Mythology

difficulties; but this, too, may be left until we have discussed the fuller form of the Flood myth, and its connexion with the Gilgamesh myth. In addition to the three basic myths described above, there are a number of Sumerian myths which must be included in our account of what is perhaps, the oldest mythology in the world with the possible exception of the Egyptian one. It must also be borne in mind that our knowledge of Sumerian is still far from complete, and the meaning of many words in that language is uncertain; moreover, many of the tablets are in a fragmentary condition, and often extremely hard to read. Hence, while the account given here of the Sumerian myths rests upon the best contemporary scholarship, further research and fresh discoveries may well make changes and additions necessary in the future. The Myth of Enki and Ninhursag A myth which has no counterpart in Akkadian mythology, so far as our knowledge goes at present, and one which Kramer has described as one of the best preserved of the Sumerian myths, is the myth of Enki and Ninhursag. In The Ancient Near Eastern Texts it is described as a Paradise myth, and some of its features may underlie the Hebrew account of Paradise. The outline of the myth is as follows: the scene is laid in Dilmun, described both as a land and a city, and identified by modern scholars with Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. The protagonists are the god Enki, the water-god, and the goddess Ninhursag, the earth-mother. The myth begins with a description of Dilmun as a clean, pure, bright place, where the animals do not harm one another, and where there is no sickness nor old age. The only thing wanting in Dilmun is sweet water, and this is provided by Enki at Ninhursag’s request. The Myth then goes on to relate that from the union of Enki and Ninhursag is born Ninsar, or Ninmu, the goddess of plants. Ninhursag’s period of gestation is described as lasting nine days, a day for each month of human gestation. Enki then impregnates his daughter Ninsar, who gives birth to the goddess Ninkurra, and she, in turn, being impregnated by Enki gives birth to the goddess Uttu, also described as the goddess of plants. Her name must not be confused with the name of the sun god Utu. Then Ninhursag warns Uttu against Enki, and gives her certain advice as to how she is to deal with Enki’s approaches. Following the advice Uttu demands a present of cucumbers, apples, and grapes, possibly as wedding gifts. Enki brings the required gifts and is -joyfully received by Uttu; as the result of their union eight plants spring forth, but, before Ninhursag can assign them their names and qualities, Enki eats all the plants. Ninhursag, infuriated, curses Enki with a terrible curse and departs. The gods are dismayed, and Enki is stricken with sickness in eight different parts of his body. Through the craft of the fox, Ninhursag is induced to return and cure Enki of his sickness. She does this by creating in succession eight deities, one for each part of Enki’s body in which the sickness is located. It has been pointed out that there is a punning relation between the name of each deity and the particular part of Enki’s body affected. The closing lines of the poem seem to suggest that the eight deities are regarded as Enki’s children, and their destiny is fixed by Ninhursag. This curious myth does not seem to have any counterpart in the field of Near Eastern mythology, except in so far as the concept of a golden age in the past is wide-spread, and the

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