Adapa was a Mesopotamian mythical figure who unknowingly refused the gift of immortality . The story, commonly known as "Adapa and the South Wind", is known from fragmentary tablets from Tell el-Amarna in Egypt (around 14th century BC) and from finds from the Library of Ashurbanipal , Assyria (around 7th century BC). The oldest tradition about him is from Me-Turan/Tell Haddad tablets (around 19-16th century BC), which is written in Sumerian .
67-554: Adapa was an important figure in Mesopotamian religion. His name would be used to invoke power in exorcism rituals. He also became an archetype for a wise ruler. In that context, his name would be invoked to evoke favorable comparisons. Some scholars conflate Adapa and the Apkallu known as Uanna . There is some evidence for that connection, but the name "adapa" may have also been used as an epithet, meaning "wise". Adapa's story
134-410: A flying bird, left her city. The mother of E-maḫ , holy Damgalnuna , left her city. The divine powers of the city of holiest divine powers were overturned. The divine powers of the rites of the greatest divine powers were altered. In Eridug everything was reduced to ruin, was wrought with confusion." The following list should not be considered complete: "After the kingship descended from heaven ,
201-590: A joint Italian, French, and Iraqi effort which included the University of Rome La Sapienza and the University of Strasbourg. Work has included producing new detail topographic and photogrammetric maps and is mainly focused on the Ubaid period cemetery and its associated Ubaid residential area. In March 2006, Giovanni Pettinato and S. Chiod from Rome's La Sapienza University claimed to have discovered 500 Early Dynastic historical and literary cuneiform tablets on
268-419: A note on the 'Deluge' (see Gilgamesh flood myth ), followed by eight more king/sage pairs. A tentative translation reads: During the reign of Ayalu , the king, [Adapa]† was sage. During the reign of Alalgar , the king, Uanduga was sage. During the reign of Ameluana , the king, Enmeduga was sage. During the reign of Amegalana , the king, Enmegalama was sage. During the reign of Enmeusumgalana,
335-673: A pair of basalt stone lion statues, columns several meters in diameter coated with cones and gypsum, and extensive Uruk period pottery. Occupation increased in the Early Dynastic period with a monumental 100 meter by 100 meter palace being constructed. An inscription of Elulu , a ruler of the First Dynasty of Ur ( c. 2600 BC ), was found at Eridu. On a statue of the Early Dynastic ruler of Lagash named Entemena ( c. 2400 BC ), it reads, "he built Ab-zupasira for Enki, king of Eridu ...", Eridu
402-549: A possible original title, an incipit , may have been Adapa into heaven . A modern analysis of the development of the main Adapa tale is by Milstein (2016) . After the flood , although the kingship was in Kish , humanity was without guidance and had no direction, and this led to the rise of Adapa. Adapa was a mortal man, a sage or priest of the temple of Ea in the city of Eridu . Ea (sometimes considered his father) had given Adapa
469-480: A sounding under the Royal Cemetery of Ur. Soundings in the cemetery showed it to have about 1000 graves, all from the end of the Ubaid period (Temple levels VI and VII). They found a sequence of 17 Ubaid Period superseding temples and an Ubaid Period graveyard with 1000 graves of mud-brick boxes oriented to the southeast. The temple began as a 2 meter by 3 meter mud brick square with a niche. At Level XI it
536-649: Is Uan . Oannes was once conjectured to be a form or another name of the ancient Babylonian god Ea . It is now thought that the name is the Greek form of the Babylonian Uanna , an Apkallu. These Sages are found in the "Uruk List of Kings and Sages" (165 BC) discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid era temple of Anu in Bit Res; The text consisted of list of seven kings and their associated sages, followed by
603-476: Is an attempt to connect real (historic) kings directly to mythologic (divine) kingship and also does the same connecting those real king's sages (ummanu) with the demi-godly mythic seven sages (apkallu). Though the list is taken to be chronological, the texts do not portray the Sages (nor the kings) as genealogically related to each other or their kings. There is some similarity between the sages' and kings' names in
670-417: Is brought before Anu, who asks why he will not eat or drink. Adapa replies that Ea told him not to. Anu laughs at Ea's actions, and passes judgment on Adapa by asking rhetorically, "What ill has he [Adapa] brought on mankind?" He adds that men will suffer disease as a consequence, which Ninkarrak may allay. Adapa is then sent back down to earth. The ending of the text is missing. Adapa is also associated with
737-520: Is described in more detail. The following is the English translation of the tablet: (Obverse) 1 They (the chief deities) created humanity 2 After the [animals/vermin?] were proliferating below/from the earth in unison 3 They made livestock and quadrupeds as fitting things in the steppe(eden-na) 4 In the high steppe ... joyous plants broadly 5 At that time, the canal was not dug ... 6 The dike and ditch [were not dredged(?) ...] 7 The ox ...
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#1732765912810804-413: Is endowed with comprehensive understanding, Enmedugga, for whom a good destiny has been decreed, Enmegalamma, who was born in a house, Enmebulugga, who grew up in pasture land, An-Enlilda, the conjurer of the city of Eridu, Utuabzu, who ascended to heaven, the pure puradu -fishes, the puradu -fishes of the sea, the seven of them, the seven sages, who have originated in the river, who control
871-606: Is located in Dhi Qar Governorate , Iraq , near the modern city of Basra . Eridu is traditionally considered the earliest city in southern Mesopotamia based on the Sumerian King List . Located 24 kilometers south-southwest of the ancient site of Ur , Eridu was the southernmost of a conglomeration of Sumerian cities that grew around temples, almost in sight of one another. The city gods of Eridu were Enki and his consort Damkina . Enki, later known as Ea,
938-674: Is located on a natural hill in a basin approximately 15 miles long and 20 feet deep, which is separated from the Euphrates by a sandstone ridge called the Hazem . This basin, the As Sulaybiyat Depression (formerly: Khor en-Nejeif ), becomes a seasonal lake (Arabic: Sebkha) during the rainy season from November to April. During this period, it is filled by the discharge of the Wadi Khanega. Adjacent to eastern edge of
1005-459: Is said to have taught humans the creation myth , the Enūma Eliš . The term apkallu has multiple uses, but usually refers to some form of wisdom; translations of the term generally equate to English language uses of the terms "the wise", "sage" or "expert". Additionally, the term is used when referring to human "priests" (also "exorcists", "diviners"). However, Mesopotamian human sages also used
1072-414: Is the most famous. These laments had a number of sections (kirugu) of which only fragments have been recovered. The Lament for Eridu describes the fall of that city. "Its king stayed outside his city as if it were an alien city. He wept bitter tears. Father Enki stayed outside his city as if it were an alien city. He wept bitter tears. For the sake of his harmed city, he wept bitter tears. Its lady, like
1139-618: The Apkallu are seven demigods, sometimes described as part man and part fish or bird, associated with human wisdom; these creatures are often referred to in scholarly literature as the Seven Sages . Sometimes the sages are associated with a specific primeval king. After the Great Flood (see Epic of Gilgamesh ), further sages and kings are listed. Post-deluge, the sages are considered human, and in some texts are distinguished by being referred to as Ummanu , not Apkallu. Another use of
1206-489: The Old Babylonian period with Hammurabi stating in his 33rd Year Name "Year Hammu-rabi the king dug the canal (called) 'Hammu-rabi is abundance to the people', the beloved of An and Enlil, established the everlasting waters of plentifulness for Nippur, Eridu, Ur, Larsa, Uruk and Isin, restored Sumer and Akkad which had been scattered, overthrew in battle the army of Mari and Malgium and caused Mari and its territory and
1273-405: The Sumerian King List , Eridu is the first of five cities where kingship was received before a flood came over the land. The list mentions two rulers of Eridu from the Early Dynastic period, Alulim and Alalngar . [nam]- lugal an - ta èd-dè-a-ba [eri]du nam-lugal-la eridug a₂-lu-lim lugal mu 28800 i₃-ak a₂-lal₃-ĝar mu 36000 i₃-ak When kingship from heaven was lowered,
1340-524: The e-abzu temple, including Elili of Ur; Ur-Nammu , Shulgi and Amar-Sin of Ur-III , and Nur-Adad of Larsa . Eridu is one of the earliest settlements in the region, founded c. 5400 BC during the early Ubaid period , at that time close to the Persian Gulf near the mouth of the Euphrates , although in modern times it is about 90 miles inland. Excavation has shown that
1407-524: The gifts of civilization . At first Enki, the god of Eridu, attempted to retrieve these sources of his power but later willingly accepted that Uruk now was the centre of the land. The fall of early Mesopotamia cities and empires was typically believed to be the result of falling out of favor with the gods. A genre called City Laments developed during the Isin-Larsa period , of which the Lament for Ur
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#17327659128101474-402: The 'seven sages' themselves. A collation of the names and "titles" of theses seven sages in order can be given as: Uanna, "who finished the plans for heaven and earth", Uannedugga, "who was endowed with comprehensive intelligence", Enmedugga, "who was allotted a good fate", Enmegalamma, "who was born in a house", Enmebulugga, "who grew up on pasture land", An-Enlilda, "the conjurer of
1541-553: The British Vice-counsel at Basra, in 1855. Among the finds were inscribed bricks enabling the identification of the site as Eridu. Excavation on the main tell next occurred by R. Campbell Thompson from April 10 untill May 8 in 1918, and H. R. Hall from April 21 until May 8 in 1919, who also conducted a survey in the area around the tell. An interesting find by Hall was a piece of manufactured blue glass which he dated to c. 2000 BC . The blue color
1608-456: The Greek version passes all the knowledge of civilization to humans, so Adapa is described as having been "[made] perfect with broad understanding to reveal the plans of the land." However, despite some clear parallels between Adapa stories and both the first and last Apkallu, Kvanvig finally notes that the name used for the first Apkallu is given in both Berossus, and in the Uruk King list—that
1675-532: The Greek work by Berossus called Oannes). The accounts of the two are different, and (Uanna) the Apkallu is half-fish , while Adapa is a fisherman. However, there may be a connection. One potential explanation for the occurrence of the two names together is that the cuneiform for 'adapa' was also used as an appellative for "wise" (the Apkallu being wisdom giving beings). Alternative viewpoints exist as to whether 'adapa' should be considered an epithet for 'uanna' or
1742-658: The Uruk and bit meseri lists to be in agreement. Nudimmud became angry and summoned the seven sages of Eridu in high tones, "Bring the document of my Anuship that it may be read before me, That I may decree the destiny for Mu'ait, Eridu Eridu ( Sumerian : 𒉣 𒆠 , romanized: NUN.KI ; Sumerian : eridug ; Akkadian : irîtu ) was a Sumerian city located at Tell Abu Shahrain ( Arabic : تل أبو شهرين ), also Abu Shahrein or Tell Abu Shahrayn, an archaeological site in Lower Mesopotamia . It
1809-414: The city of Eridu", Utuabzu, "who ascended to heaven". The first of these legendary fish-man sages is known as Oan/Oannes, Sumerian Uanna/U-An; on a few cuneiform inscriptions this first sage has "adapa" appended to his name. Borger notes, however, that it is difficult to believe that the half-man half-fish Adapa is the same as the fisherman of the Adapa myth, the son of the god Ea. A potential solution
1876-636: The city of Eridu". From most southern city of Mesopotamia, Eridu, there is a good view to the south, so that about 6000 years ago due to the precession of the Earth's axis the first rising of the star Canopus in Mesopotamia could be observed only from there at the southern meridian at midnight. In the city of Ur this was the case only 60 years later. In the flood myth tablet found in Ur, how Eridu and Alulim were chosen by gods as first city and first priest-king
1943-399: The city was abandoned in 600 BC. In 1990 the site was visited by A. M. T. Moore who found two areas of surface pottery kilns not noted by the earlier excavators. In October 2014 Franco D’Agostino visited the site in preparation for the coming resumption of excavation, noting a number of inscribed Amar-Sin brick fragments on the surface. In 2019, excavations at Eridu were resumed by
2010-553: The city was founded on a virgin sand dune site with no previous habitation. According to the excavators, construction of the Ur III ziggurat and associated buildings was preceded by the destruction of preceding construction and its use as leveling fill so no remains from that time were found. At a small mound 1 kilometer north of Eridu two Early Dynastic III palaces were found, with an enclosure wall. The palaces measured 45 meters by 65 meters with 2.6 meter wide walls and were constructed in
2077-410: The dwelling of (his) personal god. During the reign of Gilgamesh , the king, Sin-leqi-unnini was scholar. During the reign of Ibbi-Sin , the king, Kabti-ili-Marduk was scholar. During the reign of Isbi-Erra , the king, Sidu, a.k.a. Enlil-ibni, was scholar. During the reign of Abi-esuh , the king, Gimil-Gula and Taqis-Gula were the scholars. During the reign of [...], the king, Esagil-kin-apli
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2144-460: The father(s) of the gods(?) 11 They chose Alulim/the "seed of the red deer" for the shepherdship of the entirety of the many people 12 They named him(!) Alulim/named the "seed of the red deer" ... 13 After they served according to the command to check thusly/forever after(?) 14 [So that?] humanity, whoever possessed a name, were grasping his feet (in submission)/following his path(?) 15 They put both (capital) offense and sin(?) in his hand 16
2211-508: The first Apkallu they consider that both terms "adapa" ("wise") and "ummanu" ("craftsman") together form the whole proper name. Additionally, they note closer similarities between the 7th Apkallu Utuabzu , who is said to have ascended to heaven (in the Bit Meseri ), and the myth of Adapa who also visited heaven. Both Adapa and the Apkallu have legends that place them halfway between the world of men and gods; but additionally just as Oannes in
2278-450: The gates of heaven and not to eat or drink there, as such food might kill him. When offered garments and oil, he should put the clothes on and anoint himself. Adapa puts on mourning garments, tells Dumuzid and Gishzida that he is in mourning because they have disappeared from the land. Adapa is then offered the "food of life" and "water of life" but will not eat or drink. Then garments and oil are offered, and he does what he had been told. He
2345-427: The gift of great wisdom but not eternal life. While carrying out his duties, he was fishing at the river Tigris. The sea became rough by the strong wind, and his boat was capsized. Angry, Adapa "broke the wings of the south wind" preventing it from blowing for seven days. The god Anu called Adapa to account for his action, but Ea aided him by instructing Adapa to gain the sympathy of Dumuzid and Gishzida , who guard
2412-661: The god Enki/Ea in the fresh water Sea, so that a fuller struck him dead with his own seal, fourth Lu-Nanna, who was two-thirds a sage, who drove a dragon out of the temple E-Ninkiagnunna, the Innin/Ishtar Temple of (King) Schulgi, (altogether) four Sages of human descent, whom Enki/Ea, the Lord, endowed with comprehensive understanding. Translated to English in Hess & Tsumura 1994 , pp. 230–231, original german translation Borger 1974 , p. 186 Borger found
2479-579: The highest religious office in the land at that time. In each the first two cases it was also used as the succeeding Year Name. After the fall of Ur III the site was occupied and active during the Isin-Larsa period (early 2nd Millennium BC) as evidenced by a Year Name of Nur-Adad , ruler of Larsa "Year the temple of Enki in Eridu was built" and texts of Larsa rulers Ishbi-Erra and Ishme-Dagan showing control over Eridu. Inscribed construction bricks of Nur-Adad have also been found at Eridu. This continued in
2546-577: The king Enmerkar (the known text is very fragmentary). In the portions that are known, Adapa and Enmerkar descend into the earth (nine cubits down), and are involved in breaking into an ancient tomb. What happens in there is not clear, but the outcome is that they leave and reseal the tomb. The name of Adapa became pervasive in some rituals of the Mesopotamian religion. According to Sanders (2017) exorcists would state "I am Adapa!" in their rituals. Rituals from Nippur dating to as early as around 1800 BC use Adapa's name in their incantations. Derivatives of
2613-413: The king, Enmebuluga was sage. During the reign of Dumuzi , the shepherd, the king, Anenlilda was sage. During the reign of Enmeduranki , the king, Utuabzu was sage. After the flood, during the reign of Enmerkar , the king, Nungalpirigal was sage, whom Istar brought down from heaven to Eana. He made the bronze lyre [..] according to the technique of Ninagal . [..] The lyre was placed before Anu [..],
2680-658: The kingship was in Eridu In Eridug, Alulim became king; he ruled for 28800 years. Alaljar ruled for 36000 years The bright star Canopus was known to the ancient Mesopotamians and represented the city of Eridu in the Three Stars Each Babylonian star catalogues and later around 1100 BC on the MUL.APIN tablets. Canopus was called MUL.NUN by the Babylonians, which translates as "star of
2747-446: The list, but not enough to draw any solid conclusions. A list (similar to the Uruk list) of the seven sages followed by four human sages is also given in an apotropaic incantation the tablet series Bit meseri . The ritual involved hanging or placing statues of the sages on the walls of a house. A translation of the cuneiform was given by Borger: Incantation. U-Anna, who accomplishes the plans of heaven and earth, U-Anne-dugga, who
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2814-580: The modern Eridu dig-house. The dig-house had been built using bricks from the demolished Leonard Woolley’s expedition house at Ur (clearly spelled out in the 1981 Iraqi excavation report to avoid confusion to future archaeologists. Most of the bricks in question were returned to Ur in 1962 fur use in restoration efforts. The urban nucleus of Eridu was Enki 's temple, called House of the Aquifer ( Cuneiform : 𒂍𒍪𒀊 , E₂.ZU.AB ; Sumerian : e₂ -abzu ; Akkadian : bītu apsû ), which in later history
2881-422: The nugig midwife?], 3 Third ... were giving [Larak[ to Pabilsaĝ, 4 Fourth ... were giving [Sippar to Utu?] 5 Fifth ... were giving Š[uruppak?] to [Sud?]. 6 Those cities .. their settlements ... 7 An, Enlil, [Enki?] and Ninhursaĝ 8 Among(?) those cities, Eridu .. they established at the front/as the leader(?) 9 They led(?) a man who was lying(?) among its vast and many people ... 10 An, Enlil, and Enki,
2948-497: The other way around. Both occur together in compound as the name of the first Apkallu. If identified as the first Apkallu, Adapa would have been the adviser of the mythical first (antediluvian) king of Eridu , Alulim . That connection is found in some texts, with King Alulu (Ref STT 176+185, lines 14–15). Elsewhere, he is associated with the much-later King Enmerkar . Indeed, earlier Sumerian record, Me-Turan/Tell Haddad tablet, describes Adapa as postdiluvian ruler of Eridu. When
3015-516: The plans of heaven and earth. Nungalpiriggaldim, the wise (King) of Enmerkars, who had the goddess Innin/Ishtar descend from heaven into the sanctuary, Piriggalnungal, who was born in Kish, who angered the god Ishkur/Adad in heaven, so that he allowed neither rain nor growth in the land for three years, Piriggalabzu, who was born in Adab/Utab, who hung his seal on a "goat-fish"† and thereby angered
3082-651: The plow/farmer/furrow(?) ... 8 The lands ... a single track ... 9 Humanity ... their eyes/faces ... [rain?] 10 Šakkan/Šumugan [did not go out(?)] in the desert ... 11 Weaving the cap/headcloth(?) ... 12 Humanity ... 13 At that time, the snake was not present, [the scorpion was not present ...] 14 The lion was not present, [the hyena was not present ...] 15 The dog and wolf were not present ... 16 Humanity [had no opponent ...] 17 Fear and [gooseflesh(?) were not present ...] 18 ... 19 The king ... 20 ... (Reverse) 1 First ... were giving [Eridu or Ku’ara?] to Asalluhi, 2 Second ... were giving [Bad-tibira to
3149-411: The possible connection of both to the same word root; both accounts include a test involving the eating of purportedly deadly food; and both are summoned before god to answer for their transgressions. Apkallu Apkallu or and Abgal ( 𒉣𒈨 ; Akkadian and Sumerian , respectively ) are terms found in cuneiform inscriptions that in general mean either "wise" or "sage". In several contexts
3216-554: The precursor to Proto-cuneiform , were found in the Ubaid levels of the site. Eighteen superimposed mudbrick temples at the site underlie the unfinished ziggurat of Amar-Sin (c. 2047–2039 BC). Levels XIX to VI were from the Ubaid period and Levels V to I were dated to the Uruk period . Significant habitation was found from the Uruk period with "non-secular" buildings being found in soundings. Uruk finds included decorative terracotta cones topped with copper, copper nails topped with gold,
3283-528: The seasonal lake are the Hammar Marshes . In the 3rd Millennium BC a canal, Id-edin-Eriduga (NUN) "the canal of the Eridug plain", connected Eridu to the Euphrates river, which later shifted its course. The path of the canal is marked by several low tells with 2nd Millennium BC surface pottery and later burials. The site contains 8 mounds: The site was initially excavated by John George Taylor ,
3350-625: The standard Early Dynastic period method of plano-convex bricks laid in a herringbone fashion. With possible breaks in occupation in the Early Dynastic III and Akkadian Empire periods, the city was inhabited until the Neo-Babylonian Empire , though in later times it was primarily a cultic site. During the Ubaid period the site extended out to an area of about 12 hectares (about 30 acres). Twelve neolithic clay tokens,
3417-520: The story of Adapa was first rediscovered, some scholars saw a resemblance with the story of the biblical Adam , such as Albert Tobias Clay . Later scholars such as Alexander Heidel ( "The Adapa legend and the Biblical story (of Adam) are fundamentally as far apart as antipodes" ) rejected this connection; however, potential connections are still (1981) considered worthy of analysis. Possible parallels and connections include similarity in names, including
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#17327659128103484-520: The surface at Eridu "disturbed by an explosion". The tablets were said to be from 2600 to 2100 BC (rulers Eannatum to Amar-Sin) and be part of a library. A team was sent to the site by Iraq's State Board of Antiquities and Heritage which found no tablets, only stamped bricks from Eridu and surrounding sites such as Ur. Nor was there a permit to excavate at the site issued to anyone. At this point Pettinato stated that they had actually found 70 inscribed bricks. This turned out to be stamped bricks used to build
3551-430: The term ummianu (ummânù) "expert". As an epithet , prefix, or adjective it can mean "the wise"; it has been used as an epithet for the gods Ea and Marduk , simply interpreted as "wise one amongst gods" or similar forms. It has also been applied to Enlil , Ninurta , and Adad . The term also refers to the "seven sages", especially the sage Adapa , and also to apotropaic figures, which are often figurines of
3618-416: The term Apkallu is when referring to figurines used in apotropaic rituals; these figurines include fish-man hybrids representing the seven sages, but also include bird-headed and other figures. In a later work by Berossus describing Babylonia , the Apkallu appear again, also described as fish-men who are sent by the gods to impart knowledge to humans. In Berossus, the first one, Oannes (a variant of Uanna),
3685-599: The text remained in use until at least the 1st century AD. During the Neo-Assyrian period, comparisons to Adapa would be used in reference to the king and so were used to legitimize that king. For example, it was written in Sennacherib's Annals , "Ea [..] endowed me with vast knowledge equivalent to that of the Sage Adapa". The name Adapa has also been used for the first Apkallu , sometimes known as Uanna (in
3752-927: The various cities of Subartu to dwell under his authority in friendship" In an inscription of Kurigalzu I ( c. 1375 BC ), a ruler of the Kassite dynasty one of his epitaphs is "[he one who ke]eps the sanctuary in Eridu in order". An inscription of the Second Sealand Dynastic ruler Simbar-shipak (c. 1021–1004 BCE) mentions a priest of Eridu. The Neo-Assyrian emperor Sargon II (722–705 BCE) awarded andurāru -status (described as "a periodic reinstatement of goods and persons, alienated because of want, to their original status") to Eridu. The Neo-Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BC) built at Eridu as evidenced by inscribed bricks found there. In some, but not all, versions of
3819-475: Was a temple of Ishtar of Eridu (built by Lagash 's ruler Ur-Baba ) and a sanctuary of Inanna of Eridu (built by Ur III ruler Ur-Nammu ). Ur-Nammu also recorded building a temple of Ishtar of Eridu at Ur which is assumed to have been a rebuild. One of the religious quarters of Babylon , containing the temple called the Esagila as well as the temple of Annunitum , among others, was also named Eridu. Eridu
3886-552: Was achieved with cobalt , long before this technique emerged in Egypt. Excavation there resumed from 1946 to 1949 under Fuad Safar and Seton Lloyd of the Iraqi Directorate General of Antiquities and Heritage. Among the finds were a Ubaid period terracotta boat model, complete with a socket amidship for a mast and hole for stays and rudder, bevel-rimmed bowls , and a "lizard type" figurine like those found in
3953-471: Was active during the Third Dynasty of Ur (22nd to 21st century BC) and royal building activity is known from inscribed bricks notably those of Ur-Nammu from his ziggurat marked "Ur-Nammu, king of Ur, the one who built the temple of the god Enki in Eridu." Three Third Dynasty rulers designated Year Names based on the appointment of an en(tu) -priestess (high priestess) of the temple of Enki in Eridu,
4020-645: Was called House of the Waters ( Cuneiform : 𒂍𒇉 , E₂.LAGAB×HAL ; Sumerian : e₂ -engur; Akkadian : bītu engurru ). The name refers to Enki's realm. His consort Ninhursag had a nearby temple at Ubaid . During the Ur III period Ur-Nammu had a ziggurat built over the remains of previous temples. Aside from Enmerkar of Uruk (as mentioned in the Aratta epics), several later historical Sumerian kings are said in inscriptions found here to have worked on or renewed
4087-575: Was considered to have founded the city. His temple was called E-Abzu, as Enki was believed to live in Abzu , an aquifer from which all life was thought to stem. According to Sumerian temple hymns, another name for the temple of Ea/Enki was called Esira (Esirra). "... The temple is constructed with gold and lapis lazuli , Its foundation on the nether-sea (apsu) is filled in. By the river of Sippar (Euphrates) it stands. O Apsu pure place of propriety, Esira, may thy king stand within thee. ..." At nearby Ur there
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#17327659128104154-407: Was given by W. G. Lambert —evidence that "adapa" was also used as an appellative meaning "wise". Kvanvig 2011 considers the case for Adapa being one of or a name of one of the Apkallu. They note that while some texts contain plays on words between the terms "adapa" and "uan" and posit that "adapa" may be an epithet, though in the Adapa myth itself it is likely a proper name. In terms of the name of
4221-404: Was giving ... to him 17 ... 18 ... Adapa , a man of Eridu, is depicted as an early culture hero. Although earlier tradition, Me-Turan/Tell-Haddad tablet, describes Adapa as postdiluvian ruler of Eridu, in late tradition, Adapa came to be viewed as Alulim’s vizier, and he was considered to have brought civilization to the city as the sage of King Alulim . In Sumerian mythology, Eridu
4288-458: Was initially known from a find at Amarna in Egypt from the archives of Egyptian King Amenophis IV (1377–1361 BC). By 1912, three finds from the Library of Ashurbanipal (668–626 BC) had been interpreted and found to contain parts of the story. As of 2001 five fragments from the library are known. There are differences in several of the known versions of the text. Based on a catalogue of texts,
4355-511: Was rebuilt and eventually reached its final tripartite form in Level VI. In Ur III times a 300 square meter platform was constructed as a base for a ziggurat. These archaeological investigations showed that, according to A. Leo Oppenheim , "eventually the entire south lapsed into stagnation, abandoning the political initiative to the rulers of the northern cities", probably as a result of increasing salinity produced by continuous irrigation, and
4422-459: Was scholar. During the reign of Adad-apla-iddina , the king, Esagil-kin-ubba was scholar. During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar , the king, Esagil-kin-ubba was scholar. During the reign of Esarhaddon , the king, Aba-Enlil-dari was scholar, whom the Arameans call Ahiqar. ( Lenzi 2008 , pp. 140–143) Lenzi notes that the list is clearly intended to be taken in chronological order. It
4489-614: Was the home of the Abzu temple of the god Enki , the Sumerian counterpart of the Akkadian god Ea, god of deep waters, wisdom and magic. Like all the Sumerian and Babylonian gods, Enki/Ea began as a local god who, according to the later cosmology, came to share the rule of the cosmos with Anu and Enlil . His kingdom was the sweet waters that lay below earth (Sumerian ab =water; zu =far). The stories of Inanna , goddess of Uruk , describe how she had to go to Eridu in order to receive
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