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| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Mesopotamian Gods & Goddesses Vincent Hale, 1900-01-01 Mesopotamian religion was one of the earliest religious systems to develop with—and in turn influence—a high civilization. Followed by the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, Mesopotamian religion and mythology reflected the complexities of these societies and has been preserved in remnants of their cultural, economic, and political institutions. This absorbing volume provides a glimpse of the cradle of civilization by examining Mesopotamian religious and mythological beliefs as well as some of the many gods and goddesses at the core of their stories and also looks at epics—such as that of Gilgamesh—and other aspects of Mesopotamian life. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Mesopotamian Gods & Goddesses Britannica Educational Publishing, 2014-01-01 Mesopotamian religion was one of the earliest religious systems to develop withand in turn influencea high civilization. Followed by the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, Mesopotamian religion and mythology reflected the complexities of these societies and has been preserved in remnants of their cultural, economic, and political institutions. This absorbing volume provides a glimpse of the cradle of civilization by examining Mesopotamian religious and mythological beliefs as well as some of the many gods and goddesses at the core of their stories and also looks at epicssuch as that of Gilgameshand other aspects of Mesopotamian life. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia Jeremy Black, Anthony Green, 1992-05-01 Ancient Mesopotamia was a rich, varied and highly complex culture whose achievements included the invention of writing and the development of sophisticated urban society. This book offers an introductory guide to the beliefs and customs of the ancient Mesopotamians, as revealed in their art and their writings between about 3000 B.C. and the advent of the Christian era. Gods, goddesses, demons, monsters, magic, myths, religious symbolism, ritual, and the spiritual world are all discussed in alphabetical entries ranging from short accounts to extended essays. Names are given in both their Sumerian and Akkadian forms, and all entries are fully cross-referenced. A useful introduction provides historical and geographical background and describes the sources of our knowledge about the religion, mythology and magic of the cradle of civilisation. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia Jeremy A. Black, Anthony Green, 1992 Ancient Mesopotamia was a highly complex culture whose achievements included the invention of writing. This illustrated text offers a reference guide to Mesopotamian religion, mythology and magic between about 3000 BC and the advent of the Christian era. Gods, goddesses, demons, monsters, magic, myths, religious symbolism, rituals and the spiritual world are all discussed in alphabetical entries ranging from short accounts to extended essays. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Sumerian Mythology Simon Lopez, 2019-05-03 Do you know that the Sumerians believed that: The moon was actually a god child conceived unintentionally by the God Enlil and a maid? Or that humans were first created to do the chores on earth for the Gods and Goddesses? The ancient Sumerians lived a difficult life, and this is reflected in their myths. However, also reflected in their stories is their love for justice and the values which they most supported, among them beauty, honor, and truthfulness. Some of the stories included are: How the world, the moon, mankind and animals were created The retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh: the legend of the very first hero in history Ninurta and the slaying of the demon Asag The Myths of Kur: the Dragon Conqueror Inanna's journey to the underworld And many other amazing tales! Get this book and discover the fascinating world of Sumerian Mythology today! |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: The Triumph of the Symbol Tallay Ornan, 2005 This book analyzes the history of Mesopotamian imagery form the mid-second to mid-first millennium BCE. It demonstrates that in spite of rich textual evidence, which grants the Mesopotamian gods and goddesses an anthropmorphic form, there was a clear abstention in various media from visualizing the gods in such a form. True, divine human-shaped cultic images existed in Mesopotamian temples. But as a rule, non-anthropomorphic visual agents such as inanimate objects, animals or fantastic hybrids replaced these figures when they were portrayed outside of their sacred enclosures. This tendency reached its peak in first-millennium Babylonia and Assyria. The removal of the Mesopotamian human-shaped deity from pictorial renderings resembles the Biblical agenda not only in its avoidance of displaying a divine image but also in the implied dual perception of the divine: according to the Bible and the Assyro-Babylonian concept the divine was conceived as having a human form; yet in both cases anthropomorphism was also concealed or rejected, though to a different degree. In the present book, this dual approach toward the divine image is considered as a reflection of two associated rather than contradictory religious worldviews. The plausible consolidation of the relevant Biblical accounts just before the Babylonian Exile, or more probably within the Exile - in both cases during a period of strong Assyrian and Babylonian hegemony - points to a direct correspondence between comparable religious phenomena. It is suggested that far from their homeland and in the absence of a temple for their god, the Judahite deportees adopted and intensified the Mesopotamian avoidance of anthropomorphic picorial portrayals of deities. While the Babylonian representations remained confined to temples, the exiles would have turned a cultic reality - i.e., the nonwritten Babylonian custom - into a written, articulated law that explicity forbade the pictorial representation of God. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Ancient Mesopotamian Religion and Mythology W.G. Lambert, 2016-03-17 The late W.G. Lambert (1926-2011) was one of the foremost Assyriologists of the latter part of the twentieth century. His principle legacy is a large number of superb critical editions of Babylonian literary compositions. Many of the texts he edited were on religious and mythological subjects. He will always be remembered as the editor of the Babylonian Job (Ludlul bel nemeqi, also known as the Poem of the Righteous Sufferer), the Babylonian Flood Story (Atra-hasis) and the Babylonian Creation Epic (Enuma elish). The present book is a collection of twenty-three essays Lambert published between the years 1958 and 2004. These endure not only as the legacy of one of the greatest authorities on ancient Mesopotamian religion and mythology, but also because each makes statements of considerable validity and importance. As such, many are milestones in the fields of Mesopotamian religion and mythology. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Encyclopedia of Gods and Goddesses of Mesopotamia Phoenicia, Ugarit, Canaan, Carthage, and the Ancient Middle East. V.II Maximillien De Lafayette, 2015-02-24 Encyclopedia of Gods and Goddesses of Mesopotamia Phoenicia, Ugarit, Canaan, Carthage, and the Ancient Middle East. Volume II: I-Z (Igigi-Zerpanitum) from a set of two volumes. Published by Times Square Press. New York and Berlin. This encyclopedia lists and defines approximately 125 gods and goddesses, and includes translations of Akkadian, Sumerian, Chaldean, and Assyrian texts and tablets by a noted scholar and one of the world's most distinguished linguists, who authored more than 20 encyclopedic dictionaries and 3 encyclopedias on the languages, culture, religion, and history of the ancient Middle East, and Near East. The encyclopedia is highly recommended to universities' professors who teach those fields, as well as to all those who are interested in the culture, religions and civilizations of the ancient world. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Encyclopedia of Gods and Goddesses of Mesopotamia Phoenicia, Ugarit, Canaan, Carthage, and the Ancient Middle East. Vol.I Maximillien De Lafayette, 2015-02-24 Encyclopedia of Gods and Goddesses of Mesopotamia Phoenicia, Ugarit, Canaan, Carthage, and the Ancient Middle East. Volume I: A-H (Aa-Husbishag) from a set of two volumes. Published by Times Square Press. New York and Berlin. This encyclopedia lists and defines approximately 125 gods and goddesses, and includes translations of Akkadian, Sumerian, Chaldean, and Assyrian texts and tablets by a noted scholar and one of the world's most distinguished linguists, who authored more than 20 encyclopedic dictionaries and 3 encyclopedias on the languages, culture, religions, and history of the ancient Middle East, and Near East. The encyclopedia is highly recommended to universities' professors who teach those fields, as well as to all those who are interested in the culture, religions and civilizations of the ancient world, and Anunnaki's enthusiasts. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Myths from Mesopotamia Stephanie Dalley, 2000 The stories translated here all of ancient Mesopotamia, and include not only myths about the Creation and stories of the Flood, but also the longest and greatest literary composition, the Epic of Gilgamesh. This is the story of a heroic quest for fame and immortality, pursued by a man of great strength who loses a unique opportunity through a moment's weakness. So much has been discovered in recent years both by way of new tablets and points of grammar and lexicography that these new translations by Stephanie Dalley supersede all previous versions. -- from back cover. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Myths of Babylon J.K. Jackson, 2018-12-15 Babylonian myths, inherited in Mesopotamia from Sumeria, influenced by the ancient Assyrians represent a pinnacle of human achievement in the period around 1800 BC. Here we find humankind battling with the elements in their Flood myth, a grim creation story and the great Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest recorded literary treasures. Babylon, a powerful city state at the time of the ancient Egyptians was a centre of profound spiritual, economic and military power, themes all represented in the fragments and myths of this book of classic tales. FLAME TREE 451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and myth, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: The Sumerians Samuel Noah Kramer, 2010-09-17 “A readable and up-to-date introduction to a most fascinating culture” from a world-renowned Sumerian scholar (American Journal of Archaeology). The Sumerians, the pragmatic and gifted people who preceded the Semites in the land first known as Sumer and later as Babylonia, created what was probably the first high civilization in the history of man, spanning the fifth to the second millenniums B.C. This book is an unparalleled compendium of what is known about them. Professor Kramer communicates his enthusiasm for his subject as he outlines the history of the Sumerian civilization and describes their cities, religion, literature, education, scientific achievements, social structure, and psychology. Finally, he considers the legacy of Sumer to the ancient and modern world. “An uncontested authority on the civilization of Sumer, Professor Kramer writes with grace and urbanity.” —Library Journal |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: A Handbook of Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Near East Douglas R. Frayne, Johanna H. Stuckey, 2021-02-08 From the tragic young Adonis to Zašhapuna, first among goddesses, this handbook provides the most complete information available on deities from the cultures and religions of the ancient Near East, including Anatolia, Syria, Israel, Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria, and Elam. The result of nearly fifteen years of research, this handbook is more expansive and covers a wider range of sources and civilizations than any previous reference works on the topic. Arranged alphabetically, the entries range from multiple pages of information to a single line—sometimes all that we know about a given deity. Where possible, each record discusses the deity’s symbolism and imagery, connecting it to the myths, rituals, and festivals described in ancient sources. Many of the entries are accompanied by illustrations that aid in understanding the iconography, and they all include references to texts in which the god or goddess is mentioned. Appropriate for both trained scholars and nonacademic readers, this book collects centuries of Near Eastern mythology into one volume. It will be an especially valuable resource for anyone interested in Assyriology, ancient religion, and the ancient Near East. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta Samuel Noah Kramer, 2023-01-03 |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Babylonian Magic and Sorcery Leonard W. King, 1998 |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: The Epic of Gilgamish R. Campbell Thompson, 2022-10-26 This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Sumerian Gods and Their Representations Irving L. Finkel, Markham J. Geller, 1997 |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: A Companion to the Ancient Near East Daniel C. Snell, 2020-02-19 The new edition of the popular survey of Near Eastern civilization from the Bronze Age to the era of Alexander the Great A Companion to the Ancient Near East explores the history of the region from 4400 BCE to the Macedonian conquest of the Persian Empire in 330 BCE. Original and revised essays from a team of distinguished scholars from across disciplines address subjects including the politics, economics, architecture, and heritage of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. Part of the Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World series, this acclaimed single-volume reference combines lively writing with engaging and relatable topics to immerse readers in this fascinating period of Near East history. The new second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to include new developments in relevant fields, particularly archaeology, and expand on themes of interest to contemporary students. Clear, accessible chapters offer fresh discussions on the history of the family and gender roles, the literature, languages, and religions of the region, pastoralism, medicine and philosophy, and borders, states, and warfare. New essays highlight recent discoveries in cuneiform texts, investigate how modern Egyptians came to understand their ancient history, and examine the place of archaeology among the historical disciplines. This volume: Provides substantial new and revised content covering topics such as social conflict, kingship, cosmology, work, trade, and law Covers the civilizations of the Sumerians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Israelites, and Persians, emphasizing social and cultural history Examines the legacy of the Ancient Near East in the medieval and modern worlds Offers a uniquely broad geographical, chronological, and topical range Includes a comprehensive bibliographical guide to Ancient Near East studies as well as new and updated references and reading suggestions Suitable for use as both a primary reference or as a supplement to a chronologically arranged textbook, A Companion to the Ancient Near East, 2nd Edition is a valuable resource for advanced undergraduates, beginning graduate students, instructors in the field, and scholars from other disciplines. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Chaldean Magic François Lenormant, 1877 |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Mega Book: Encyclopedia of Gods and Goddesses of Mesopotamia Phoenicia, Ugarit, Canaan, Carthage, and the Ancient Middle East Maximillien De Lafayette, 2015-02-24 Mega book: Encyclopedia of Gods and Goddesses of Mesopotamia Phoenicia, Ugarit, Canaan, Carthage, and the Ancient Middle East. Two volumes in one: A-Z. Also available in 2 separate volumes. This encyclopedia lists and defines approximately 125 gods and goddesses, and includes translations of Akkadian, Sumerian, Chaldean, and Assyrian texts and tablets by a noted scholar and one of the world's most distinguished linguists, who authored more than 20 encyclopedic dictionaries and 3 encyclopedias on the languages, culture, religion, and history of the ancient Middle East, and Near East. The encyclopedia is highly recommended to universities' professors who teach those fields, as well as to all those who are interested in the culture, religions and civilizations of the ancient world. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: The Seven Tablets of Creation Leonard William King, 2010 |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Ishtar Louise M. Pryke, 2017-07-14 Ishtar is the first book dedicated to providing an accessible analysis of the mythology and image of this complex goddess. The polarity of her nature is reflected in her role as goddess of sexual love and war, and has made her difficult to characterise in modern scholarship. By exploring this complexity, Ishtar offers insight into Mesopotamian culture and thought, and elucidates a goddess who transcended the limits of gender, divinity and nature. It gives an accessible introduction to the Near Eastern pantheon, while also opening a pathway for comparison with the later Near Eastern and Mediterranean deities who followed her. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Greek Myths and Mesopotamia Charles Penglase, 2003-10-04 Examines the Mesopotamian influence on Greek mythology in literary works of the epic period, concentrating in particular on journey myths. A major contribution to the understanding of the colourful myths involved. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: The Iliad Homer, William Lucas Collins, 1876 |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Women's Writing of Ancient Mesopotamia Charles Halton, Saana Svärd, 2018 This anthology translates and discusses texts authored by women of ancient Mesopotamia. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Ancestor of the West Jean Bottéro, Clarisse Herrenschmidt, Jean-Pierre Vernant, 2000-06-15 At the same time Ancestor of the West reminds us that these cultures were precursors of our own precisely because they possessed an intelligence that we still recognize. The ancients, even in their earliest writings, thought like us.--BOOK JACKET. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: The Treasures of Darkness Thorkild Jacobsen, 1976-01-01 ... No one can plausibly deny that the religious development of the peoples of Canaan (and indeed of all the ancient world around the eastern Mediterranean to the Indus river) were affected by the cultural and religious developments in Mesopotamia, the centre of the region, and a fertile region second to none known in the world, on a par with the Nile, around which another major civilization arose. This is a text of history of Mesopotamia in its own right. By the time history gets back this far, the lines become very blurred, rather like parallel lines intersecting on the horizon. Literature, religion, archaeology, sociology, psychology -- all of these disciplines become intertwined in Jacobsen's text as he looks at Sumerian society. The book is organized with an introduction, then according to time divisions of fourth, third, and second millennia, then concludes with an epilogue into the first millennium, during which the Bible as we know it (and most ancient history such as is commonly known occurred) came to be--Amazon.com. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: The Garden of Eden Myth Walter Mattfeld, 2010-11-01 Scholarly proposals are presented for the pre-biblical origin in Mesopotamian myths of the Garden of Eden story. Some Liberal PhD scholars (1854-2010) embracing an Anthropological viewpoint have proposed that the Hebrews have recast earlier motifs appearing in Mesopotamian myths. Eden's garden is understood to be a recast of the gods' city-gardens in the Sumerian Edin, the floodplain of Lower Mesopotamia. It is understood that the Hebrews in the book of Genesis are refuting the Mesopotamian account of why Man was created and his relationship with his Creators (the gods and goddesses). They deny that Man is a sinner and rebel because he was made in the image of gods and goddesses who were themselves sinners and rebels, who made man to be their agricultural slave to grow and harvest their food and feed it to them in temple sacrifices thereby ending the need of the gods to toil for their food in the city-gardens of Edin in ancient Sumer. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Mesopotamian Myths Matt Clayton, 2020-01-19 This book includes two captivating manuscripts: Mesopotamian Mythology: A Captivating Guide to Ancient Near Eastern Myths Sumerian Mythology: Captivating Myths of Gods, Goddesses, and Legendary Creatures of Ancient Sumer and Their Importance to the Sumerians |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Goddesses in Context Julia M. Asher-Greve, Joan Goodnick Westenholz, 2013 This book examines from different perspectives some of the most challenging themes in Mesopotamian religion such as gender switch of deities and changes of the status, roles and functions of goddesses. The authors incorporate recent scholarship from various disciplines into their analysis of textual and visual sources, representations in diverse media, theological strategies, typologies, and the place of image in religion and cult over a span of three millennia. Different types of syncretism (fusion, fission, mutation) resulted in transformation and homogenization of goddesses' roles and functions. The processes of syncretism (a useful heuristic tool for studying the evolution of religions and the attendant political and social changes) and gender switch were facilitated by the fluidity of personality due to multiple or similar divine roles and functions. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Ancient Mesopotamia A. Leo Oppenheim, 2013-01-31 This splendid work of scholarship . . . sums up with economy and power all that the written record so far deciphered has to tell about the ancient and complementary civilizations of Babylon and Assyria.—Edward B. Garside, New York Times Book Review Ancient Mesopotamia—the area now called Iraq—has received less attention than ancient Egypt and other long-extinct and more spectacular civilizations. But numerous small clay tablets buried in the desert soil for thousands of years make it possible for us to know more about the people of ancient Mesopotamia than any other land in the early Near East. Professor Oppenheim, who studied these tablets for more than thirty years, used his intimate knowledge of long-dead languages to put together a distinctively personal picture of the Mesopotamians of some three thousand years ago. Following Oppenheim's death, Erica Reiner used the author's outline to complete the revisions he had begun. To any serious student of Mesopotamian civilization, this is one of the most valuable books ever written.—Leonard Cottrell, Book Week Leo Oppenheim has made a bold, brave, pioneering attempt to present a synthesis of the vast mass of philological and archaeological data that have accumulated over the past hundred years in the field of Assyriological research.—Samuel Noah Kramer, Archaeology A. Leo Oppenheim, one of the most distinguished Assyriologists of our time, was editor in charge of the Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute and John A. Wilson Professor of Oriental Studies at the University of Chicago. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: The Code of Hammurabi Hammurabi, 2017-07-20 The Code of Hammurabi (Codex Hammurabi) is a well-preserved ancient law code, created ca. 1790 BC (middle chronology) in ancient Babylon. It was enacted by the sixth Babylonian king, Hammurabi. One nearly complete example of the Code survives today, inscribed on a seven foot, four inch tall basalt stele in the Akkadian language in the cuneiform script. One of the first written codes of law in recorded history. These laws were written on a stone tablet standing over eight feet tall (2.4 meters) that was found in 1901. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Mesopotamian Mythology Scott Lewis, 2018-10-12 Do you know that the Mesopotamians did not believe in life after death? Or that their Queen of the Underworld and their arrogant God of War and Pestilence had an epic love story? In this collection, you will enjoy the epic stories of Ancient Mesopotamia that echoed through other great works like the Bible and the Odyssey. The Sumerian belief system offers a fascinating insight into the lives of these ancient people as they struggled to establish the first empires of man. Some of the fantastic stories included are: - The Epic of Gilgamesh: The adventure of Gilgamesh, a tyrannical king who is blessed with a true friend and companion, Enkidu. As they set out to make their names, the young men encounter demons, gods and goddesses, and death. It is the first recorded hero's epic! - Creation Myths: The Ancient Mesopotamians had a vivid idea of their origins. Learn how they saw their role in the cosmos and interpreted events in their lives. - The Descent of Ishtar: No good collection of myths would be complete without a trip to the Underworld. In this myth, the Queen of Heaven is not content with her lot and seeks to gain the power of the Underworld as well. - The Epic of Etana - One of the original action-adventure stories is the story of Etana. Through divine providence, Etana is elevated from shepherd to king but cannot conceive an heir. With help from the gods and a less than honorable giant eagle, he seeks to find the plant that will let his wife bear him a child. - Ereshkigal and Nergal: Stories of star-crossed lovers are common enough, but the Mesopotamian version has a unique twist. Ereshkigal and Nergal are the most unlikely of bedfellows! And so much more! These stories and many more are compiled in story form in Mesopotamian Mythology: Classic stories from the Sumerian Mythology, Akkadian Mythology, Babylonian Mythology and Assyrian Mythology. Get your copy and dive into this fascinating world today! |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Sumerian Mythology Neil Matt Hamilton, 2020-11-03 Sumerian history and mythology have been shrouded in mystery for thousands of years. These tales of the world's very first civilization is now being exposed to the light of day, fascinating men and women around the world. The stories of Enlil, Enkidu, and Gilgamesh are finding new audiences, people interested in learning about a world where the people felt and experienced very differently from how we do today. Sumerian mythology was so powerful that some of their gods found their way into different cultures, the most famous example of this being Aphrodite who began life as the Sumerian goddess Inanna. In Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths, you will be exposed to the riveting tales of gods and heroes that formed the canon of the Sumerian religion.Sumerian civilization has become an intrinsic part of how we live today, even if most of us are unaware of it. The way that we measure time, observe the stars, and even plant and grow crops has a lot to do with the advancements made by the Sumerians more than six thousand years ago. And heroes like Gilgamesh have helped define what it means to be a hero today. They were men who became gods, earning their place in immortality in more ways than one. The Sumerians used their stories as a way to instruct others and how they lived and even to help themselves understand their world. Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths, you will learn the formative tales of gods and heroes to help you understand who the Sumerians were and why they were important.Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths explores the tales of gods and heroes in a concise, easy-to-read fashion. These tales of heroes and gods were deeply important to the Mesopotamian people and learning about them is the only way to understand the kind of world they lived in and how it was different from our own. It was a world of birds with the faces of lions, gods with the wings of birds, and seductive goddesses who symbolically married the kings of the various city-states. The Sumerians told many tales of gods like Inanna, An, Ashur, and Enlil, tales that helped the civilizations of Mesopotamia endure for nearly 4000 years. Indeed, European travelers to the Orient in the 18th century discovered that there were still districts where the goddess Inanna (more than five thousand years old then) was still worshipped in secret.The world of the Sumerians was unlike our own. The people at the heart of Sumerian civilization - living in modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, and other places - these people were part of a culture so far removed from the way that we think and perceive today as to be almost unrecognizable. Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths gives you the binoculars to view their world. It was a world of great empires: the Akkadian, Hurrian, Assyrian, and Babylonian. It was a world of legendary wealth and beauty. In Sumerian Myth, you will understand this world by gaining a summary of the major historical events and an in-depth exposure to the gods.In Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths, you will learn all there is to know about Sumerian myth and history. You will learn about the Gilgamesh and Enkidu, the Anzu bird, who the major gods and goddesses were, who the important heroes were, and how Sumerian society left a legacy that continues with us today. Poets and historians recorded Mesopotamian tales on cuneiform tablets, but we have made the deciphering work easy for you. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Mesopotamia Britannica Educational Publishing, 2010-04-01 Celebrated for numerous developments in the areas of law, writing, religion, and mathematics, Mesopotamia has been immortalized as the cradle of civilization. Its fabled cities, including Babylon and Nineveh, spawned new cultures, traditions, and innovations in art and architecture, some of which can still be seen in present-day Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Readers will be captivated by this ancient cultures rich history and breadth of accomplishment, as they marvel at images of the magnificent temples and artifacts left behind. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Religion in Ancient Mesopotamia Jean Bottéro, 2004 A well written guide to Mesopotamian religion by one of the world's foremost Assyriologists. Bottero studies the public and private relationships between the people and the divine, their cosmology, hymns and prayers, rituals, myths and magic. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Goddesses in Context Julia M. Asher-Greve, Joan Goodnick Westenholz, 2013 The authors examine from different perspectives some of the most challenging themes in Mesopotamian religion such as gender switch of deities and changes of the status, roles and functions of goddesses. Julia M. Asher-Greve and Goodnick Westenholz incorporate recent scholarship from various disciplines into their analysis of textual and visual sources, representations in diverse media, theological strategies, typologies, and the place of image in religion and cult over a span of three millennia. Different types of syncretism (fusion, fission, mutation) resulted in transformation and homogenization of goddesses' roles and functions. The processes of syncretism (a useful heuristic tool for studying the evolution of religions and the attendant political and social changes) and gender switch were facilitated by the fluidity of personality due to multiple or similar divine roles and functions. Few goddesses kept their identity throughout the millennia. Individuality is rare in the iconography of goddesses while visual emphasis is on repetition of generic divine figures (hieros typos) in order to retain recognizability of divinity, where femininity is of secondary significance. This richly illustrated book demonstrates that goddesses were never marginalized or extrinsic and that their continuous presence in texts, cult images, rituals, and worship throughout Mesopotamian history is testimony to their powerful numinous impact. This richly illustrated book is the first in-depth analysis of goddesses and the changes they underwent from the earliest visual and textual evidence around 3000 BCE to the end of ancient Mesopotamian civilization in the Seleucid period. Goddesses in Context is a compelling contribution to Mesopotamian religion and history as well as to history, art history, history of religion and gender studies. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: A History of the Animal World in the Ancient Near East Billie Jean Collins, 2001-12-01 This book is about all aspects of man’s contact with the animal world; sacrifice, sacred animals, diet, domestication, in short, from the sublime to the mundane. Chapters on art, literature, religion and animal husbandry provide the reader with a complete picture of the complex relationships between the peoples of the Ancient Near East and (their) animals. A reference guide and key to the menagerie of the Ancient Near East, with ample original illustrations. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia Stephen Bertman, 2005-07-14 Modern-day archaeological discoveries in the Near East continue to illuminate man's understanding of the ancient world. This illustrated handbook describes the culture, history, and people of Mesopotamia, as well as their struggle for survival and happiness. |
| gods and goddesses of mesopotamia: Myths & Legends of Babylonia & Assyria Lewis Spence, 1920 A collection of Babylonian and Assyrian myths and legends, including various analogues of the biblical flood story and discussions of the history of Babylon and Assyria, and descriptions of various forms of Babylonian worship, Assyrian cults, and archaeological excavation of Babylonian and Assyrian sites. |
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How Many Names Does God Have? - JW.ORG
God of gods. Deuteronomy 10:17. The supreme God, in contrast with the “worthless gods” worshipped by some. —Isaiah 2:8. Grand Instructor. Isaiah 30:20, 21. Gives beneficial …
Does God Have a Name? | Bible Questions - JW.ORG
ESSENTIAL BIBLE TEACHINGS Does God Have a Name? God has many titles, including Almighty, Creator, and Lord. But God’s personal name is used some 7,000 times i
What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe? - JW.ORG
Known worldwide for their public ministry, Jehovah’s Witnesses openly share their beliefs about God, Jesus, the Bible, the future, and more.
Appreciating God’s Matchless Qualities - JW.ORG
THE Holy Scriptures reveal God’s many wonderful qualities, enabling us to get to know him. For instance, the Scriptures tell us of God’s four main attributes —power, justice, wisdom, and love.
God’s Kingdom | Bible Questions & Answers | JW.ORG
Answers to some of the most common questions about the Kingdom of God. The clear explanations found in God’s Word may surprise you.
What Is God’s Name? - JW.ORG
God’s name is Jehovah. While titles may describe God’s position, authority, or power, it is only his name, Jehovah, that embodies all that he is and can become.
What Are the Ten Commandments of God? - JW.ORG
The Ten Commandments are laws God gave through Moses to ancient Israel. They are recorded in the Pentateuch (Torah), the first five books of the Bible.
Questions About God - JW.ORG
Answers to some of the most common questions about God. Get the facts. The clear explanations found in God’s Word may surprise you.
Who Is Jehovah? | Bible Questions - JW.ORG
Jehovah is the true God of the Bible, the Creator of all things. (Revelation 4: 11) The prophets Abraham and Moses worshipped him, as did Jesus. (Genesis 24:27; Exodus 15:1, 2; John 20:17) …
What Is the Will of God for My Life? | Bible Questions - JW.ORG
Do you need a special sign, vision, or calling from God to know his will for your life? Find out the Bible’s answer.
How Many Names Does God Have? - JW.ORG
God of gods. Deuteronomy 10:17. The supreme God, in contrast with the “worthless gods” worshipped by some. —Isaiah 2:8. Grand Instructor. Isaiah 30:20, 21. Gives beneficial teaching …
Does God Have a Name? | Bible Questions - JW.ORG
ESSENTIAL BIBLE TEACHINGS Does God Have a Name? God has many titles, including Almighty, Creator, and Lord. But God’s personal name is used some 7,000 times i
What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe? - JW.ORG
Known worldwide for their public ministry, Jehovah’s Witnesses openly share their beliefs about God, Jesus, the Bible, the future, and more.
Appreciating God’s Matchless Qualities - JW.ORG
THE Holy Scriptures reveal God’s many wonderful qualities, enabling us to get to know him. For instance, the Scriptures tell us of God’s four main attributes —power, justice, wisdom, and love.
God’s Kingdom | Bible Questions & Answers | JW.ORG
Answers to some of the most common questions about the Kingdom of God. The clear explanations found in God’s Word may surprise you.
