Introduction to Myth 1 Hero A hero is a half god whom gods take a special interest in In the Hebrew myth Genesis the serpent can be described as a culture hero because his actions allow Adam and Eve to become more human 2 Trickster A trickster is an amoral shape shifting deceiver who is neither good nor bad In the Babylonian myth Atrahasis and the Flood Ea is a trickster god who warns Atrahasis that the flood is coming 3 Polytheism Polytheism is the belief and worship in many gods The Babylonians for instance were polytheistic because they believed in Marduk Tiamat and many others 4 Anthropomorphism Anthropomorphism the concept of gods looking and thinking like human beings In the Hebrew myth Genesis Yahweh is anthropomorphic 5 Binaturalism Binaturalism is the concept of gods being with two natures The Babylonian sea goddess Tiamat is binatural because she is both a god and a physical space 6 Syncretism Syncretism is the adoption of one culture s mythic and religious beliefs by another culture For instance the Roman god Jupiter was adopted from the Greek god Zeus 7 Sphere of influence Spheres of influence are areas with which gods are associated or have power The Greek god Zeus is god of kingship lightning rain and hospitality 8 Primordial waters Primordial waters are waters that exist at the beginning of or before creation The Babylonian gods Tiatmat and Apsu are the primordial water gods in the Enuma Elish 9 Ancient Near East Ancient Near East refers to early civilizations within a region roughly corresponding to the modern Middle East Mesopotamia and Canaan are among such civilizations Elish 10 Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is the region between the Tigres and Euphrates Rivers The Sumerians and the Akkadians are Mesopotamian civilizations 11 Sumerians The Sumerians were a Mesopotamian civilization They are the earliest human civilization period 12 Akkadians The Akkadians were a Mesopotamian civilization The Babylonians and Assyrians were descendents of the Akkadians 13 Assyrians The Assyrians were a Mesopotamian civilization They are the descendents of the Akkadians 14 Babylonians The Babylonians were a Mesopotamian civilization They are the descendents of the Akkadians and the Enuma Elish is one of their myths 15 Enuma Elish The Enuma Elish is a Babylonian creation myth It tells of Marduk s rise to 16 Marduk Marduk is a Babylonian storm god In the Enuma Elish he defeats Tiamat a sea power and his defeat of Tiamat goddess and becomes king 17 Cuneiform Cuneiform is a type of writing present in the Babylonian culture It consists of wedge shaped characters each of which stands for a particular word or sound 18 Apsu Apsu is the Babylonian god of fresh water He is married to Tiamat in the Enuma 19 Tiamat Tiamat is the Babylonian goddess of the sea She is married to Apsu in the Elish Enuma Elish Enuma 20 Lahmu Lahmu is a Babylonian god in the Enuma Elish His parents are Tiamat and 21 Lahamu Lahamu is a Babylonian goddess in the Enuma Elish Her parents are Tiamat 22 Anshar Anshar is a Babylonian god in the Enuma Elish His parents are Lahmu and 23 Kishar Kishar is a Babylonian goddess in the Enuma Elish Her parents are Lahmu and 24 Anu Anu is a binatural sky god in the Babylonian Enuma Elish His parents are Kishar 25 Ea Enki Nuddimud Ea is the father of Marduk in the Babylonian Enuma Elish He is a trickster god who kills Apsu and takes Mummu captive 26 Mummu Mummu is Apsu s right hand man in the Babylonian Enuma Elish He is taken 27 Damkina Damkina is Ea s wife in the Babylonian Enuma Elish Her son is the storm Apsu and Apsu Lahamu Lahamu and Anshar captive by Ea god Marduk Background Reading 1 28 Qingu Kingu Qingu is in charge of Tiamat s army of 11 monsters in the Babylonian Enuma Elish He has the Tablet of Destinies 29 Kakka Gaga Kakka is the vizier of Anshar in the Babylonian Enuma Elish He is one of the four that repeats Tiamat s monsters passage 30 Tablet of Destinies The Tablet of Destinies is a mysterious powerful object that is given to Qingu in the Babylonian Enuma Elish After Marduk defeats Tiamat and her monster army Qingu gives it to him who in turn gives it to Anu 31 Semitic The Akkadians Sumerians and Babylonians were Semitic people These people spoke a Semitic language related to Hebrew 32 Amorites The Amorites were another type of Semitic people who overthrew the Sumerians They are generally called the Babylonians 33 Babylon Babylon is the capital city of Babylonia The patron god of the city is Marduk a storm god in the Babylonian myth Enuma Elish 34 Ziggurat A ziggurat is the home of a god or goddess The Babylonians made a ziggurat pyramid for Marduk because he is the patron god of their city 35 Akitu Akitu is the Babylonian New Year Festival that is celebrated every year in April The festival is in honor of Marduk the patron god of the city of Babylon Baal Cycle 36 Baal Cycle The Baal Cycle is a Canaanite group of poems about Baal It tells of Baal s palace and his battles with Yam and Mot 37 Ugarit Ugarit is where the tablets of the Canaanite Baal Cycle were found Baal is the 38 Canaan Canaan contains the lost city of Ugarit Canaan and Ugarit have essentially the patron god of Ugarit same gods 39 Canaanite The Canaanite storm god Baal battles Yam and Mot in the Baal Cycle They recited the Baal Cycle poems in autumn to celebrate the rainy season and the return of Baal 40 El El is the father of the gods in the Canaanite Baal Cycle He is the creator god who is in control without being declared king 41 Baal Baal is a storm god in the Canaanite Baal Cycle He is the son of Dagon the god of grain means thunderer 42 Hadad Hadad is another name for Baal in the Canaanite Baal Cycle The word itself 43 Dagon Dagon is the father of Baal in the Canaanite Baal Cycle He is the god of grain 44 Zaphon Zaphon is the sacred mountain of Baal a storm god in the Canaanite Baal Cycle Baal and Mot battle on this mountain 45 Asherah Asherah is the wife of El in the Canaanite Baal Cycle She is the mother of the 46 Anat Anat is Baal s sister in the Canaanite Baal Cycle She is the goddess of war and 47 Kothar wa Hasis Kothar wa Hasis is a craftsman god in the Canaanite Baal Cycle He makes two clubs for Baal to use in his battle against Yam and builds him his palace 48 Shapash Shapash is a sun goddess in the Canaanite Baal Cycle who is linked to both life and death She advises Baal in his battle with Mot 49 Attanu Purlianni Attanu Purlianni is a chief priest in Ugarit The Canaanite Baal Cycle poems
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