Creator of man • Nanna- god of moon • Shamash- god of sun • Anu- sky god, one of the oldest of the gods, King of Gods

  17. The Fifth and Sixth Tablets Summaries Fifth Tablet Sixth Tablet Marduk devises a plan and tells Ea that he will create man to inhabit the earth using his bones and blood Man’s purpose on earth is to praise the gods and build shines in their name The gods who pledged their alliances to Tiamat no longer have to serve as servants to the gods because the humans are created to take their jobs The gods will rule over man oppressively and evilly • Marduk gives the gods stations (jobs) and constellations • Organizes the year into months and days using stars • Determines the paths/movements of the Sun and the Moon • Anu makes a bow for himself which everyone is proud of and names his arrows

  18. Fifth and Sixth Tablet Analysis Fifth Tablet Sixth Tablet The sixth tablet shows the Mesopotamians’ relationship with their gods: their life purpose is to serve the gods It also shows how the Mesopotamians viewed their gods – as cruel dictators • The fifth tablet shows how Mesopotamian society was engaged in astrology and astronomy • It shows how they studied the movement of the sun and moon and used this to make a basic calendar. • They also looked at the stars and interpreted re-occurring patterns as gods (constellations)

  19. Seventh Tablet and Epilogue Summaries Seventh Tablet Epilogue (Unknown) says that the Titles of Marduk should be remebered because they will be recited by kings and shepherds alike Man should rejoice Marduk for he is the prince of gods and his command is firm over all • Marduk is given fifty names by all the gods • Marduk is given complete control over the world from the “beginning to the future” • Ea rejoices and praises Marduk and names him Ea/Creator

  20. Seventh and Epilogue Analysis Seventh Tablet Epilogue The epilogue tells the people of Babylon to praise and serve Marduk because he is the ruler of the world It shows that the Enuma Elis was viewed as a holy text and was probably recited at celebrations at the ziggurats • Tells of Marduk’s greatness • Each name further proves how powerful Marduk was and gives the Babylonians even more reason to worship and serve him • Shows that the Babylonians viewed their gods very highly

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