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Erica Reiner on the Etiological Myth of the “Seven Sages”

“The bilingual text LKA No. 76 has been characterized by Ebeling, in the catalog LKA p. x, as “Zweisprachiger Text von den ‘sieben Söhnen von Nippur’, mystischen Inhalts.” The obverse of the text contains an unusual self-description given by the “sons of Nippur,” to which I have been unable to find a parallel, but the […]

Published: July 16, 2015
Filed Under: 1935, 1961, Adad, Adapa, AfO, apkallus, apkallū, Apsû, Assyria, bīt mēsiri, Ea, Eanna, Ebeling, Eninkarnunna, Eninkiagnunna, Enmerkar, Erica Reiner, Eridu, G. Meier, Geers, Gilgamesh, ilitti amēlūti, Ištar, JRAS, Kiš, Kouyunjik, Landsberger, LKA, Lu-Nanna, LU.GIG, Nunpiriggaldim, O.R. Gurney, Orientalia, Piriggalabzu, Piriggalnungal, purādu, Sam'al, Seven Sages, sons of Nippur, suhurmāšu, The Etiological Myth of the "Seven Sages", ušumgallu, Šulgi
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Izre’el: Origins of the Adapa Myth

“Adapa the Sage Adapa was known in Ancient Mesopotamia as The Sage. The original etymology of the name Adapa may not have reached us. A lexical text lists a term adapu as meaning “wise” (Igituh I: 107), an attribute that is further attested in another late text (Lambert 1962: 74). This adjectival noun is undoubtedly […]

Published: September 13, 2015
Filed Under: 1911, 1961, 1962, 1974, 1978, 1986, 1992, 2001, Accad, Adapa, Adapa and the South Wind: Language Has the Power of Life and Death, adapu, Akkad, An, apkallus, Apsu, Ayyalu, ù.tu.a.ab.ba, Berossus, Borger, British Museum, Burstein, bīt mēseri, Cuneiform Texts from Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum, Denning-Bolle, E.A. Wallis Budge, Eisenbrauns, Eridu, Greek, Igituh, Izre'el, K 5519, Lambert, London, Mesopotamia, Oannes, puradu-fish, Reiner, Schlomo Izre’el, South Wind, Sumeria, The Babyloniaca, The Sage, Uan, Uanna, Utua-abba, Utuabzu, van Dijk, Wiggermann
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Selz: Patriarchs and Sages

“A central figure in the discussion about the alleged Mesopotamian model for the antediluvian patriarchs soon became Enoch, who lived for 365 (364) years and of whom we read in Genesis 5:24: “Enoch walked with God then he was no more, because God took him away.” The verb lāqah in this context has received numerous comments. Biblical sources […]

Published: October 8, 2015
Filed Under: 1582 CE, 1624 CE, 1625 CE, 1647 CE, 1648 CE, 1728 CE, 1733 CE, 1961, 1962, 1993, 1995, 2004 BCE, 2011, 2028 BCE, American Philosophical Society, apkallū, Armin Lange, Astral Magic in Babylonia, B. Scholz, BA 451, Berossos, Bible, Bissell Bible Collection, Die Rolle der Astronomie in den Kulturen Mesopotamiens: Beiträge zum 3. Grazer Mor- genländischen Symposium, Die Tontafeln aus dem Resch-Heiligtum, dsîn-liq-unninnī, Elie nourri par le corbeau, Elijah, Enoch, Erica Reiner, Erra Epic, Etiological Myth of the “Seven Sages”, Figures de la Bible, Gebhard J. Selz, Genesis, Gerard Hoet, Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh Epic, Giovanni Lanfranco, God, Graz, Grazer Morgenländische Studien, H. Galter, hānaq, Ibbi-Sîn, Idris, Illustrators of the Figures de la Bible, J.J.A. van Dijk, Kabti-ilāni-Marduk, Kabtu-il-Marduk, Kain, KJV, Lenzi, lāqah, Mesopotamia, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Marseille, Oannes, Of Heroes and Sages, Of Heroes and Sages–Considerations of the Early Mesopotamian Background of Some Enochic Traditions, Old Testament, Orientalia, P. de Hondt, Philadelphia, RM Druck-und Verlagsgesellschaft, Rvalette, S. Parpola, Samizdat, Seleucid, Selz, Sumerian King List, The Dead Sea Scrolls in Context, The Hague, The Uruk List of Kings and Sages, Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, University of Oklahoma Libraries, Ur III, Uruk, Uruk-Wanka Vorberichte, Westermann
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Melvin: Divine or Semi-Divine Intermediaries

The Divine Source of Civilization in Mesopotamian Myths “The motif of the divine origin of civilization is common in the ancient Near East, especially in Mesopotamia, and it stands in stark contrast to the portrayal of the rise of civilization in Genesis 1– 11. (Although many of my observations with regard to the view of […]

Published: September 15, 2015
Filed Under: 165 BCE, 1960, 1977, 1992, 2008, 2010, 4th century BCE, 860 BCE, 865 BCE, Adapa, Akkad, Alan Lenzi, Apkallu, apkallus, Babylonia, Bernard Batto, Berossus, Bible, Calah, Canaan, CBQMS, Chicago, Creation in the Biblical Traditions, Creation Theology in Genesis, David P. Melvin, Divine Mediation and the Rise of Civilization in Mesopotamian Literature and in Genesis 1-11, Egypt, Enki, Enoch, Erica Reiner, Erra and Ishum, Etiological Myth of the Seven Sages, fish-apkallu, Genesis, Gilgamesh, Greece, Hebrew, Hebrew Bible, Helge S. Kvanvig, Helsinki, J. J. Collins, JBL, Jean Bottéro, Journal of Hebrew Scriptures, Judaism, Kalhu, Lenzi, London, Lugalbanda, Marc Van De Mieroop, Mesopotamia, Neukirchen-Vluyn, Neukirchener Verlag, Nimrud, Orientalia, Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin, Paul D. Hanson, puradu-fish, R. J. Clifford, Roots of Apocalyptic: The Mesopotamian Background of the Enoch Figure and the Son of Man, SAAS, Secrecy and the Gods, Secrecy and the Gods: Secret Knowledge in Ancient Mesopotamia and Biblical Israel, Seven Sages of Sumeria, Sumer, Sumeria, Temple of Ninurta, The British Museum, The Catholic Biblical Association of America, The Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project, University of Chicago Press, Uruk Sage List, Utnapishtim, uzna rapašta, Washington, WMANT, Zainab Bahrani
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Dalley: Apkallu, IDD 2011

Iconography of Deities and Demons (IDD). Apkallu. “Mesopotamian semi-divine figure. A Babylonian tradition related by Berossos in the 3rd cent. (BURSTEIN 1978: 13f) describes a creature called Oannes that rose up out of the Red Sea in the first year of man’s history. His entire body was that of a fish, but he had another […]

Published: August 25, 2015
Filed Under: 1646 BCE, 1961, 1974, 1978, 1983, 1994, 19th Century CE, 2007, 2010, 2011, 3d Century BCE, 650 BCE, Adapa, Akkad, Anthony Green, Apkallu, Apsu, Assyria, Astrology, Atrahasis, Babylonia, Babylonian Theodicy, Baghdad, banduddu, Berlin, Berossos, Borger, Burstein, bīt mēseri, Dalley, Ea, Enki, Enlil-bani, Enmerkar, Enuma Anu Enlil, Epic of Creation, Epic of Erra and Ishum, Erica Reiner, Eridu, Esarhaddon, Green, Hammurabi, Hunger, Iconography of Deities and Demons, IDD, Isin, kullilu, Marduk, merman, mermen, Mesopotamia, Mischwesen. B, Myth of Etana, Nabu, Nebuchadnezzar I, Nineveh, Oannes, Omens, Pergamon Museum, poppy bulbs, puradu-fish, Rasmussen, Reallexikon der Assyriologie, Red Sea, Reiner, RLA, Scorpion-tailed bird-man, Sennacherib, Seven Sages of Sumeria, Shulgi, Stephanie Dalley, Sumeria, Sumerian King List, Swiss National Science Foundation, Tablet of Destinies, Tale of Three Ox-drivers, Temple of Ishtar, The Deluge, The Flood, UD.SAR Anum Enlila, ummânu, ummânum, ummiānum, umu-apkallu, University of Zurich, Utnapishtim, Wiggermann, Ziusudra
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Kvanvig: The Lists of the Seven Apkallus

“There are known three lists of apkallus, two cuneiform and the one in Berossos. The first known cuneiform list of seven apkallus was published by E. Reiner in 1961, and then reedited with new pieces added by R. Borger in 1974. Already Reiner suggested that the broken tablet belonged to the Neo-Assyrian incantations series Bīt Mēseri, […]

Published: August 12, 2015
Filed Under: 1961, 1962, 1974, 2011, 7, A. Cavigneaux, and Enochic: An Intertextual Reading, Anenlilda, Antediluvian King List, Apkallu, apkallus, Assyria, Babylonia, Babyloniaca, Biblical, Brill, bīt mēseri, Cuneiform Berossos, Die Beschwörungsserie Bit Meseri, E. von Weiher, Enmebulugga, Enmedugga, Enmegalamma, Erica Reiner, German, Greek, Helge Kvanvig, Incantations, Orientalia, Primeval History: Babylonian, protected house, R. Borger, Sumerian, The Etiological Myth of the ‘Seven Sages, Uan, Uandugga, Uruk, Utuabzu, van Dijk, W 20 030
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Lenzi: A Fault Line Where Legend and History Collides

“If this were the only instance of apkallū in a ritual context, this difference in genre would be of little consequence. But, in fact, it is not. The seven apkallū are mentioned, for example, in anti-witchcraft incantations in Maqlû II 124,36 V 110,37 VII 49,38 VIII 38 (though without names). (Note that the next line…has “the […]

Published: July 29, 2015
Filed Under: 1000 BCE, 1953, 1961, 1996, 2008, 700 BCE, Adapa, Advice to a Prince, Akkad, Alan Lenzi, Anatolian Studies, apkallū, Assurbanipal, Assyria, Babylon, Babylonian Wisdom Literature, Brill, bīt mēseri, Bīt rimki, Chicago, Commentationes Orientales, Das Dritte ‘Haus’ der Serie Bīt Rimki, dayyānū, DI.KUD.ME, DT 1, Ea, Eisenbrauns, Erica Reiner, Erra, Geneology, Gilgamesh, Incantations, J. J. A. van Dijk, JANER, Journal of Cuneiform Studies, La Sagesse Sumero-Accadienne, Lambert, Leiden, LKA, Maqlû, Mesopotamia, Mesopotamian Protective Spirits, muntalkū, Myth, Nineveh, Nippur, Nippur IV. The Early Neo-Babylonian Governor’s Archive from Nippur, NUN.ME-šú, Oriental Institute Publications, Orientalia, Oxford, Oxford University Press, Reiner, Ritual, rubû, Rykle Borger, Sanders, Schollmeyer, Seleucid, Steven Cole, The Etiological Myth of the ‘Seven Sages, The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, The Twenty-one ‘Poultices, The Uruk List of Kings and Sages and Late Mesopotamian Scholarship, ummânu, Uruk, W. G. Lambert, Wiggermann, Winona Lake
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Why No Canonical Literature Regarding the Apkallu?

“In adducing the motif of the “wise vizier”, I have only meant to show that the “wise men” of a tradition are not necessarily kings, and furthermore, to show the complexity of a problem that, if I do not pretend to solve, I neither am inclined to embezzle. In my opinion, the myth of the […]

Published: July 17, 2015
Filed Under: 1961, Adad, Adapa, ali sibīt apkallī (NUN.ME) apsî purādī ebbūti ša kīma Ea bēlišunu uzna sīrtu šuklulu, AMT, apkallū, Apsû, Ea, Eanna, Enlil-bani, Epic of Era, Epic of Erra, Erica Reiner, Güterbock, Greek, Isin, Ištar, JCS, K 8080, Lambert, Lu-Nanna, Marduk, Mesopotamia, Narām-Sin, old sages from before the flood, Orientalia, Piriggalabzu, poultices for magical purposes, purādu, Sargon, Seven Sages, The Etiological Myth of the "Seven Sages", ummânī šunūti ana apsî ušēridma, Ur, Ur-Gatumdugua, Šulgi
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On the Ummânu

“Such an association of the apkallu’s with kings of renown is singularly striking in view of the ancient near eastern motif that links a person of superior wisdom with a famous king. In Egypt, we have the tradition — or fiction — of viziers who are credited with the authorship of “instructions” or “admonitions” (see […]

Published: July 17, 2015
Filed Under: 1941, 1961, A.H. Krappe, Adapa, Ahiqar, ANET, apkallišu, apkallū, Babylonia, Babylonian Wisdom Literature, BWL, Disgrace and Rehabilitation of a Minister, Egypt, Erica Reiner, Fürstenspiegel, Ginsberg, H. Brunner, Handbuch der Orientalistik, Hebrew, J. Lindblom, J. Pereman, J.A. Wilson, JAOS, La Sagesse Suméro-Accadienne, Lambert, Mesopotamia, Old Testament, Oppenheim, raggu, Seven Sages of Sumeria, Supplements to Vetus Testamentum, Synchronistic King List, The Book of Assyro-Babylonian Proverbs, The Etiological Myth of the "Seven Sages", ummânu, van Dijk, viziers, W.G. Lambert, šarru . . . ana UM.ME A la iqūl
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Each King had his Apkallu

“The fish-figurines would seem to confirm the theory attractively put forward by Zimmern (KAT 535 ff. and subsequently ZA 35 151 ff.), that the apkallu’s, often occurring in groups of seven and sometimes identified with purādu-fish (Sumerian s u h u r . k u), represent Oannes and the other fish-like monsters who, according to Berosso’s account, taught mankind all crafts and […]

Published: July 17, 2015
Filed Under: 1894, 1961, 860 BCE, 865 BCE, AAA, Adapa, Allat, ANET, apkallū, Berossos, Calah, Clermont-Ganneau, Eight Pointed Star of Ishtar, Enmerkar, Ereshkigal, Erica Reiner, Eridu, Etana, Faucher-Gudin, Güterbock, Greek, Gurney, Inverted Half Moon Crescent of the Moon God Sin, Iraq, Ishtar, išippu Eridu, Jacobsen, Kalhu, KAR, KAT, London, Lu-Nanna, M. de Clercq, M. Péretié, Mesopotamia, Nergal, Nimrud, Ninurta, Nunpiriggaldim, Oannes, Orientalia, Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin, PSBA, purādu, Seven Sages, Sin, Speiser, Sumeria, Sumerian King List, Temple of Ninurta, The British Museum, The Etiological Myth of the "Seven Sages", ummânu, Waters of Life, ZA, Zimmern, Šulgi, ūmu
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Editorial Note on the Apkallu and the Roadmap Ahead

I am breaking the narrative stream to speak directly to the process emerging from our reading on the apkallū, the antediluvian and postdiluvian sages of ancient Mesopotamia. If you are reading along over my shoulder, you noticed that we digressed from Martin Lang, “Mesopotamian Early History and the Flood Story,” in a post titled On the Date of the Flood. Martin […]

Published: June 22, 2015
Filed Under: 1939, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, About Samizdat, Adapa, Adapa and the South Wind: Language Has the Power of Life and Death, Adapa Myth, Ahiqar, Alan Lenzi, Anat, Anne Draffkorn Kilmer, Antediluvian Medical Tablet, Anthony Green, Anu, Anu Cult, Apkallu, Archaeologies of materiality, Armin Lange, Ashirah, Ashurbanipal, Astarte, Athirat, Babylonia, Bel, Berossos, Brill, Burnt Palace, Cain, Carolyn Nakamura, Children of El, Chouser, Christoph Auffarth, Clay Pit Ritual, Composite Beings in Neo-Babylonian Art, Constance Ellen Gane, D.T. Tsumura; Sources for Biblical and Theological Study, David P. Melvin, Dedicating Magic--Neo-Assyrian Apotropaic Figurines and the Protection of Assur, Dedicating Magic: Neo-Assyrian Apotropaic Figurines and the Protection of Assur, Derangement of All the Senses, Divine Mediation and the Rise of Civilization in Mesopotamian Literature and in Genesis 1-11, E. Noort, Edgar W. Conrad, Edward G. Newing, Eisenbrauns, Enoch, Erica Reiner, F. Garcia Martinez, F.A.M. Wiggermann, Fort Shalmaneser, Francis I. Andersen, G.P. Luttikhuizen, Gane, Gebhard J. Selz, Genesis, Great Year, Greek, H.S. Kvanvig, Helge Kvanvig, Iconography of Deities and Demons in the Ancient Near East (IDD), Interpretations of the Flood, Iraq, Izre'el, JANER, Johannes Haubold, K.4023, Kephalon, Lahmu, Lamassu, Library of Ashurbanipal, Loren T. Stuckenbruck, Martin Lang, Mastering matters: magical sense and apotropaic figurine worlds of Neo-Assyria, Mesopotamia, Mesopotamian Early History and the Flood Story, Mesopotamian Protective Spirits--The Ritual Texts, Mesopotamian Protective Spirits: The Ritual Texts, Mischwesen, Mischwesen A, Mischwesen B, Nakamura, Neo-Assyrian Apotropaic Figures, Neo-Babylonian Period, Nephilim, Nikarchos, Nimrod, Odakon, Of Heroes and Sages--Considerations of the Early Mesopotamian Background of Some Enochic Traditions, On the Date of the Flood, Orientalia, Origins of the Adapa Myth, Pausanias, Perspectives on Language and Text: Essays and Poems in Honor of Francis I. Andersen’s Sixtieth Birthday, Pliny, Primeval History, R.S. Hess, Reallexikon der Assyriologie und Vorderasiatischen Archäologie (RLA), Rimbaud, Ronald Hendel, Roots of Apocalyptic: The Mesopotamian Background of the Enoch Figure and the Son of Man, Rykele Borger, Samizdat, Schlomo Izre'el, Seleucid, Seleucids, Seven Sages of Sumeria, Stephanie Dalley, Strabo, Sumeria, Sumerian King List, Swiss National Science Foundation, The Conflagration, The Dead Sea Scrolls in Context, The Deluge, The Etiological Myth of the "Seven Sages", The Fall of the Angels, The Flood, The Hairy One, The Incantation Series Bīt Mēseri and Enoch’s Ascension to Heaven, The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures, The Mesopotamian Counterparts of the Biblical Nephilim, The Nephilim Were on the Earth: Genesis 6:1-4 and its Ancient Near Eastern Context, The Stories of the Great Flood: Notes on Genesis 6:5-9:17 in its Context of the Ancient Near East, The Uruk List of Kings and Sages, The Uruk List of Kings and Sages and Late Mesopotamian Scholarship, The World of Berossos, Thorkild Jacobsen, Ugarit, University of California, University of Chicago Press, University of Zurich, Wiggermann, Winona Lake, WMANT, World Archeology, āšipu
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