Author: Samuel Noah Kramer
Publisher: Library of Alexandria
ISBN: 1465517464
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 206
Book Description
The Sumerians were a non-Semitic, non-Indo-European people who flourished in southern Babylonia from the beginning of the fourth to the end of the third millennium B. C. During this long stretch of time the Sumerians, whose racial and linguistic affiliations are still unclassifiable, represented the dominant cultural group of the entire Near East. This cultural dominance manifested itself in three directions: 1. It was the Sumerians who developed and probably invented the cuneiform system of writing which was adopted by nearly all the peoples of the Near East and without which the cultural progress of western Asia would have been largely impossible. 2. The Sumerians developed religious and spiritual concepts together with a remarkably well integrated pantheon which influenced profoundly all the peoples of the Near East, including the Hebrews and the Greeks. Moreover, by way of Judaism, Christianity, and Mohammedanism, not a few of these spiritual and religious concepts have permeated the modern civilized world. 3. The Sumerians produced a vast and highly developed literature, largely poetic in character, consisting of epics and myths, hymns and lamentations, proverbs and "words of wisdom." These compositions are inscribed in cuneiform script on clay tablets which date largely from approximately 1750 B. C. a In the course of the past hundred years, approximately five b thousand such literary pieces have been excavated in the mounds of ancient Sumer. Of this number, over two thousand, more than two-thirds of our source material, were excavated by the University of Pennsylvania in the mound covering ancient Nippur in the course of four grueling campaigns lasting from 1889 to 1900; these Nippur tablets and fragments represent, therefore, the major source for the reconstruction of the Sumerian compositions. As literary products, these Sumerian compositions rank high among the creations of civilized man. They compare not unfavorably with the ancient Greek and Hebrew masterpieces, and like them mirror the spiritual and intellectual life of an otherwise little known civilization. Their significance for a proper appraisal of the cultural and spiritual development of the Near East can hardly be overestimated. The Assyrians and Babylonians took them over almost in toto. The Hittites translated them into their own language and no doubt imitated them widely. The form and contents of the Hebrew literary creations and to a certain extent even those of the ancient Greeks were profoundly influenced by them. As practically the oldest written literature of any significant amount ever uncovered, it furnishes new, rich, and unexpected source material to the archaeologist and anthropologist, to the ethnologist and student of folklore, to the students of the history of religion and of the history of literature.
Sumerian Mythology
Author: Simon Lopez
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781096736226
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 198
Book Description
Do you know that the Sumerians believed that: The moon was actually a god child conceived unintentionally by the God Enlil and a maid? Or that humans were first created to do the chores on earth for the Gods and Goddesses? The ancient Sumerians lived a difficult life, and this is reflected in their myths. However, also reflected in their stories is their love for justice and the values which they most supported, among them beauty, honor, and truthfulness. Some of the stories included are: How the world, the moon, mankind and animals were created The retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh: the legend of the very first hero in history Ninurta and the slaying of the demon Asag The Myths of Kur: the Dragon Conqueror Inanna's journey to the underworld And many other amazing tales! Get this book and discover the fascinating world of Sumerian Mythology today!
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781096736226
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 198
Book Description
Do you know that the Sumerians believed that: The moon was actually a god child conceived unintentionally by the God Enlil and a maid? Or that humans were first created to do the chores on earth for the Gods and Goddesses? The ancient Sumerians lived a difficult life, and this is reflected in their myths. However, also reflected in their stories is their love for justice and the values which they most supported, among them beauty, honor, and truthfulness. Some of the stories included are: How the world, the moon, mankind and animals were created The retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh: the legend of the very first hero in history Ninurta and the slaying of the demon Asag The Myths of Kur: the Dragon Conqueror Inanna's journey to the underworld And many other amazing tales! Get this book and discover the fascinating world of Sumerian Mythology today!
Sumerian Mythology
Author: Matt Clayton
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781952191183
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 110
Book Description
This book includes tales of gods and goddesses, both major and minor, as well as kings and heroes, both historical and mythical. One such king is the hero of what many scholars believe to be the first written epic: Gilgamesh.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781952191183
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 110
Book Description
This book includes tales of gods and goddesses, both major and minor, as well as kings and heroes, both historical and mythical. One such king is the hero of what many scholars believe to be the first written epic: Gilgamesh.
The Sumerians
Author: Samuel Noah Kramer
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226452328
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 386
Book Description
“A readable and up-to-date introduction to a most fascinating culture” from a world-renowned Sumerian scholar (American Journal of Archaeology). The Sumerians, the pragmatic and gifted people who preceded the Semites in the land first known as Sumer and later as Babylonia, created what was probably the first high civilization in the history of man, spanning the fifth to the second millenniums B.C. This book is an unparalleled compendium of what is known about them. Professor Kramer communicates his enthusiasm for his subject as he outlines the history of the Sumerian civilization and describes their cities, religion, literature, education, scientific achievements, social structure, and psychology. Finally, he considers the legacy of Sumer to the ancient and modern world. “An uncontested authority on the civilization of Sumer, Professor Kramer writes with grace and urbanity.” —Library Journal
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226452328
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 386
Book Description
“A readable and up-to-date introduction to a most fascinating culture” from a world-renowned Sumerian scholar (American Journal of Archaeology). The Sumerians, the pragmatic and gifted people who preceded the Semites in the land first known as Sumer and later as Babylonia, created what was probably the first high civilization in the history of man, spanning the fifth to the second millenniums B.C. This book is an unparalleled compendium of what is known about them. Professor Kramer communicates his enthusiasm for his subject as he outlines the history of the Sumerian civilization and describes their cities, religion, literature, education, scientific achievements, social structure, and psychology. Finally, he considers the legacy of Sumer to the ancient and modern world. “An uncontested authority on the civilization of Sumer, Professor Kramer writes with grace and urbanity.” —Library Journal
Sumerians
Author: Captivating History
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781647484590
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 106
Book Description
This civilization is single-handedly responsible for some of the most major innovations in nearly every field relevant to maintaining a civilized society - this includes religion, lawmaking, architecture, schooling, art, literature, and even entertainment.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781647484590
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 106
Book Description
This civilization is single-handedly responsible for some of the most major innovations in nearly every field relevant to maintaining a civilized society - this includes religion, lawmaking, architecture, schooling, art, literature, and even entertainment.
Sumerian Mythology
Author: Neil Matt Hamilton
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781914100024
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 152
Book Description
Sumerian history and mythology have been shrouded in mystery for thousands of years. These tales of the world's very first civilization is now being exposed to the light of day, fascinating men and women around the world. The stories of Enlil, Enkidu, and Gilgamesh are finding new audiences, people interested in learning about a world where the people felt and experienced very differently from how we do today. Sumerian mythology was so powerful that some of their gods found their way into different cultures, the most famous example of this being Aphrodite who began life as the Sumerian goddess Inanna. In Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths, you will be exposed to the riveting tales of gods and heroes that formed the canon of the Sumerian religion.Sumerian civilization has become an intrinsic part of how we live today, even if most of us are unaware of it. The way that we measure time, observe the stars, and even plant and grow crops has a lot to do with the advancements made by the Sumerians more than six thousand years ago. And heroes like Gilgamesh have helped define what it means to be a hero today. They were men who became gods, earning their place in immortality in more ways than one. The Sumerians used their stories as a way to instruct others and how they lived and even to help themselves understand their world. Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths, you will learn the formative tales of gods and heroes to help you understand who the Sumerians were and why they were important.Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths explores the tales of gods and heroes in a concise, easy-to-read fashion. These tales of heroes and gods were deeply important to the Mesopotamian people and learning about them is the only way to understand the kind of world they lived in and how it was different from our own. It was a world of birds with the faces of lions, gods with the wings of birds, and seductive goddesses who symbolically married the kings of the various city-states. The Sumerians told many tales of gods like Inanna, An, Ashur, and Enlil, tales that helped the civilizations of Mesopotamia endure for nearly 4000 years. Indeed, European travelers to the Orient in the 18th century discovered that there were still districts where the goddess Inanna (more than five thousand years old then) was still worshipped in secret.The world of the Sumerians was unlike our own. The people at the heart of Sumerian civilization - living in modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, and other places - these people were part of a culture so far removed from the way that we think and perceive today as to be almost unrecognizable. Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths gives you the binoculars to view their world. It was a world of great empires: the Akkadian, Hurrian, Assyrian, and Babylonian. It was a world of legendary wealth and beauty. In Sumerian Myth, you will understand this world by gaining a summary of the major historical events and an in-depth exposure to the gods.In Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths, you will learn all there is to know about Sumerian myth and history. You will learn about the Gilgamesh and Enkidu, the Anzu bird, who the major gods and goddesses were, who the important heroes were, and how Sumerian society left a legacy that continues with us today. Poets and historians recorded Mesopotamian tales on cuneiform tablets, but we have made the deciphering work easy for you.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781914100024
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 152
Book Description
Sumerian history and mythology have been shrouded in mystery for thousands of years. These tales of the world's very first civilization is now being exposed to the light of day, fascinating men and women around the world. The stories of Enlil, Enkidu, and Gilgamesh are finding new audiences, people interested in learning about a world where the people felt and experienced very differently from how we do today. Sumerian mythology was so powerful that some of their gods found their way into different cultures, the most famous example of this being Aphrodite who began life as the Sumerian goddess Inanna. In Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths, you will be exposed to the riveting tales of gods and heroes that formed the canon of the Sumerian religion.Sumerian civilization has become an intrinsic part of how we live today, even if most of us are unaware of it. The way that we measure time, observe the stars, and even plant and grow crops has a lot to do with the advancements made by the Sumerians more than six thousand years ago. And heroes like Gilgamesh have helped define what it means to be a hero today. They were men who became gods, earning their place in immortality in more ways than one. The Sumerians used their stories as a way to instruct others and how they lived and even to help themselves understand their world. Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths, you will learn the formative tales of gods and heroes to help you understand who the Sumerians were and why they were important.Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths explores the tales of gods and heroes in a concise, easy-to-read fashion. These tales of heroes and gods were deeply important to the Mesopotamian people and learning about them is the only way to understand the kind of world they lived in and how it was different from our own. It was a world of birds with the faces of lions, gods with the wings of birds, and seductive goddesses who symbolically married the kings of the various city-states. The Sumerians told many tales of gods like Inanna, An, Ashur, and Enlil, tales that helped the civilizations of Mesopotamia endure for nearly 4000 years. Indeed, European travelers to the Orient in the 18th century discovered that there were still districts where the goddess Inanna (more than five thousand years old then) was still worshipped in secret.The world of the Sumerians was unlike our own. The people at the heart of Sumerian civilization - living in modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, and other places - these people were part of a culture so far removed from the way that we think and perceive today as to be almost unrecognizable. Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths gives you the binoculars to view their world. It was a world of great empires: the Akkadian, Hurrian, Assyrian, and Babylonian. It was a world of legendary wealth and beauty. In Sumerian Myth, you will understand this world by gaining a summary of the major historical events and an in-depth exposure to the gods.In Sumerian Mythology: Fascinating Sumerian History and Mesopotamian Empire and Myths, you will learn all there is to know about Sumerian myth and history. You will learn about the Gilgamesh and Enkidu, the Anzu bird, who the major gods and goddesses were, who the important heroes were, and how Sumerian society left a legacy that continues with us today. Poets and historians recorded Mesopotamian tales on cuneiform tablets, but we have made the deciphering work easy for you.
The Sumerian World
Author: Harriet Crawford
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136219110
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 936
Book Description
The Sumerian World explores the archaeology, history and art of southern Mesopotamia and its relationships with its neighbours from c.3,000 - 2,000BC. Including material hitherto unpublished from recent excavations, the articles are organised thematically using evidence from archaeology, texts and the natural sciences. This broad treatment will also make the volume of interest to students looking for comparative data in allied subjects such as ancient literature and early religions. Providing an authoritative, comprehensive and up to date overview of the Sumerian period written by some of the best qualified scholars in the field, The Sumerian World will satisfy students, researchers, academics, and the knowledgeable layperson wishing to understand the world of southern Mesopotamia in the third millennium.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136219110
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 936
Book Description
The Sumerian World explores the archaeology, history and art of southern Mesopotamia and its relationships with its neighbours from c.3,000 - 2,000BC. Including material hitherto unpublished from recent excavations, the articles are organised thematically using evidence from archaeology, texts and the natural sciences. This broad treatment will also make the volume of interest to students looking for comparative data in allied subjects such as ancient literature and early religions. Providing an authoritative, comprehensive and up to date overview of the Sumerian period written by some of the best qualified scholars in the field, The Sumerian World will satisfy students, researchers, academics, and the knowledgeable layperson wishing to understand the world of southern Mesopotamia in the third millennium.
Mesopotamian Mythology
Author: Scott Lewis
Publisher: Classical Mythology
ISBN: 9781728715650
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 156
Book Description
Do you know that the Mesopotamians did not believe in life after death? Or that their Queen of the Underworld and their arrogant God of War and Pestilence had an epic love story? In this collection, you will enjoy the epic stories of Ancient Mesopotamia that echoed through other great works like the Bible and the Odyssey. The Sumerian belief system offers a fascinating insight into the lives of these ancient people as they struggled to establish the first empires of man. Some of the fantastic stories included are: - The Epic of Gilgamesh: The adventure of Gilgamesh, a tyrannical king who is blessed with a true friend and companion, Enkidu. As they set out to make their names, the young men encounter demons, gods and goddesses, and death. It is the first recorded hero's epic! - Creation Myths: The Ancient Mesopotamians had a vivid idea of their origins. Learn how they saw their role in the cosmos and interpreted events in their lives. - The Descent of Ishtar: No good collection of myths would be complete without a trip to the Underworld. In this myth, the Queen of Heaven is not content with her lot and seeks to gain the power of the Underworld as well. - The Epic of Etana - One of the original action-adventure stories is the story of Etana. Through divine providence, Etana is elevated from shepherd to king but cannot conceive an heir. With help from the gods and a less than honorable giant eagle, he seeks to find the plant that will let his wife bear him a child. - Ereshkigal and Nergal: Stories of star-crossed lovers are common enough, but the Mesopotamian version has a unique twist. Ereshkigal and Nergal are the most unlikely of bedfellows! And so much more! These stories and many more are compiled in story form in Mesopotamian Mythology: Classic stories from the Sumerian Mythology, Akkadian Mythology, Babylonian Mythology and Assyrian Mythology. Get your copy and dive into this fascinating world today!
Publisher: Classical Mythology
ISBN: 9781728715650
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 156
Book Description
Do you know that the Mesopotamians did not believe in life after death? Or that their Queen of the Underworld and their arrogant God of War and Pestilence had an epic love story? In this collection, you will enjoy the epic stories of Ancient Mesopotamia that echoed through other great works like the Bible and the Odyssey. The Sumerian belief system offers a fascinating insight into the lives of these ancient people as they struggled to establish the first empires of man. Some of the fantastic stories included are: - The Epic of Gilgamesh: The adventure of Gilgamesh, a tyrannical king who is blessed with a true friend and companion, Enkidu. As they set out to make their names, the young men encounter demons, gods and goddesses, and death. It is the first recorded hero's epic! - Creation Myths: The Ancient Mesopotamians had a vivid idea of their origins. Learn how they saw their role in the cosmos and interpreted events in their lives. - The Descent of Ishtar: No good collection of myths would be complete without a trip to the Underworld. In this myth, the Queen of Heaven is not content with her lot and seeks to gain the power of the Underworld as well. - The Epic of Etana - One of the original action-adventure stories is the story of Etana. Through divine providence, Etana is elevated from shepherd to king but cannot conceive an heir. With help from the gods and a less than honorable giant eagle, he seeks to find the plant that will let his wife bear him a child. - Ereshkigal and Nergal: Stories of star-crossed lovers are common enough, but the Mesopotamian version has a unique twist. Ereshkigal and Nergal are the most unlikely of bedfellows! And so much more! These stories and many more are compiled in story form in Mesopotamian Mythology: Classic stories from the Sumerian Mythology, Akkadian Mythology, Babylonian Mythology and Assyrian Mythology. Get your copy and dive into this fascinating world today!
The Literature of Ancient Sumer
Author: Jeremy A. Black
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780199296330
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 444
Book Description
Sumerian is the oldest written language of ancient Iraq, first written down some 5,000 years ago. Its literature, encompassing narrative myths, lyrical hymns, proverbs and love poetry, provides a stimulating insight into the world's first urban civilization. This is a comprehensive collection.
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780199296330
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 444
Book Description
Sumerian is the oldest written language of ancient Iraq, first written down some 5,000 years ago. Its literature, encompassing narrative myths, lyrical hymns, proverbs and love poetry, provides a stimulating insight into the world's first urban civilization. This is a comprehensive collection.