CLT 3378Fall 2013Titles and CulturesEnumaElish: BabylonianThe Baal Cycle: Ugaritic/CanaaniteTheKumarbiCycle:Hurrian/Hittite/Hurro-HittiteTheIlluyankaMyths:Hattian/HittiteGenesis: Israelite/HebrewTheTheogony, by Hesiod: GreekThe Library,by Apollodorus: GreekAfrican Creation Myths:Fulani/FulaNigeriaMadagascarYorubaZuluFonThe ProseEdda, bySnorriSturluson: Norse/IcelandicChinese Creation Myths: ChineseReview TermsPolytheism: belief in many godssphereof influence: things associated with a god (Ea: trickery, wisdom)anthropomorphism: conception of gods in the shape of humans (a god talking, walking, doing human things)binaturalism: conception of gods as having “two natures” (being both abstract concepts as well as being the physical thing (Tiamat is water but also commands it)syncretism: When one culture adopts another’s beliefs and gods (the Hittites)Mesopotamia: means between two rivers. Refers to the land between the Tigris and the EuphratesBabylonians: Writers of the Enuma Elish, had the New Year Festival at which the Enuma Elish was performedBabylon: City in Mesopotamia said to be built by Marduk. Marduk is also the protector god of the city.EnumaElish: Means “When on high”. Performed at the Babylonian New Year Festival. Is a succession myth as well as a creation myth.Marduk: Storm god, becomes king of the gods. Rules the winds, also associated with fertility (rainy season in Babylon was a time of growth). Conquers Tiamat, uses her body to create the world, created humans from Qingu’s bloodApsu: Male side of the primal couple, binatural, is a huge body of fresh water. Conspires against his children, is killed by Ea and turned into a palace.Tiamat: Female side of first primal couple. Also binatural, is a huge body of salt water. Refuses to conspire with Apsu to kill their children but later amasses an army of mutants. Represents primal chaos. Is killed by Marduk and her body is used to create the earth and sky.Anu: Father of Ea, king of the gods before MardukEa: Father of Marduk, trickster god of wisdom. Culture hero, he teaches humans culture skills. Uses spells to put Apsu to sleep and kill him. Uses Apsu’s body to create his palace.mushussu-dragon: dragon monster created by Tiamat. Mutant and signifies Tiamat’s mastery of chaosimhullu-wind: “ill-wind” wielded by Marduk when he goes to fight TiamatQingu: Traitor general appointed by Tiamat. Is killed and his blood is used to create humansTablet of Destinies: Tablet outlining the fates of the gods and their jobs. Given to Qingu by Tiamat, Marduk takes it back after the battle and gives it to Anu.The Baal CycleUgarit: Modern day Syria area, rich site for cuneiform texts. RasShamra: “hill of fennel”- Site where Ugarit was discovered in 1920Canaanite: Spoke Ugaritic, a unique language with a lost meaning. No vowels, first known alphabet, a Semitic languageIlimilku: A scribe, probably the writer of the Baal CycleBaal: means “Lord” also called: Prince Baal, Rider on the Clouds, the Conqueror, Hadad (the thunderer). Storm god, wind, rain, fertility, protector of Ugarit. King of gods.El: “god” seems to be immensely powerful but stays distant. Known for wisdom, power behind the king. Is the father and creatorAsherah/Athirat: Wife of El, “Lady Asherah of the Sea”, Mother of the Gods. Convinces El to give Baal his own palace.Anat: Sister and lover of Baal. Goddess of war and fighting, sex, hunting, childbirth. Also called the Virgin Goddess and Mistress of the Peoples. Turns her furniture into soldiers so that she can continue to fight, beats Mot to dust when she hears of him ‘eating’ Baal.Kothar-wa-Hasis: “The Clever One”, craftsman and maker of goods for the gods. Builds Baal’s house first out of cedar from Lebanon, then burns it and it turns to goldand silver. Argues with Baal over putting in another door and window. Baal finally agrees after he goes and conquers a few towns.Yam: the Sea, fights with Baal over the kingship. Prince of the sea, Judge river, Rabbin. Is never seen as truly going away, persistence of evil?Shapash: Goddess of the Sun, comes up with the plan to hide Baal in the Underworld, so that Mot cannot eat him.Mot: Death. Threatens to eat Baal, ends up eating a small cow that looks like Baal. Known as El’s son, El’s Darling, the Hero.Phlegm: a level of the Ugaritic underworld, described as an unpleasantly damp place.TheKumarbiCycleHittites: practiced syncretism, Indo-European people. Hurrians: Neighbors of the hittites, lived in Northern SyriaHattusas: Hittite capital, here they found many cuneiform tablets.Storm God: Unnamed chief god of the hittites, Identified with the Hurrian Tessub. Strongly identified with the human king and queen of HatusasAlalu: First King of the gods, was a god of underworld. Overthrown by his cupbearer Anu. Father of KumarbiAnu: 2nd king of the gods, storm god, overthrown by his cupbearer, Alalu’s son KumarbiKumarbi: Son of Alalu, god of the underworld, cupbearer to Anu, overthrows Anu and swallows his genitals, impregnating himself with Tessub. Overthrown by Tessub.Tessub: Son of Kumarbi and Anu, final King of the Gods. Storm god Tasmisu: Brother of Tessub, also born from Kumarbi and AnuUllikummi: Rock son of Kumarbi and a boulder. Is planted on Ubelurri’s shoulder to grow, is deaf and blind, threatens Tessub and the home of the gods, Ea cuts him off Ubelurri’s shoulder using the heavenly copper cutting tool and then Tessub can defeathim.Sauska/Ishtar: goddess of beauty and sexual desire, tries to defeat Ullikummi by seducing him but it doesn’t work because he is deaf and blind.Hebat: Sun goddess and Tessub’s wife. See’s Ubelurri and almost falls off the roof, her servants have to catch her and pull her to safety.Ubelurri: Holds up the heavens (much like the Greek Atlas), has Ullikummi growing on his right shoulder.TheIlluyankaMythsHattians: writers of the Illuyanka Myths. Illuyanka: Hattian word for “serpent.Purullifestival: festival at which the Illuyanka Myths were performed.Inara: Daughter of the Storm Gods, prepares a feast at which the serpent gets drunk and can be defeated by the Storm GodHupasiya: Mortal man that Inara asks to
View Full Document