Lost 'Epic of Gilgamesh' Verse Depicts Cacophonous Abode of Gods

[Roma_Victrix]

A serendipitous deal between a history museum and a smuggler has provided new insight into one of the most famous stories ever told: "The Epic of Gilgamesh."

You can read the rest of the article at LiveScience by following the link.

This is cool! A previously unknown verse from the Epic of Gilgamesh has filled in some blanks about the nature and sounds of the Cedar Forest of the gods where the eponymous hero Gilgamesh travels to defeat the ogre Humbaba. This is very fascinating that we're still uncovering bits and pieces of this epic tale, dated to 2100 BC during the Third Dynasty of Ur in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) and hence much, much older than Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey, the basis for ancient Greek literature and hence Western literature. That is if we discount Mycenaean Greece.

What do you guys think about this? Do you think we'll see more discoveries like this in the years to come? Or will ISIS bulldoze everything and cause it to be lost forever?

[hellheaven1987]

But I thought Earth is 3000 years old?

[Roma_Victrix]

But I thought Earth is 3000 years old?

If I'm not mistaken, the Young Earth Creationists believe the world is only 5,000 years old (ignoring the prehistorically-formed fossil fuels they put into the gas tanks of their cars everyday). This 3,000 years that you speak of sounds like your own number. Have you started your own religion, Hellheaven1987? In either case, all the haters and doubters can go home and sulk, because the epic of Gilgamesh is truly 3,000 years old. Deal with it.

[sumskilz]

If I'm not mistaken, the Young Earth Creationists believe the world is only 5,000 years old (ignoring the prehistorically-formed fossil fuels they put into the gas tanks of their cars everyday). This 3,000 years that you speak of sounds like your own number. Have you started your own religion, Hellheaven1987? In either case, all the haters and doubters can go home and sulk, because the epic of Gilgamesh is truly 3,000 years old. Deal with it.

I love variant texts...

“When the haters asked, ‘Who did this?’ they were told, ‘Samson, the Timnite’s son-in-law, because his wife was given to his companion.’ So the haters went up and burned her and her father to death... They said to him, ‘We’ve come to tie you up and hand you over to the haters.'... With men hidden in the room, she called to him, ‘Samson, the haters are upon you!’ But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered... And Samson cried, ‘Let me die with the haters!’ And he bowed himself mightily, and the house fell upon the princes and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead whom he slew at his death were more than they whom he slew in his life.”

Actually there are literally tens of thousands of cuneiform texts that have been discovered, but have yet to be translated. The reason is mainly lack of qualified translators, so learn Akkadian or Sumerian if you want a job. And don't worry, they are currently out of the reach for ISIS.

[hellheaven1987]

If I'm not mistaken, the Young Earth Creationists believe the world is only 5,000 years old (ignoring the prehistorically-formed fossil fuels they put into the gas tanks of their cars everyday). This 3,000 years that you speak of sounds like your own number. Have you started your own religion, Hellheaven1987? In either case, all the haters and doubters can go home and sulk, because the epic of Gilgamesh is truly 3,000 years old. Deal with it.

I thought it is 4000 years old.

[Roma_Victrix]

I love variant texts...

“When the haters asked, ‘Who did this?’ they were told, ‘Samson, the Timnite’s son-in-law, because his wife was given to his companion.’ So the haters went up and burned her and her father to death... They said to him, ‘We’ve come to tie you up and hand you over to the haters.'... With men hidden in the room, she called to him, ‘Samson, the haters are upon you!’ But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered... And Samson cried, ‘Let me die with the haters!’ And he bowed himself mightily, and the house fell upon the princes and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead whom he slew at his death were more than they whom he slew in his life.”

Actually there are literally tens of thousands of cuneiform texts that have been discovered, but have yet to be translated. The reason is mainly lack of qualified translators, so learn Akkadian or Sumerian if you want a job. And don't worry, they are currently out of the reach for ISIS.

Looks like I should have done that instead of studying English and French chronicles, since speakers of either of those languages are a dime a dozen. Or perhaps I made the wise decision by keeping my employment options much greater than some Akkadian specialist.

I thought it is 4000 years old.

Not even hardcore Young Earth Creationists go that early, seeing how ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Harappa of India, Minoa of Crete, etc. existed, and soon after that Mycenaean Greece and Shang-dynasty China. No, it is 5,000 years, convenient for them, since there wasn't much happening in 3,000 BC (although still enough in the Neolithic record to contradict them entirely, to say nothing of the fossil records for each era of the Earth before human existence).

[Cyclops]

Thx Roma, great get.

So this may be a late variant text rather than a very old source text omitted in later sources? Have to agree with Sumskilz, variant formss are a delight as well as a confusion in ancient texts.

[Roma_Victrix]

Thx Roma, great get.

So this may be a late variant text rather than a very old source text omitted in later sources? Have to agree with Sumskilz, variant formss are a delight as well as a confusion in ancient texts.

I'm not sure where it fits on the timeline of the evolution of the epic of Gilgamesh as it was written over the centuries. That's a good question, though! It doesn't appear to add anything hugely substantive other than providing some greater details about the Cedar Forest of the gods where Gilgamesh went to do battle with the ogre. That includes the natural sounds and sights of the forest.

[hellheaven1987]

Not even hardcore Young Earth Creationists go that early, seeing how ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Harappa of India, Minoa of Crete, etc. existed, and soon after that Mycenaean Greece and Shang-dynasty China. No, it is 5,000 years, convenient for them, since there wasn't much happening in 3,000 BC (although still enough in the Neolithic record to contradict them entirely, to say nothing of the fossil records for each era of the Earth before human existence).

No I mean the epic is 4000 years old, and Gilgamesh is close to 5000 years old.

[Condottiere 40K]

Bored scribes editing texts to pander to some current political agenda; I believe editor maybe another safe job. Possibly the third oldest profession.

[DaniCatBurger]

Chichu is a character that appears in a video on youtube with a Gilgamesh.



Do products coming from the power of imagination imply an "agenda" always?
They may do in some way but can you tell me, in which way they do and which they do not?