1. Chapter 3 Lecture One of Two The Development of Classical Myth ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

2. The Development of Classical Myth Features of Greek myth appear in primordial past. How did myth begin and develop in the historical periods? Where do we look for evidence of their earliest origins, and how do we assess it? ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

3. THE BEGINNINGS OF GREEK MYTH ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

4. Figure 3.1 Fertility idol from Çatal Hüyük. Neolithic fertility idols are found throughout southeast Europe and the Near East. ©2012 Pearson Education Inc. Museum of Anatolian Civilization, Ankara, Turkey

5. Figure 3.2 Cycladic fertility idol. ©2012 Pearson Education Inc. The N. P. Goulandris Foundation, Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens; author’s photo

6. The Beginnings of Greek Myth Potnia Thērōn Is she Artemis? ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

7. Figure 3.3 Artemis as the Potnia Thērōn. ©2012 Pearson Education Inc. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Florence

8. The Beginnings of Greek Myth Indo-European myths Linguistic analysis – Zeus and Jupiter < Dy – – The Indo-Europeans worshipped a sky god? Comparative Analysis – “twin” – good versus evil? – social dichotomy? ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

9. The Beginnings of Greek Myth Writing as a method of transmission Linear B tablets – Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Athena, Artemis, Hermes, Enyalius, Paean, Eileithyia, Dionysus, Potnia. Myths mostly transmitted orally by aoidoi ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

10. The Beginnings of Greek Myth Songs performed for entertainment by bards – Homer’s Demodocus Dactylic hexameter Rhythmic patterns and stock phrases ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

11. Figure 3.4 An aoidos singing a song, represented by random letters. ©2012 Pearson Education Inc. Chazen Museum of Art, Univesity of Wisconsin-Madison

12. THE INFLUENCE OF NEAR EASTERN MYTH ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

13. Near Eastern Myth Non-Indo-European Mesopotamian sources of Greek myth Greek myths of cosmic origins come from Near Eastern sources Mesopotamian myths known only by report until recently Cuneiform script decoded in the 19 th century ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

15. THE INFLUENCE OF NEAR EASTERN MYTH Sumerian Myth ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

16. Sumerian Myth Sumerians the earliest people in Mesopotamia (4000 B.C.) First full-fledged cities Each city had protective deity – “Lived” on the ziggurat ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

17. Figure 3.6 Ziggurat of Ur-Nammu. ©2012 Pearson Education Inc. World Religions Photo Library/Alamy

18. Sumerian Myth Myths preserved on tablets and seals – cuneiform (wedge shaped) Seal Impressions – Gilgamesh/Enkidu cylinder seal ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

19. Figure 3.5 A cuneiform tablet. ©2012 Pearson Education Inc. British Museum, London; © The Trustees of the British Museum / Art Resource, New York

20. Figure 3.7 Akkadian seal-impression. ©2012 Pearson Education Inc. © Bettmann/CORBIS. All Rights Reserved

21. Sumerian Myth AnSky God | Supreme InannaQueen of Heaven | Sex and War EnlilLord of the Storm | Tablets of Destiny EnkiLord of Earth | Sweet Ground Water | Trickster God KiOne of Many Names for Mother Earth EreshkigalQueen of the Underworld UtuSun God ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

22. Figure 3.8 Mesopotamian terracotta relief. ©2012 Pearson Education Inc. Scala/Art Resource, New York

23. Sumerian Myth Deities are anthropomorphic but indistinct – Hard to tell often who’s been represented Filled with human emotions and motivations Important in the Epic of Gilgamesh ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

24. THE INFLUENCE OF NEAR EASTERN MYTH Semitic Myth ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

25. Semitic Myth Semites – Modern term < Biblical “Schem” – Arrive in Mesopotamia in 2000 BC – Designates linguistic group Sargon the Akkadian (2340 BC) Adopted Sumerian culture ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

26. Semitic Myth SumerianAkkadian/BablyonianDomain AnAnuSky InannaIstharSex; War EnlilEnlil or MardukStorms EnkiEaFresh Water; Wisdom; Magic Ki-----Earth Ereshkigal-----Death UtuShamashSun ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

27. Semitic Myth Hammurabi (1750 BC) – Semitic Babylonians – Empire in Mesopotamia The Ennuma Elish – “When on high...” – Creation account – Cult hymn ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

28. Semitic Myth Hebrews – Abraham (2000 BC?) Migrated to Canaan and then to Egypt Moses (1200 BC) – Monotheism (from Egyptian period of Akhenaten 1400 BC?) – Yahweh – The Exodus and Ten Commandments ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

29. Semitic Myth Invasion of Canaan – Battles with the Canaanites and the Philistines Kingdom of David and Solomon (1000 BC) Babylonian Exile (586–536) – Nebuchadnezzar ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

30. Semitic Myth Collected their written and oral traditions Completed around AD 90 Wrote with the “Phoenician alphabet” – syllabary of twenty-two signs without vowel signs ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

31. Semitic Myth Easier than cuneiform but still difficult – Hence the prestige of readers (the rabbi) Adapted into Arabic script and ultimately into the Greek alphabet ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

32. THE INFLUENCE OF NEAR EASTERN MYTH Other Sources ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

33. Other Sources Hittites (1600 – 1200 BC) – Central modern-day Turkey – Non-Semitic – Inherited and modified Babylonian myths Egypt – Had few myths – Mostly proverbs, hymns, and clever short stories – Connected narratives come from Greek sources (Osiris and Isis) ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.

34. End ©2012 Pearson Education Inc.