Reddit reviews Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others (Oxford World's Classics)

Welcome to the subreddit, Sadmonad.

When it comes to Mesopotamian "Genesis" accounts, there are actually four different versions that we currently know about, each of which is unique, while also sharing a pool of overlapping motifs. The four accounts are:

• The Eridu Genesis, a Sumerian language myth
  
• Enki and Ninmah, a Sumerian language myth
  
• Atrahasīs, an Akkadian language myth
  
• Enûma Elish, an Akkadian language myth
  
  The "Eridu Genesis" and "Enki and Ninmah" were probably composed during the Third Dynasty of Ur, circa 2100 BCE, but likely represent an older oral Sumerian tradition. "Atrahasīs," and the "Enûma Elish" come from the Old Babylonian Period, circa 1800 BCE, and represent a blend of Sumerian and Akkadian cultural motifs.
  
  Regarding Zechariah Sitchin's so-called "translations," I'll say, first and foremost, that Sitchin has no real experience with ancient languages, and all modern scholars dismiss his "translation" as erroneous. In truth, what the texts actually say is usually far more interesting than what Zechariah Sitchin wants you to think they say.
  
  I'll do my best to summarize, below, the various accounts of the creation of human beings.
  
  
• The account of creation usually occurs in one or another of Mesopotamia's holy cities. In the "Eridu Genesis" it is the city of Nibru (Nippur); in "Enki and Ninmah" it is the fabled land of Dilmun (Bahrain); and in "Enûma Elish" it is Bābilim (Babylon).
  
• The motive for the creation of humanity is universally an unequal distribution of labor between the Greater and Lesser Gods. In Akkadian accounts, these two generations of deities are given the generic titles Anunnakkū and Igigū respectively. The sole exception to this rule is the Babylonian creation epic "Enûma Elish," where the impetus for creating humanity is to allow Marduk to display his raw power (more on this below).
  
  Here is where Sitchin's first error comes into play: there is no mining of gold, at all, in any of the "Genesis" texts. The labor that the Gods are performing is the maintenance of Nature: digging canals, directing the course of the Tigris and Euphrates, erecting walls for cities, herding and shepherding, causing the plants and vegetation to sprout, etc.
  
  
• The only solution to the rebellion, according to the Anunnakkū, is to create a new creature who'll do the work previously assigned to the Igigū; that creature is humanity.
  
  Nowhere in any of the accounts are we created to be slaves, or gold-miners. We are created solely to help ease the burden of tending for the Earth and its myriad natural functions. How we're created is a different story though, and each account seems to differ slightly, so I'll outline each below:
  
  ​
  
  Enki and Ninmah
  
  In this myth, clay gathered along the banks of the subterranean freshwater aquifer, ABZU, is given to a coterie of Mother Goddesses who mold it into the first human forms. These forms are assigned a "Fate" by the sea-goddess Namma, and given the task of tending to the Earth by the goddess Ninmah.
  
  Later, Enki, who devised and oversaw our creation, has a drinking contest with Ninmah. Both deities get drunk, and Ninmah challenges Enki to a contest to determine whose powers are superior. The rules are simple: Ninmah will make a series of "defective" humans, and Enki must find a place for each in Sumerian society. If Enki fails, then Ninmah is superior. If Enki succeeds, then he gets to make a series of defective humans, and Ninmah must find a place for them in Sumerian society.
  
  Ninmah creates six defective humans and Enki successfully places them into Sumerian society. Enki, however, creates only one defective human being (essentially an infant), and Ninmah is unable to find a proper place for it. After admitting her defeat, Enki is declared the winner.
  
  A scholarly translation of this text can be read here.
  
  ​
  
  Atrahasīs
  
  This myth begins with an account of the Igigū rebellion. Tired of bearing heavy loads, the Igigū surround the house of Ellil, King of the Anunnakkū, and demand his surrender. Ellil calls for the Great Gods, Ea and Anu, and demands that they solve the problem. Ea (who is an Akkadian cognate of the Sumerian Enki) declares that he can solve the problem, but only if the goddess Ninmah will assist him. Everyone agrees and Ea reveals his plan.
  
  Ea's plan calls for the leader of the Igigū rebellion to be offered up as a sacrifice so that Ea might collect his divine flesh (shirū), blood (damu), and breath (napishtu). These divine ingredients are then mixed with clay and spittle to shape the first human forms. Over these forms, Ninmah recites an incantation that imbues them with intelligence (consciousness, wisdom, sentience, etc). As a result, the human forms develop a ghost (spirit, shade, phantom, etc). As a result of their success, Ninmah is given the title Bēlit-ilī, which means "Lady of All the Gods."
  
  In this account, the sacrificial deity is called Wê, a name that means "intelligence" or "wisdom," and several clever insights can be gained from this. The word for "humanity" in Akkadian is awīlu, a play on the words "wê" and "ilū," which, together, say: the Wisdom (wê) of the Gods (ilū). Further, the "ghost" that is created as a result of Ea's plan is called an eṭimmu, this is also a play on the words "wê" and "ṭēmu," which, together, say: an Intelligent (wê) Design (ṭēmu).
  
  A scholarly translation of this text can be read in Stephanie Dalley's Myths From Mesopotamia.
  
  ​
  
  Enûma Elish
  
  The final account is that found in the Babylonian creation epic. This text is a piece of national propaganda created to foster pride in the city of Babylon and the nation of Babylonia. It is, nearly beat-for-beat, a retelling of the "Atrahasīs" account, with the primary difference being that Marduk, instead of Ea, creates humanity. Marduk also accomplishes this feat independently, without the aid of Ninmah. Otherwise, the two versions are nearly identical in build-up and pay-off.
  
  A scholarly translation of this text can be read in Stephanie Dalley's Myths From Mesopotamia.
  
  ​
  
  As you can see, there is a mystical element to the creation of humanity. However, it is neither consistent, nor so simple as Zechariah Sitchin describes. Personally, I prefer the version found in "Atrahasīs," as it seems to be the most complete, and includes an abundance of mystical themes that can be explored further through theological angles.
  
  If you have any other questions about this topic, don't hesitate to ask.

The Epic of Gilgamesh was discovered (but not deciphered) by an Assyrian archeologist, Hormuz Rassam who was the first non-European archeologist from the Middle East.

I recently read the Epic of Gilgamesh, and I highly recommend it if you haven't read it already, I really enjoyed this edition by penguin classics. Although the side material in this translation was also nice.

It's also a great gift to give to someone, and for kids I recommend this trilogy (just make sure to buy all three) by Ludmilla Zeman. It is beautifully illustrated with many pictures and was appreciated by the kids.

Edit: Haha, seems like a Chaldean hardliner has changed Hormuzd Rassam's wiki page and now it says Chaldean, it used to say Assyrian.

I read through this book this summer which was excellent - it's a collection of myths in their entirety (Epic of Gilgamesh, Babylonian Creation Epic) with introductions to each and footnotes after it.

Issue is, it's not like the d'Aulaires stuff - these aren't myths summarised, they are just the stories as we now have them.

This is probably the best book to start with.

After reading that one, read this one

And once you have read both of those I suggest reading this one. Finally after that I recommend reading this one which actually isn't about Inanna its about her sister, Ereshkigal - but to many people seeking to understnand Inanna, understanding both of them is important.

Mesopamian mythology is a topic you may find interesting. If so, the best book I've found (from an academic standpoint) is this one.

If you want something a bit more casual and less academic you might prefer this one

For learning about the world's religions in general I recommend this book by Huston Smith which is a standard for university Comparative Religion classes.

We discover the significance of the story, first, by comparing it to earlier creation-flood myths that Genesis adapts and responds to. (You can read them for yourself in Myths from Mesopotamia.) In those stories, the reason for the flood is that the gods made a mistake: they created humans to be their slaves, providing the gods with food, clothing, and honour in temple ceremonies, but humans multiply and become so numerous and noisy that the gods are unable to sleep. So the gods kill off humanity, and there's a new creation with various diseases, demons, and mandatory chastity for certain classes of women to keep the population under control. In the Jewish flood story, God brings the corruption of the world initiated by man to completion, but then reaffirms the original creation without change.

In the context of Christian theology, we also have to read the story in the light of later revelation. [1 Peter 3:18-22 NRSV] explicitly calls the waters of the flood an allegory for baptism. We may find further significance in Noah's postdiluvian invention of wine, which in Christianity will become the blood of the new and eternal covenant.