CLT3378 Exam 1 Review Polytheism The worship or belief in multiple deities usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses along with their own religions and rituals Most gods have complex groups of associations Sphere of Influence The geographical area in which one nation is very influential Anthropomorphism Any attribution of human characteristics or characteristics assumed to belong only to humans to other animals non living things phenomena material states objects or abstract concepts such as organizations governments spirits or deities Conception of gods in shapes of humans Binaturalism The conception of gods with two natures o Physical space god Sky Earth o Abstract concept god Love Syncretism Adaptation of one culture s mythic beliefs by another culture o Greek Zeus Roman Jupiter o Cultural differences still found among gods Enuma Elish Summary The Enuma Elish is the best known Babylonian creation account According to this account before heaven and earth were formed there were two vast bodies of water The male freshwater ocean was called Apsu and the female saltwater ocean was called Tiamat Through the fusion of their waters successive generations of gods came into being Water is the primeval element but here it is identified with the gods who have unmistakable gender Younger gods were created through sexual union These younger noisy gods disturbed the tranquillity of Apsu so Apsu devised a plan to dispose of them The wisest younger god Ea found out about the plan and killed Apsu To avenge her husband Tiamat decided to do away with the younger gods with the help of her henchman Qingu When the younger gods heard about this they found a champion in the god Marduk He agreed to defend them only if they would make him king After they tested his powers they enthroned him When finally they met on the field of battle Tiamat opened her considerable mouth as if to swallow Marduk and plunge him into the immeasurable deeps Marduk rallied by casting one of the winds into her body expanding her like a balloon He then took his bow and shot an arrow into her belly splitting her in half Marduk cut her in two like a clam and out of her carcass he made the heavens The clamshell of heaven became a barrier to keep the waters from escaping a parallel to the Genesis notion of a barrier or firmament Marduk also fixed the constellations in the heavens They along with the moon established the course of day and night as well as the seasons Then Marduk devised a plan to relieve the drudgery of the gods They were tired of laboring to meet their daily needs so he created humanity out of the blood of Qingu to be the servants of the gods In appreciation for their deliverance the gods built Marduk a palace in Babylon called Esagila meaning house with its head in heaven A Babylonian Mesopotamian creation myth literally meaning When on High Succession myth Apsu Tiamat to Marduk Cuneiform Clay tablets that the Enuma Elish was written on Marduk Son of Ea this god has the spheres of influence of water magic judgment and winds Marduk agrees to fight Tiamat and defeats her becoming king He inflates Tiamat and pops her like a balloon with his arrow Apsu The male body of freshwater that was married to Tiamat God annoyed with the younger gods and devised a plot to kill them but Ea finds out and kills him Tiamat The female body of saltwater that was married to Apsu Avenges her husband s death by creating an army of 11 monsters and takes the Tablet of Destinies and gives it to Qingu Defeated by Marduk by getting popped like a balloon Lahmu First born son of Apsu and Tiamat Known as mud or hairy one Lahamu First born daughter of Apsu and Tiamat Known as silt Anshar Son of Lahmu and Lahamu Known as the sky Kishar Daughter of Lahmu and Lahamu Known as earth Anu Son of Anshar and Kishar Known as the sky uppermost part Ea Enki Enki Sumerian Ea Akkadian Also known as Nudimmud Has the spheres of influence of cleverness wisdom and fresh water Is a trickster god and is associated with human creation Defeats Apsu after finding out his plan Bel Means lord another name for Marduk Mother Huber Another name for Tiamat because she created the army of 11 Mushussu dragon Half eagle and half dragon created by Tiamat to guard the monsters gates of Babylon Qingu Tiamat s henchman lover He is the leader of Tiamat s army and is given the Tablet of Destines The blood of Qingu is used to create humans Tablet of Destines Legitimizes the rule of the god and lets him control fate Given to Qingu by Tiamat then obtained by Marduk The practice of naming a text by the first 2 words How we got Enuma The Epic Of Creation Elish I Mesopotamia About the 2 rivers a Sumer Sumerians 3000 BCE b Akkad c Assyria Akkadians Assyrians d Babylon Babylonians II Enuma Elish Babylonian creation epic a enuma elish when on high b c 1000 BCE earlier tradition c Babylonian New Year Festival d Marduk patron god of Babylon e Enuma Elish Marduk s rise to kingship f clay tablets cuneiform III Difficulties a Mesopotamian literature 1 no main text 2 oral written literature 3 repeated passages 4 many gods b problems of ancient myth 1 gaps in text ex p 257 He heaven and earth their knots to coil 2 uncertain readings The gods of battle whom he had ensnared were disentangled He led them as captives into the presence of his fathers 3 unknown words IV Babylonian Creation a Apsu and Tiamat 1 Binatural gods o God that has 2 natures o Apsu Fresh Water God o Tiamat Sea Water God 2 fresh water sea b Lahmu and Lahamu The children of Apsu and Tiamat c Anshar and Kishar Lahmu Lahamu s children Air Gods d Anu 1 sky topmost heaven o Has 3 layers e Ea Enki Nudimmud Anu s child Not a binatural God Freshwater wisdom o 1 spheres of influence fresh water wisdom o 2 trickster god o 3 culture hero Ie Fire language writing arts o 4 created Seven Sages Created by Ea and sent out to teach humans everything they needed to know on being human f birth of Marduk Ea s Child Storm God o 1 many names o 2 Bel Lord o 3 spheres of influence water vegetation magic judgment winds He makes a rainy season appear Ea kills Apsu takes his body and builds a palace from it G Tiamat s army 1 Mother Huber o Good at creating especially children 2 monsters include o a mushussu dragon o b ugallu demon o c scorpion man fish man bull man Her creations E Quingu Tablet of Destinies Ea reports to Anshar Ea is too scared Marduke agrees to fight Tiamat but if he wins he gets to be the Kind of all Gods Kakka Gaga Assembly
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