Water is life. It is difficult to disagree with this statement. We accept it, because we know what important role water plays in human life. People can do without food for more than a month, and they can’t live without liquids even for a day. This was also known to the inhabitants of the ancient countries of the Middle East, which are now commonly called Mesopotamia. They had a cult of worship of the gods, which, in fact, were the personification of the forces of nature. Among them, one of the most revered was the god of water spaces Ea. Many of us know where Mesopotamia is, but only a few have heard about how this ancient human civilization lived. It will take a long time to fully cover this issue, so we will limit ourselves to only one small part of it. We’ll tell you what the god of water in Mesopotamia was, why people worshiped him and what sacrifices they made. The best of this will be told to us by ancient Sumerian myths.
A few words about the amazing ancient Mesopotamia
What the map of Mesopotamia looks like, we remember from the history lessons that took place in high school. At different times, in the territory between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Middle East, there were four large states: Akkada, Assyria, Sumer, Babylonia.
This civilization, which arose several millennia ago, was also called Mesopotamia. At different times, there were large cities with their own unique culture and customs. Among them, one can distinguish Babylon, Uruk, Kish, Akshak, Lars, Lagash. We have heard written sources about the events of those distant times, recorded on clay tablets. To this day, archaeologists excavate this territory and find evidence of the existence of that distant and ancient civilization.
Religion Mesopotamia
On the territory of Mesopotamia, separate city-states long existed, each of which had its own political system. In all such settlements, there was a cult of the local patron god. In the center of the city a temple was built in his honor. All social life was concentrated around the sacred home of the deity. It is not necessary to talk about a single religion of the peoples of the ancient Mesopotamia, but with the emergence of large state formations in this territory, the situation has changed. The map of the ancient Mesopotamia changed, and with it the life of people was transformed. If we talk about religion, it can be argued that then a single pantheon of gods was formed, which, however, did not remain stable.
At first, a similar formation arose among the Sumerians. In such a pantheon there were first-order gods: Anu (god of heaven), Ea (god of water), Enlil (god of air). After them a series of second-order gods followed, there were twelve of them, and then thirty minor gods followed. Priests of Mesopotamia, serving at the temples, have developed their own complex system of world order. Her positions were reflected in numerous myths. So, legends have reached our days about how the heavens and the earth were separated, how the God of water created man, and much more. In the Mesopotamia, there were unique customs that subsequently had a great influence on the global culture.
Culture of the ancient Mesopotamia
Historians believe that Mesopotamia is one of the oldest centers of civilization on earth. At one time, about 10% of the total population of our planet lived here. What is the culture of Mesopotamia? What inventions did we get from the inhabitants of these countries? It was here that the first written system in the history of mankind arose - cuneiform writing.
Residents of the ancient Mesopotamia wrote on soft clay with a pointed reed stick. At first, these were drawings denoting words, and then signs appeared. The culture of Mesopotamia is unusually rich. It is known that, for example, the Sumerians at that time already possessed certain knowledge in the field of mathematics and astronomy. It was they who became the authors of the oldest calendar, library catalog, prescription guide. One of the most valuable contributions to world culture is the Sumerian epic poem The Legend of Gilgamesh. Residents of the ancient Mesopotamia left behind many myths about the life of gods and people. These ancient legends explain to us how the forces of nature act from the point of view of the inhabitants of Mesopotamia. The gods of the ancient Mesopotamia are the personification of the earth and water elements that are not subject to man.
Ea - the god of water in Mesopotamia
How did the inhabitants of the ancient Mesopotamia depict the lord of the water spaces? According to their ideas, this was an old man with a beard and a fish tail. He had a lamp in his hands. Especially revered by his fishermen of the coastal islands.
During the excavation of the altars of this deity, many fish bones were found. Apparently, this is how people tried to appease the sea lord. It was believed that he was favorable to them. In Sumerian myths, he appears to be the creator of people, gods and the world. Ea - wise, sometimes cunning, very kind. Many gods of Interfluve were deprived of these qualities. A list of them is given above. Often they, such as the air god Enlil, were hostile to people. Ea not only created man and all life on Earth, he taught people how to plant gardens, plant bread, flax, and collect medicinal herbs. He was often portrayed with a sickle, hoe or ax. It was believed that this god especially protects the Sumerian city of Eris. Here stood the main temple of Ea, which was called E-Abzu.
If we recall the history, we can see that many peoples considered their patron saints of fresh and sea waters as their gods. For example, the ancient Greek water god Poseidon, according to the myths of the ancient Hellenes, was one of the three main Olympian gods, along with Zeus and Hades. Only unlike Ea, he possessed a violent disposition, anger and temper. The god of the Sumerian water is kind to other patrons and is condescending to people.
Gods of ancient Mesopotamia
Anu - the supreme god of heaven, rules in heaven and never descends to earth, is one of the three main patrons of the ancient Mesopotamia, along with Enlil and Ea. In addition, he is considered a symbol of higher authority. According to one ancient Sumerian myth, the gods of Mesopotamia once decided to force Anu to share their power. In response, he created seven evil demons and sent darkness to the moon god, as a result of which the celestial body was captured and freed only thanks to the intervention of the omnipotent and good Ea.
Adad - the god of thunder, lightning and wind, personifies the forces of nature, which can both destroy (hail, floods, and so on) and revive (rain).
Ashur - the arbiter of fate, the father of Anu - was portrayed with a bow in his hands in the center of the radiant sun disc.
Baal is the god of the storm, thunder, lightning and rain, life-giving for nature. He dies forever (drought, wilting, hunger) and resurrects (soil fertility, the flourishing of nature).
Zervan is the god of time and fate. According to ancient myths, he was a bisexual creature. Identifies infinite time.
Marduk is the son of the water god Ea. Written sources of Ancient Mesopotamia report that he was able to heal and knew magic spells. It was Marduk who, with his ingenuity, defeated Tiamat, the war with which was launched by his father Ea, who killed Apsu. The Babylonians especially revered Marduk. It was believed that he patronizes the city. Parts of the body of God were compared with plants and animals. It was said that his insides are lions, the spine is cedar, his fingers are reed, his skull is silver, and the outpouring of seed is gold. Marduk was dedicated to a special holiday - Tsakmuk.
Mithra is the god of friendship and covenants, the defender of truth and justice. Every day he swept across the sky in a sun chariot. Mitra was especially supportive of those who worshiped him. He granted them victory over enemies and wisdom. Usually Mitra was portrayed as a brave warrior, armed with a torch and a knife. Murals in ancient tombs of noble people tell how the god of friendship defeated a bull by killing him. From the body of this animal all birds, animals and plants appeared.
Sin is the god of air and the lord of the moon. This deity was usually depicted as an old man with a long beard sitting in a boat. Every night in a crescent-shaped boat he travels through the starry sky. It was believed that Sin destroys the dark conspiracy of malefactors, shedding moonlight on their black deeds.
Teshub is the god of thunder. He was revered throughout Asia Minor. They depicted Teshub as a bearded man with a club in his hands. Its symbols are ax and lightning. In the countries of the ancient Mesopotamia, there was a myth that the wise and fearless Ea helped Teshub defeat the terrible huge monster Ullikumme created from diorite. God of water saw and sky divided the earth, which led to the weakening of the giant. As a result, the monster was defeated.
Utu Shamash. In Akkadian mythology - Shamash, in Sumerian mythology Utah corresponds to it. Keeper of truth and justice, solar god. He was portrayed with rays above his head and with a crescent-shaped knife in his hand. Every day he traveled through the sky, and with the onset of night descended into the underworld, giving light to the dead.
Elohim is the father of all gods and people, the creator of the universe. According to myths, he lived in the center of the universe, at the "source of both Oceans." The ancient Sumerians imagined him an old man with a big beard and a good look, in long clothes and a horned tiara, and sometimes in the form of a bull.
Enlil - the son of Anu - the god of air and wind. It was believed that he was malevolent, sends pestilence and famine, drought and floods, destroying crops, to them. He was compared to the roaring wind and wild uncontrollable bull.
Pantheon of the ancient Mesopotamia
It is known that in the ancient country of Mesopotamia there were many different gods. Each of them had its own “field of activity”. By their significance, they were arranged in the following order:
- Ea is the god of water, Anum is the supreme sovereign of heaven, Enlil is the patron of air and wind.
- Shamash is the god of the sun. He was portrayed as an old man with a high turban on his head.
- Syn. The moon god is an old man with a long silver beard, crossing the sky at night in a golden boat.
- Nergal - the god of the underworld, sends deadly diseases to people, unleashes bloody wars.
- Naboo is the god of wisdom, the patron of calligraphers and scribes. According to Sumerian mythology, he is the grandson of Ea.
- Marduk is the son of Ea, the patron saint of the city of Babylon.
- Ishtar is the goddess of love and fertility, strife and war. She was the patroness of heterosexual and easily accessible women.
- Ninurta is the god of a happy war, the patron of cattle breeding and agriculture.
Main Temple of Ea
As the map of Mesopotamia looked like before, we know from historical sources that have survived to this day. Clay tablets found during excavations of some of the largest Sumerian cities can shed light on the distant past of the peoples who once inhabited Mesopotamia. From these same sources, we know that city dwellers often built temples in honor of their gods. And they did it in a special way. Firstly, a special plot of land was allocated for the construction of the temple in the city. Secondly, the sacred structure was erected by corners in strict accordance with the wind rose. The rectangular sanctuary was oriented to the cardinal.
The temple was considered the dwelling of God. In the ancient Sumerian city of Eridu, there was such a building, called E-Abzu, which meant "the world’s ocean of groundwater." Ea reigned in him - a god especially revered by the inhabitants of this village. Sacrifices were often made in this sanctuary. During excavations of the city, in the part of the temple where it stood, many fish bones were found. Sacrificing fish, the inhabitants tried to appease their patron Ea, asking him for help and assistance in business.
The myth of the origin of the gods
How did Ea appear? How did other gods appear - the lords of heaven, earth and the underworld? In Sumerian myths, the creation of which dates back to the middle of the fourth millennium BC, it is described as follows. The world of the gods came from chaos. Initially, the lord of the underground fresh water Apsu and the patron of the oceans Tiamat united, and as a result of this, the first deities symbolized the masculine (Lahmu) and the feminine (Lahamu) beginnings. The Sumerians represented these creatures in the form of huge ugly monsters. Lahmu and Lahamu, in turn, gave birth to the goddess of the land of Kishar and the god of heaven, Anshar. These creatures already had a human appearance. They had many children and grandchildren, among whom were the lord of the air Enlil, the master of the sky Anu and Ea (Enki) - the god of water. In Mesopotamia, the latter was especially revered. After all, the fertility of the land and the health of livestock depended on it.
But back to our story about the origin of the gods. Soon, numerous descendants were so tired of Apsu with their complaints and abuse that he decides to destroy them all. Tiamat warns his children about the impending threat. The water god Ea, famous for his cunning and ingenuity, became the savior of all gods. He cast a spell over Apsu, as a result of which the ancestor fell asleep with a sound sleep. Then Enki shackled him and killed him. At the site of Apsu's death, the god of water erected a temple. He married the goddess Damkina. As a result of this union, the spouses had a son Marduk, who later became the patron saint of the richest city of Mesopotamia - Babylon.
The myth of human creation
The ancient god of water Ea in Sumerian myths was considered not only the creator of other patrons, but also people. That's how residents of the Mesopotamia countries spoke about this many millennia ago.
Ea among the gods was distinguished by special wisdom and cunning. More than once, the lords of heaven and earth turned to him for help, as to the strongest, most just and reasonable among them. Once the gods complained to Ea that they had no servants, no one to serve them, no one to serve wine. The wise Enki, heeding the requests of his brethren, took soft clay from a spring filled with sweet water and created a person from it.
But he did not succeed immediately, but only on the seventh attempt. The created man was very weak and incapable of life. Compared to the gods, he was weak and powerless. It is possible that the inhabitants of ancient Mesopotamia felt just as weak before the formidable and ruthless forces of nature. The Gods of Mesopotamia is the personification of an uncontrolled element that could both destroy and give strength to life.
Flood Myth
Similar legends are found in the religion of many nations. But for the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, the myth of the global flood had a special meaning. If for the Egyptians the floods of the Nile River, bringing fertile silt, were a source of prosperity and prosperity, for the Sumerians, floods of the Tigris and Euphrates were fatal. Water flooded their crops, thereby condemning people to starvation. This is how the ancient Sumerian myth of the Flood came to us.
Once the gods, having seen the power of people who, through their labor, were producing bread, began to fear the strengthening of the power of people on earth. And then the lords of heaven and earth decided to put an end to their servants once and for all. The gods chose the murder weapon as a flood, which was supposed to wash people off the face of the earth.
But the good and wise Ea decides to save one of the kings so that he can subsequently continue the human race. For this, the water god reveals the secret of the impending flood to King Siparra, who in turn manages to build a large ark. The plan of the water god was a success. King Siparra escaped after a flood in the constructed ark, and his descendants eventually populated the land.
We learned about who the god of water was for the ancient Sumerians. In Mesopotamia, where he was revered as the creator of people and all life on earth, amazing myths were written about him, most of which have survived to this day.