FLOODS

Mesopotamian Cosmos Waters Above Firmament Sky Earth Waters Below (abzu)

ziggurat

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. Primal Unity 2. Separation 3. Proliferation of Beings 4. Destabilization 5. Regret; Plot 6. Confrontation 7. Resolution 8. Stability

Enuma Elish The gods of that generation would meet together and disturb Tiamat, and their clamor reverberated. They stirred up Tiamat's belly, they were annoying her by playing inside Anduruna. Apsu could not quell their noise and Tiamat became mute before them: however grievous their behavior to her, however bad their ways, she would indulge them... Apsu made his voice heard and spoke to Tiamat in a loud voice: "Their ways have become very grievous to me, by day I cannot rest, by night I cannot sleep. I shall abolish their ways and disperse them! Let peace prevail, so that we can sleep."

Pre-Emergent World Post-Emergent World nothing something rest movement silence noise sleep restlessness • ambivalence over world genesis as split and separation lost harmony culture as mixed blessing • instability water vs. mountain flesh vs. mineral, bread vs. gemstone, corruption vs. permanence time/history as degenerative

Gilgamesh Synopsis I Gilgamesh bad king. Gods create wildman Enkidu. Lured into intercourse, Enkidu becomes "civilized.” II Enkidu and Gilgamesh fight to a stalemate and become friends. III Vision of corpse. Gilgamesh plans expedition to the Cedar Forest. IV Journey to Cedar Forest.  V Defeat of Huwawa. Cedars cut down for door of temple. VI Gilgamesh rejects advances of Inanna. Bull of Heaven destroyed. Enkidu insults Inanna; gods condemn him to death. VII On deathbed Enkidu has vision of Land of Ereshkigal, Queen of the Dead. VIII Lamentation over Enkidu. IX Gilgamesh wanders the earth in search of immortal Uta-napishtim, once mortal. X Gilgamesh crosses Waters of Death to visit Uta-napishtim. XI Utnapishtim tells Flood story. Gilgamesh fails test. On return journey, loses plant of rejuvenation. Returns to Uruk, builds wall, inscribes adventures, dies.

Gilgamesh Tablet XI

Sumerian King-List

Sumerian King-List After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridug. (257,655 BCE) KING REIGN (years) Alulim 28,800 Alalangar 36,000 En-men-lu-ana 43,200 En-men-gal-ana Dumuzid En-sipad-zid-ana En-men-dur-ana 21,000 Ubara-Tutu 18,600 Then the flood swept over. (16,455 BCE) After the flood had swept over, and the kingship had descended from heaven, the kingship was in Kish.

In Shuruppak, Ubara-Tutu became king; he ruled for 5 sars and 1 ner [18,600 years]. In 5 cities 8 kings; they ruled for 241,200 years. Then the flood swept over. DATE SITE 2900 BCE Shuruppak localized river flooding northward to Kish

Myth of Atrahasis (ca. 1700 BCE) • gods subjected to work • gods revolt against Enlil • human being created from clay + flesh + blood of slain god Geshtu-e

Enlil & Enki (Ea)

Myth of Atrahasis (ca. 1700 BCE) The country was as noisy as a bellowing bull. The god grew restless at their racket. Enlil had to listen to their noise. He addressed the great gods, “The noise of mankind has become too much, I am losing sleep over the racket, Give the order that suruppu-disease shall break out.”

Myth of Myth of Atrahasis (ca. 1700 BCE) ENLIL ENKI disease medicine

Myth of Atrahasis (ca. 1700 BCE) 600 years, less than 600 passed, and the country became too wide, the people too numerous. The country was as noisy as a bellowing bull. The god grew restless at their racket. Enlil had to listen to their noise. He addressed the great gods, “The noise of mankind has become too much, I am losing sleep over the racket, Cut off food supplies to the people! Let the vegetation be too scant for their hunger! Let Adad wipe away his rain, Below let no flood-water flow from the springs. Let wind go, let it strip the ground bare, Let clouds gather but not drop rain, Let the field yield a diminished harvest…”

Myth of Myth of Atrahasis (ca. 1700 BCE) ENLIL ENKI disease medicine drought irrigation famine agriculture

Myth of Myth of Atrahasis (ca. 1700 BCE) ENLIL ENKI disease medicine drought irrigation famine agriculture flood warns Atrahasis; instructions for boat

Cosmogonic Stages Great Flood 1. Primal Unity 2. Separation 3. Proliferation of Beings 1. Overpopulation/Corruption 4. Destabilization 2. Destabilization 5. Expression of Regret 3. Expression of Regret 5. Decision to Destroy World 4. Decision to Destroy World 5. Attempts to Avert Flood 6. Confrontation 6. Flood Sent 7. Resolution 7. Reform/Covenant 8. Stability 8. Stability

Near Eastern Flood Narrative Pattern Degraded state of world •Reason for Flood Destruction of world by flood •Selection of individual human being •Instructions on boat and stowing of animals •Drowning of all life on earth •Attempts to determine when waters subside •Individual disembarks •Sacrifice •Flood condemned •Reform •Deity promises not to send Flood again •Covenant •Blessing of human being

SUMERIAN ATRAHASIS Enlil displeased by noise and overpopulation Enlil regrets creation, plans flood Enki informs Atrahasis Enki instructs Atrahasis to build boat with multiple decks Atrahasis fills boat with birds, cattle, wild animals Enlil sends 7-day/7-night rain all life on earth drowned [text broken]

SUMERIAN ATRAHASIS [text broken] Atrahasis disembarks burnt offerings gods smell pleasant odor, gather “like flies” Nintu condemns flood, blames Enlil Enlil enraged that destruction is not complete Enki confesses to warning Atrahasis Nintu makes necklace out of flies as memento of flood diseases and disabilities to curb overpopulation

SUMERIAN ATRAHASIS BABYLONIAN GILGAMESH XI Enlil displeased by noise and overpopulation Enlil regrets creation, plans flood Enki informs Atrahasis Enki informs Uta-napishti Enki instructs Atrahasis to build boat with multiple decks Enki instructs Uta-napishti to build boat with multiple decks Atrahasis fills boat with birds, cattle, wild animals Uta-napishti fills boat with household possessions, “all the seed of living things,” cattle, wild beasts Enlil sends 7-day/7-night rain Enlil sends 7-day rain all life on earth drowned [text broken] boat aground on Mt. Nimush Uta-napishti sends dove; dove returns Uta-napishti sends swallow; swallow returns

SUMERIAN ATRAHASIS BABYLONIAN GILGAMESH XI [text broken] Uta-napishti sends raven; raven does not return Atrahasis disembarks Uta-napishti disembarks burnt offerings burnt offerings (incense) gods smell pleasant odor, gather “like flies” Nintu condemns flood, blames Enlil Inanna condemns flood, blames Enlil Enlil enraged that destruction is not complete Enki confesses to warning Atrahasis Enki confesses to warning Uta-napishti Nintu makes necklace out of flies as memento of flood Inanna makes necklace out of flies as memento of flood diseases and disabilities to curb overpopulation famine, predation to curb overpopulation Uta-napishti and wife immortalized

SUMERIAN ATRAHASIS BABYLONIAN GILGAMESH XI HEBREW GENESIS Enlil displeased by noise and overpopulation Yahweh displeased by moral corruption Enlil regrets creation, plans flood Yahweh regrets creation, plans flood Enki informs Atrahasis Enki informs Uta-napishti Yahweh informs Noah Enki instructs Atrahasis to build boat with multiple decks Enki instructs Uta-napishti to build boat with multiple decks Yahweh instructs Noah to build boat with multiple decks Atrahasis fills boat with birds, cattle, wild animals Uta-napishti fills boat with household possessions, “all the seed of living things,” cattle, wild beasts Noah fills boat with 7 male/ female pairs of each clean animal, one male/female pair of each unclean animal Enlil sends 7-day/7-night rain Enlil sends 7-day rain Yahweh sends 40-day rain and water from below all life on earth drowned

Firmament And God [Elohim] made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. [Genesis 1:8]

Genesis 7:11-12 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

SUMERIAN ATRAHASIS BABYLONIAN GILGAMESH XI HEBREW GENESIS Enlil displeased by noise and overpopulation Yahweh displeased by moral corruption Enlil regrets creation, plans flood Yahweh regrets creation, plans flood Enki informs Atrahasis Enki informs Uta-napishti Yahweh informs Noah Enki instructs Atrahasis to build boat with multiple decks Enki instructs Uta-napishti to build boat with multiple decks Yahweh instructs Noah to build boat with multiple decks Atrahasis fills boat with birds, cattle, wild animals Uta-napishti fills boat with household possessions, “all the seed of living things,” cattle, wild beasts Noah fills boat with 7 male/ female pairs of each clean animal, one male/female pair of each unclean animal Enlil sends 7-day/7-night rain Enlil sends 7-day rain Yahweh sends 40-day rain and water from below all life on earth drowned [text broken] boat aground on Mt. Nimush boat aground on Mt. Ararat Uta-napishti sends dove; dove returns Noah sends raven; raven returns Uta-napishti sends swallow; swallow returns Noah sends dove; dove returns Noah sends dove again; dove returns with olive leaf Uta-napishti sends raven; raven does not return Noah sends dove third time; dove does not return

SUMERIAN ATRAHASIS BABYLONIAN GILGAMESH XI HEBREW GENESIS Atrahasis disembarks Uta-napishtim disembarks Noah disembarks burnt offerings gods smell pleasant odor, gather “like flies” Yahweh smells pleasant odor Nintu condemns flood, blames Enlil Inanna condemns flood, blames Enlil Yahweh promises not to send flood again Enlil enraged that destruction is not complete Enki confesses to warning Atrahasis Enki confesses to warning Uta-napishti Yahweh blesses Noah Yahweh makes rules about shedding and eating blood Nintu makes necklace out of flies as memento of flood Inanna makes necklace out of flies as memento of flood Yahweh establishes rainbow as covenant with Noah diseases and disabilities to curb overpopulation famine, predation to curb overpopulation [120-year limit on human lifespan] [text broken] Uta-napishti and wife immortalized Noah’s family multiplies

Reason Atrahasis I And the country became too wide, the people too numerous. The country was as noisy as a bellowing bull. The god grew restless at their racket, Enlil had to listen to their noise. He addressed the great gods, “The noise of mankind has become too much, I am losing sleep…”

Enuma Elish The gods of that generation would meet together and disturb Tiamat, and their clamor reverberated. They stirred up Tiamat's belly, they were annoying her by playing inside Anduruna. Apsu could not quell their noise and Tiamat became mute before them: however grievous their behavior to her, however bad their ways, she would indulge them... Apsu made his voice heard and spoke to Tiamat in a loud voice: "Their ways have become very grievous to me, by day I cannot rest, by night I cannot sleep. I shall abolish their ways and disperse them! Let peace prevail, so that we can sleep."

Reason Atrahasis I Gilgamesh XI And the country became too wide, the people too numerous. The country was as noisy as a bellowing bull. The god grew restless at their racket, Enlil had to listen to their noise. He addressed the great gods, “The noise of mankind has become too much, I am losing sleep…” Shuruppak is a city you yourself know, situated on the bank of the Euphrates. That city was already old when the gods within it decided that the great gods should make a flood.

Reason Atrahasis I Gilgamesh XI Genesis 6:1-7 And the country became too wide, the people too numerous. The country was as noisy as a bellowing bull. The god grew restless at their racket, Enlil had to listen to their noise. He addressed the great gods, “The noise of mankind has become too much, I am losing sleep…” Shuruppak is a city you yourself know, situated on the bank of the Euphrates. That city was already old when the gods within it decided that the great gods should make a flood. 1 When men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair; and they took to wife such of them as they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, "My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for he is flesh, but his days shall be a hundred and twenty years." 
...
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that … his heart was only evil ... 6 And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the ground, man and beast and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."

Sacrifice Atrahasis III He put down [ ], provided food [ ] The gods smelled the fragrance, gathered like flies over the offering. When they had eaten the offering, Nintu got up and blamed them all...

Sacrifice Atrahasis III Gilgamesh XI He put down[ ], provided food [ ] The gods smelled the fragrance, gathered like flies over the offering. When they had eaten the offering, Nintu got up and blamed them all... I made a sacrifice, set out a surginnu-offering upon the mountain peak, arranged 7 and 7 jars. Into the bottom of them I poured reeds, pine, myrtle. the gods smelled the pleasant fragrance, the gods like flies gathered over the sacrifice.

Sacrifice Atrahasis III Gilgamesh XI Genesis 8:20-21 He put down [ ], provided food [ ] The gods smelled the fragrance, gathered like flies over the offering. When they had eaten the offering, Nintu got up and blamed them all... I made a sacrifice, set out a surginnu-offering upon the mountain peak, arranged 7 and 7 jars. Into the bottom of them I poured reeds, pine, myrtle. the gods smelled the pleasant fragrance, the gods like flies gathered over the sacrifice. 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man...”

Covenant Atrahasis III Then she went up to the big flies which Anu had made, and declared before the gods, “His grief is mine! My destiny goes with his! He must deliver me from evil and appease me! [ ] Let these flies be the lapis lazuli of my necklace by which I may remember it daily forever.”

Covenant Atrahasis III Gilgamesh XI Then she went up to the big flies which Anu had made, and declared before the gods, “His grief is mine! My destiny goes with his! He must deliver me from evil and appease me! [ ] Let these flies be the lapis lazuli of my necklace by which I may remember it daily forever.” As soon as the Mistress of he Gods arrived she raised the great flies which Anu had made to please her: “Behold, O gods, I shall never forget my lapis lazuli necklace, I shall remember these times, and I shall never forget.

Covenant Atrahasis III Gilgamesh XI Genesis 9:13-16 Then she went up to the big flies which Anu had made, and declared before the gods, “His grief is mine! My destiny goes with his! He must deliver me from evil and appease me! [ ] Let these flies be the lapis lazuli of my necklace by which I may remember it daily forever.” As soon as the Mistress of he Gods arrived she raised the great flies which Anu had made to please her: “Behold, O gods, I shall never forget my lapis lazuli necklace, I shall remember these times, and I shall never forget. 13 “I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 
14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 
15 I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 
16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth."

Reform Atrahasis III In addition let there be one-third of the people, Among the people the woman who gives birth yet does Not give birth [successfully]; Let the pasittu-demon be among the people, To snatch the baby from its mother's lap. Establish ugbabtu, entu, egisitu-women: They shall be taboo, and thus control childbirth.

Reform Atrahasis III Gilgamesh XI In addition let there be one-third of the people, Among the people the woman who gives birth yet does Not give birth [successfully]; Let the pasittu-demon be among the people, To snatch the baby from its mother's lap. Establish ugbabtu, entu, egisitu-women: They shall be taboo, and thus control childbirth. Instead of imposing a flood, let a lion come and diminish the people. Instead of imposing a flood, let a wolf come    and diminish the people. Instead of imposing a flood, impose famine    and lessen the land. Instead of imposing a flood, let Erra rise up    and savage the people.

Reform Atrahasis III Gilgamesh XI Genesis 6:3 In addition let there be one-third of the people, Among the people the woman who gives birth yet does Not give birth [successfully]; Let the pasittu-demon be among the people, To snatch the baby from its mother's lap. Establish ugbabtu, entu, egisitu-women: They shall be taboo, and thus control childbirth. Instead of imposing a flood, let a lion come and diminish the people. Instead of imposing a flood, let a wolf come    and diminish the people. Instead of imposing a flood, impose famine    and lessen the land. Instead of imposing a flood, let Erra rise up    and savage the people. Then the Lord said, "My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for he is flesh, but his days shall be a hundred and twenty years."

TEXT PROBLEM SOLUTION Atrahasis overpopulation; noise infertility; infant mortality Gilgamesh unstated predation; famine; pestilence Genesis human wickedness 120-limit on lifespan

COSMOGONY QUIZ!

Cosmogonic Types TYPE MYTH Genesis

Cosmogonic Types TYPE NATURE MYTH created world Genesis

Cosmogonic Types TYPE NATURE DEITY MYTH created world inert Genesis

Cosmogonic Types TYPE NATURE DEITY MYTH created world inert transcendent Genesis

Cosmogonic Types TYPE MYTH Enuma Elish

Cosmogonic Types TYPE DEITY MYTH evolved world Enuma Elish

Cosmogonic Types TYPE NATURE DEITY MYTH evolved world immanent Enuma Elish

Cosmogonic Types TYPE NATURE DEITY MYTH evolved world dynamic immanent Enuma Elish

Cosmogonic Types TYPE NATURE DEITY MYTH created world inert matter transcendent Genesis evolved world dynamic matter immanent Enuma Elish

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. Unity 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Egg Lump of matter Watery abyss Cosmic soup Mist/Cloud/Smoke Male and Female joined in intercourse

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. Unity 2. Separation 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. First Binary Oppositions: Heaven/Earth Male/Female Up/Down Light/Dark …….

Genesis 1-2:4a (Israel, ca. 1000 BCE) Original state = watery chaos God creates in six acts, each corresponding to one day: (1) Light / Dark : Day / Night (2) Waters Above / Waters Below (3) Earth / Sea. Seed-bearing Plants / Fruit-Bearing Trees. (4) Sun / Moon / Stars (5) Fishes / Birds (6) Animals : Domestic / Wild Humans : Male / Female

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. Unity 2. Separation 3. Proliferation 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. Unity 2. Separation 3. Proliferation 4. Destabilization 5. 6. 7. 8. Noise Motion Disorder Pollution (physical) Pollution (moral)

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. Unity 2. Separation 3. Proliferation 4. Destabilization 5. Plot 6. 7. 8. Water > Flood Emergence > Submergence Smoke/Mist > Fire

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. Unity 2. Separation 3. Proliferation 4. Destabilization 5. Plot 6. Confrontation 7. 8. Combat Myth

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male () female ()

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat)

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph water

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph wind/storm water

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph wind/storm water weapons:

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph wind/storm water weapons: culture weapons: nature

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph wind/storm water weapons: culture weapons: nature restraint derangement alliance of gods

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph wind/storm water weapons: culture weapons: nature restraint derangement alliance of gods alliance of monsters

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph wind/storm water weapons: culture weapons: nature restraint derangement alliance of gods alliance of monsters raw matter

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph wind/storm water weapons: culture weapons: nature restraint derangement alliance of gods alliance of monsters form/structure/organization raw matter

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph wind/storm water weapons: culture weapons: nature restraint derangement alliance of gods alliance of monsters form/structure/organization raw matter civilization

6. Confrontation : Combat Myth VICTOR ENEMY male (Marduk) female (Tiamat) youngest offspring oldest parent anthropomorph theriomorph wind/storm water weapons: culture weapons: nature restraint derangement alliance of gods alliance of monsters form/structure/organization raw matter civilization nature

Mythic Inversion

Mythic Inversion to describe the Other or the Enemy as the opposite of ourselves, and as having values that are the opposite of our own

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. Unity 2. Separation 3. Proliferation 4. Destabilization 5. Plot 6. Confrontation 7. 8. Combat Myth

Cosmogonic Pattern 1. Unity 2. Separation 3. Proliferation 4. Destabilization 5. Plot 6. Confrontation 7. Resolution 8. Stability Construction of new world from body of parent “Sacred engineering” Rules/limits to prevent future Destabilization

World as Ancestral Corpse upper body sky lower body earth head springs of water Euphrates and Tigris eyes udder mountains tail firmament thigh support pole

Body~World ACTIVITY DIRECTION RESULT sacrifice medicine

Body~World ACTIVITY DIRECTION RESULT sacrifice body (part-by-part) > world world restored to wholeness medicine

Body~World ACTIVITY DIRECTION RESULT sacrifice body (part-by-part) > world world restored to wholeness medicine parts of world > body body restored to wholeness