1. 1. Sumerian Flood Myth
(c BC)
2. Atrahasis (c BC)
3. Epic of Gilgamesh,
Tablet 11 (8th-7th c. BC)

2. Atrahasis: Summary
Igigi initially toil for gods, but rebel. Gods
create primeval humans to do work
Humans are immortal, multiply and make too
much noise. Enlil cannot sleep
Enlil tries to reduce humans’ numbers with
plague, then famine (twice). Each time
he is thwarted by Enki

3. Atrahasis: Summary
Gods agree to destroy humans with flood.
Enki manages to warn Atrahasis indirectly
Atrahasis builds boat and survives flood. Gods
are starving by the time he makes a
sacrifice. Enlil is furious at Atrahasis’
survival but sees need for better solution
Gods institute mortality for humans, infant
deaths, miscarriages, some enforced
childlessness

4. “When the gods instead of man” (p. 9)
Creation of humans (pp )
“Ilawela who had intelligence” (p. 17)
Two-way obligations:
Humans owe existence and intelligence
to gods, owe service and need their care.
Gods need/want sacrifices from humans
(pp , see also pp )

5. Aetiological functions:
Mortality, infant deaths, miscarriages
(pp )
Lapis-lazuli necklaces? (pp )

6. Prescriptive functions:
Female temple staff prohibited from bearing
children (p. 35)
Rituals of childbirth (pp )
Ishtar Ishhara (p. 18)
Boatbuilding (p. 30)