the sumerian creation myth

Summary

In the beginning, there was only darkness and the primordial goddess Nammu. She birthed the universe, creating heaven and earth. The god Enki, emerging from the union of air and earth, formed the rivers Tigris and Euphrates and populated the world with cattle and fish. However, humans created from clay were flawed, leading the gods to decide on their destruction through a great flood. Only Ziusudra and his wife were spared, following divine instructions to build an ark. After the flood, they repopulated the earth, establishing new communities along the rivers.

Takeaways

• 🌌 Before time began, there was only darkness and the goddess Nemu, the primordial sea.
• 🌍 Nemu birthed the universe, creating heaven, earth, and a mix of soil and sky.
• 🌬️ Enki, the god of water, vegetation, and wisdom, was born from the union of air and earth.
• 🏞️ Enki shaped the rivers Tigris and Euphrates from the primordial sea and enriched the land.
• 🍃 Enki populated the earth with cattle and fish, creating rich marshlands.
• 🍷 Meanwhile, the gods held a drunken banquet and decided to create humans from clay.
• 👥 The first humans were weak in body and mind, resulting in many problems for their survival.
• 🌊 The gods, seeing the flaws in humanity, decided to destroy them in a great flood.
• 🚣 Only Ziusudra and his wife were deemed worthy, instructed to build an ark to survive.
• 🌱 After the flood, Ziusudra and his wife began a new generation, establishing villages along the rivers.

Q & A

Who is the goddess mentioned at the beginning of the script?

The goddess mentioned is Nammu, the primordial sea.

What did Nammu give birth to?

Nammu gave birth to the universe, which included heaven and earth.

Who are the two gods responsible for separating the sky and the earth?

The gods responsible are Enki, who separated the earth, and Anu, who created the heavens.

What significant elements did Enki create?

Enki created the moon god Nanna, the sun god Utu, and the rivers Tigris and Euphrates.

What was the nature of the first humans created by the gods?

The first humans were made of clay, but they were weak in body and mind.

Why did the gods decide to destroy the first humans?

The gods decided to destroy the humans because they had too many problems and were not a credit to their creators.

Who were the only two humans to survive the great flood?

The only two humans to survive the flood were Ziusudra and his wife.

What instructions did the gods give Ziusudra for survival?

Ziusudra was instructed to build a wooden Ark and hide there until the flood waters subsided.

What happened during the flood created by the gods?

The gods redirected the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, causing a violent flood that washed away all the humans.

What did Ziusudra and his wife do after the floodwaters receded?

After the floodwaters receded, Ziusudra and his wife began a new generation of humans and set up villages along the shores of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.