Today I came across this published (2010) doctoral dissertation on the god Enki by Peeter Espak. it is entitled, “The God Enki in Sumerian Royal Ideology and Mythology.” I decided to blog the link in the name of offering something useful to all those who want to read actual scholarship on Sumerian mythology and religion, as opposed to the ancient astronaut tripe. We try to be useful in multiple ways here.
Though a dissertation, the work is quite readable (don’t let the transliterated Sumerian and Akkadian distract you; just skip all that and read the prose). I ran a quick search on “Annuna” (the Anunnaki gods) and read through the 30 occurrences and relevant discussion. Some good material, as the Anunnaki are discussed in various scenes in relation to the larger subject matter. (The longer term “Anunnaki” also occurs once). Sorry, no spaceships, extraterrestrials, or fiery rocket journeys to or from Nibiru. (I’m still getting over the shock). The dissertation rebuts certain conclusions (some shared by Samuel Noah Kramer) about the frictional relationship between Ea and Enki (another blow to ancient astronaut theory’s “retelling” of the Sumerian epics).
At any rate, for those interested, enjoy this fine resource.
“don’t let the transliterated Sumerian and Akkadian distract you; just skip all that and read the prose”
But Mike, that’s the best part. 😉
This gave me a good chuckle, Charles! Hope to see you in November, BTW, at SBL.
Have you checked out History Channel’s series on Ancient Astronaut Theory? Although I do not believe in the AA theory it’s very interesting to travel around the globe, in this series, and see the sites where mankind indulges in esoteric thought from the evil one. Looking into the artwork of the gnostics, hindus and native american folklore was a comparative religions 101 overview.
yes – I make fun of it repeatedly on this blog (and see also Jason Colavito’s blog for that as well). In a month I’ll be interviewed for a documentary response to the show (it will be available for free online when done). If you have not seen it yet, I’d also direct you to my site, http://www.sitchiniswrong.com.
Mike, what do you believe is behind the ancient’s belief in dieties, especially the most ancient? Total fabrication, evolved myth developed from some actual reality, etc? Thanks.
Everyone (even today) has a sense that there’s other intelligent beings out there besides humans. Atheism is something new, as though the belief in something other than ourselves had to be beaten out of us. But it’s a largely unsuccessful effort and idea, statistically and logically. And even atheists long for things like the discovery of ET. I think it’s something that is truly human, an intuition that’s part of humanity. Humans know they didn’t put themselves here, and they have a sense that all that we see didn’t make itself [a thought that is entrenched now due to the big bang idea – which of course still leaves us without an ultimate answer], so the intuition is that something else did all that.
“Everyone has a sense that there are other intelligent beings out there besides humans.” Are humans able to detect other intelligent entities by some unknown ability? The most we can say is that it is a statistical probabllity that we are not the only living being in the universe.
Perhaps this ‘intuition’ that you speak of is just another biological process. Humans may have evolved an ability to imagine an unseen deity. This ability has somehow aided us in our selection as a top predator. That is all we can know.
I see that you have the answers, nice.
Maybe you could answer this; How did they cut and polish granite, especially internal cubes, with “surgical” precision with copper tools?
Forget sand and wooden drills, found not to work.
Anyone who could cut a block to square can produce this “surgical precision.”
And PLEASE, tell us all just who knows by experience that the tools mentioned in the articles I’ve posted about ancient construction techniques didn’t work. Let’s have names of those who found these items “not to work.” On this blog, it isn’t adequate to claim such things without producing the names, reference, and research results. I don’t accept hearsay. Let’s have the names.
No problem. You answer my question, meanwhile Ill get the names for you.
Your real problem is that you cant. I can provide evidence that shows that we have a hard time doing it even today, unless we use diamond tipped needle grinders, which work with “3d” by cnc. A cube and an internal cube is quite different things. Its impossible to make a regular granite cube with copper tools. Internal cubes, you explain. Ill go get the names.
The burden of proof is on you. I’m providing peer-reviewed work by scholars of ancient construction techniques. Now you need to provide actual material — something published, perhaps a real scholar’s name and email address — that shows these tools and techniques can’t have worked. In other words, my answer to your question is “bunk” (translation: I’m sticking with the claims of the work of the experts I’ve cited until they are shown to be flowed – so show me/us). Now you need to come back with real material, not an opinion, that I and readers can follow and check up on to continue the conversation. Hearsay and opinion are not acceptable.
Not to discourage you, but a few weeks ago a spoke to the owner of my countrys, Norway, biggest diamond tool company. I asked him how I could make a hollow cube in granite, which tools they could provide.
The answer was; “I have absolutely no clue, and neither do anyone else in the world. The only one who did was the old egyptians.”
Still “bunk”; this person isn’t the one to ask about ancient techniques. But I’d agree the Egyptians knew, and they have left us clues (see the articles I’ve posted) on what they did. If their record is incomplete, that’s disappointing, but it doesn’t mean what they did tell us needed to be supplemented by aliens or 21st century technology. In other words, I consider the Egyptians the best authority on what the Egyptians did.
That we cannot recreate stuff people could in the past does not surprise me at all. I don’t have documents to back it up at this point only some personal experience that I can share. During a visit to China I spoke to some local people regarding some old buildings that looked a bit shabby. At my question why they were not restored to their original state they told me that apart from the fact that such costs money they could not recreate certain parts because the knowledge “how” to do it was lost. The knowledge was simply lost because the art of creating such was handed over from master to student and at some point of time this passing-down was broken. The time period we are talking about was less than 200 years. My point being: Even techniques that are discovered/used recently can (and do) get lost simply because the inventor/user dies. Even in my country (The Netherlands) where they have build pretty nice stuff to keep the sea from drowning the country we see that because the people who invented it and build it don’t live forever, knowledge gets lost, even though it is pretty good documented. I’m pretty sure that there are a lot of companies (escpecially were technology is involved) that hope that mr. X with some “mystical” knowledge will live forever…because if he turns the corner the company has a problem…even when it is properly documented 😉
Nice, Keep it up