Questions tagged [mesopotamia]
For questions linked to the area between Tigris and Euphrates, corresponding to modern-day Iraq. See also the sumeria tag.
30
questions
4
votes
1
answer
86
views
Which Mesopotamian gods had sacred numbers?
In ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform, there were a few different ways of writing a deity's name. You could spell it out, you could write one of their divine purviews, or you could use a "sacred ...
- 1,368
4
votes
2
answers
163
views
What is "cemuc barley" referred to in a Sumerian proverb, and how is it related to necromancy?
I found this cryptic Sumerian proverb looking for ancient barley references:
"The cemuc barley is reserved for the necromancer."
There is an unrelated note that follows explaining how ...
0
votes
1
answer
147
views
What are some actually evil gods around the world?
I mean gods that are truly evil, not ones who are reflecting the social norms of the era they were worshiped in. (Zeus for example, he wasn't evil, his actions were seen as acceptable and normal at ...
- 397
1
vote
4
answers
616
views
Do any Mediterranean mythologies depict souls escaping from the Underworld without the help of a living rescuer?
Persephone was rescued from the Underworld (for a little while) by Hermes, who brought her back to Demeter.
Eurydice was (almost) rescued from the Underworld by Orpheus.
Semele was rescued from the ...
- 548
1
vote
2
answers
113
views
Was there a concept of bringing about a perfect world in ancient pagan religions?
I was wondering whether there was a concept of bringing about a perfected world in ancient pagan religions, whether as something the gods were expected to do, something that mankind was expected to do,...
- 954
5
votes
1
answer
375
views
Which 'Sea' does Tiamat represent, and why did she turn into a serpent?
There are many sources that mentioned about her being related to the sea, even the salt sea.
Tiamat is the Mesopotamian goddess associated with primordial chaos and the salt sea best known from the ...
- 309
9
votes
1
answer
354
views
Significance of Enoch's age in the Hebrew Bible and identification with seventh antediluvian king/sage from Mesopotamian mythology
In the Hebrew Bible, Genesis 5:23 records Enoch's age as 365 years. As far as I can tell based on my review of the BHS and Göttingen LXX apparatus, there are no alternate readings of this number as ...
- 193
-2
votes
1
answer
143
views
Was Eannatum, the real historical figure that was characterised as Adam, in the Garden of Eden narrative?
Eannatum
Eannatum (Sumerian: 𒂍𒀭𒈾𒁺 É.AN.NA-tum2) was a Sumerian Ensi (ruler or king) of Lagash circa 2500–2400 BCE. He established one of the first verifiable empires in history: he subdued Elam ...
user7122
-3
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Who are the deities of natural order, justice or wisdom?
I'm seeking names of deities who embody the values of natural order, justice, or wisdom/knowledge.
I've already gone through the ancient Greek ones, listed below, but I would like different sounding ...
- 103
6
votes
1
answer
100
views
Literature for mesopotamian seven-tiered cosmos?
Reading up on the (excellent) Gilgamesh epic, I found a note for the 11th tablet (where Uta-Napishti - the 'original' Noah) describes the seven-tiered layout of the Ark. The author appended a note ...
- 163
5
votes
1
answer
240
views
Anat and Ištar (west Semitic deity), did these deities derive from the same Semitic deity?
Apparently, Astarte/Athtart/Ashtart the Phoenician/Carthaginian goddess was a variation of (or that she simply derived from the same religious figure) the Babylonian Ishtar (who was herself a fusion ...
- 51
4
votes
0
answers
95
views
What is a "house of Madanu" and a "gate of Madanu"?
The Hittite ritual CTH 432 ("The Ritual for Depression") mentions laying out certain patterns in flour, starting at §3.24:
namma-kan É dMADANI Ù É dṢAR[…
gulašzi nu-kan KÁ dMADANI IŠ[…
Next,...
- 1,368
8
votes
1
answer
450
views
Who is the female figure in the Nirgul tablet?
The Nirgul tablet (also known as Cerberus relief) was a Parthian relief carving of the Mesopotamian god Nergal, a three-headed dog and a seated female figure:
According to Wikipedia, which cites ...
- 17.1k
4
votes
0
answers
101
views
What are the major interpretations of the Enuma Elish?
I'm reading Mesopotamian mythology and looking to get a comparison of the major interpretations of the 'meaning' (mythological, psychological or psychoanalytic, ecological, historical, etc.) of the ...
- 448
5
votes
1
answer
726
views
Why does Inanna need a fruit to know of sex?
According to this link there is a myth where Inanna knows about sex from a tree fruit. She wants to know about sex and for that she has to go to the underworld and taste the fruit there.
But why ...
- 153