Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual and Literary Achievement in the Third Millennium B.C.
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 2000 B.C.
"1103096166"
Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual and Literary Achievement in the Third Millennium B.C.
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 2000 B.C.
0.99 In Stock
Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual and Literary Achievement in the Third Millennium B.C.

Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual and Literary Achievement in the Third Millennium B.C.

by Samuel Noah Kramer
Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual and Literary Achievement in the Third Millennium B.C.

Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual and Literary Achievement in the Third Millennium B.C.

by Samuel Noah Kramer

eBook

$0.99 

Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers

LEND ME® See Details

Overview

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 2000 B.C.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781839742941
Publisher: Burtyrki Books
Publication date: 03/05/2020
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 139
Sales rank: 353,690
File size: 9 MB

About the Author

Samuel Noah Kramer was Clark Research Professor Emeritus of Assyriology at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was also Curator Emeritus of the Tablet Collections.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Preface
Introduction. The Sources: The Sumerian Literary Tablets

I. THE SCOPE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF SUMERIAN MYTHOLOGY

II. MYTHS OF ORIGINS
—The Creation of the Universe
—The Organization of the Universe
—Enlil and Ninll: the Begetting of Nanna
—The Journey of Nanna to Nippur
—Emesh and Enten: Enlil Chooses the Farmergod
—The Creation of the Pickax
—Cattle and Grain
—Enki and Ninhursag: the Affairs of the Watergod
—Enki and Sumer: the Organization of the Earth and Its Cultural Processes
—Enki and Eridu: the Journey of the Water-god to Nippur
—Inanna and Enki: the Transfer of the Arts of Civilization from Eridu to Erech
—The Creation of Man

III. MYTHS OF KUR
—The Destruction of Kur: the Slaying of the Dragon
—Inanna's Descent to the Nether World

IV. MISCELLANEOUS MYTHS
—The Deluge
—The Marriage of Martu
—Inanna Prefers the Farmer

V. REFERENCES AND NOTES
Supplementary Notes to Revised Edition
Index

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews