I've been trying to figure out how to introduce this one because it's not quite the same as paraphrasing something from the Bible. The other problem is the fact it really is so similar to the story of Noah's flood that I swear at times I was reading the same thing with different names. So the best to start I think is to give you all a link to the flood story from the Epic of Gilgamesh: The Great Flood: Gilgamesh (I really suggest reading it because you'll probably be a tad lost later if you don't)
One thing I want to note is that the flood story from this epic is not about Gilgamesh himself, rather it is told to Gilgamesh by the flood survivor named Utnapishtim (I've actually seen TV documentaries get that bit wrong), who is the story's version of Noah. Utnapishtim even builds an equivalent to the Ark which he takes animals on as well (it's not as apparent while reading it, but that is the case), although it is a giant cube apparently with all sides being the same.
Besides the name there are a couple other key differences to this story. For instance there are multiple gods, in particular the Anunnaki whom you should all know from my adventures into the works of Zecharia Sitchin. In fact it is the Anunnaki named Enlil who apparently rashly decides to destroy humanity with a large flood because they have angered him and many of the other Anunnaki.
The other primary difference is that the flooding process itself lasts only 7 days and 6 nights as opposed to the 40 days of Noah's flood. There is also a really cool description process here telling about gods drawing back gates and releasing water, burning the human settlement, and much more. It's almost like reading about a Viking or pirate raid, only the Vikings and pirates are replaced by gods.
Anyways over the coming days I will get more into detail about these differences, as well the similarities, between this and Noah's flood. Like I said, I swear I was reading the same story at times...truly fascinating.
4 comments:
This is awesome. I like the description of opening the floodgates. Yikes!
"description process here telling about gods drawing back gates and releasing water"
Yes, drawing back the gates sounds like the abstract that I posted here where previously where the Bosporus broke sending sea water onto the land creating the Black Sea and of course drowning multitudes.
"ABSTRACT:
When the Mediterranean rose to the Bosporus sill at 7,150 yr bp1, saltwater poured through this spillway to refill the lake and submerge, catastrophically, more than 100,000 km2 of its exposed continental shelf. The permanent drowning of a vast terrestrial landscape may possibly have accelerated the dispersal of early neolithic foragers and farmers into the interior of Europe at that time."
It amazes me that how quite a few thousand years can pass and yet just today we're able to piece it together.
It's like the major decline in population in the middle east 4,000 years ago. All of this time we've scratched our heads on that one only to have NASA's satellite (2001) discover a tremendous impression from a giant meteor near the intersections of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq causing a two-mile wide impact crater. And then, to read what stories that came out of that time sounding apocalyptic.
Another story for another time because its more of the same. Meteor Clue To End Of Middle East Civilizations
It IS interesting, dude! Maybe, it's like Stargate's Dr. Daniel Jackson theorized, "There's a connection to ALL civilizations."
Jason, this is Pat the auto trader one. Hey that sighting was Sunday Night not Monday night like I thought. thanks for checking that out for me. Oh by the way there is anew movie coming out called "The 4th Kind" check out the trailer. Until Thursday keep it light.
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