1. The Key to Epic of Gilgamesh
Mesopotamia
The Key to Epic of Gilgamesh

2. Mesopotamia Location: modern day Iraq
Formation: fertile crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
Civilizations: Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonia

3. Discovery of the Epic
Sumerian cities: Ur and Uruk-- surrounded by walls
Sumerian writing: pictographic--improved into cuneiform
Hammurabi-- first legal code
Assyrian/Akkadian-overthrew Sumerians
Greatest King: Ashurbanipal
His library at Nineveh contained the tablets with the Epic
Deciphered by George Smith

4. George Smith’s Discovery
An account of a great flood
Known as “The Deluge Tablets”
Funded a return trip--
Found all 12 tablets of the Epic- but died

5. A Protest Against Death
The Epic of Gilgamesh
A Protest Against Death

6. Gilgamesh 2/3 god; 1/3 man Built walls of Uruk Perfect body Courageous
Went on a journey-- wrote down his story
HE is the one telling the story

7. Enkidu Gilgamesh’s loyal sidekick
Ashamed to have been cursed by a goddess

8. Gilgamesh’s Reaction Long speech to people and things of Uruk
Rages like a lion
Tears out his hair and throws off his clothes
Acts like this for 7 days and 7 nights
Buries Enkidu when “worm fastened to him”
Afraid of his own death
Goes in search of Utnapishtim

9. The Story of the Flood The Gods were angry because of all of the BABEL
Enlil encouraged the gods to exterminate mankind
Ea warned Utnapishtim about the flood thru a dream
Utnapishtim “ironically” told everyone that Enlil was mad at him and would “rain abundance upon everyone else”
Utnapishtim built a barque

10. Utnapishtim’s Barque 120 cubits 7 decks
Family (kin), gold, wild and tame beasts
Prepared just in time for the storm

11. The Storm Gods were even terrified of the storm
Ishtar regrets exterminating mankind
7th day storm stops
7 days the boat rests
Dove, swallow, raven

12. Utnapishtim’s actions
Build a sacrifice: 7 cauldrons
Ea to Enlil-- punishment too harsh
Enlil grants Utnapishtim immortal life

13. The Return Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh of a plant
“the Old Men are young again” grants eternal youth
Gilgamesh ties stones to his feet and retrieves the plant
Gilgamesh plans to give plant to old men first
While bathing, a serpent steals the plant
The serpent loses his skin
Gilgamesh returns home disappointed
Gilgamesh looks at his accomplishments and writes the story down