CLASS102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Cornucopia, Minoan Civilization, Demigod
Document Summary
Ancient middle east - succession myth, dragon-slayer motif. Crete = birthplace of zeus, bull cult, myth of europa/minos (minotaur) Egypt/ethiopia - residence of helios (ra), in later antiquity (after alexander the great) zeus was often equated with ra/amon. Abyss of water (deity) is the first element. Ea/enki (earth goddess - the earth floats on the sea) Tiamat marries kingu - wants to destroy the 3rd generation (marduk) Marduk smashed tiamat"s skull with a mace - releases the north wind from her arteries. Marduk organizes the world, sun, moon, calendar, esharra (home for the gods), etc. The gods complain about the work they have to do for the supreme deity, enlil. Men are too loud - annoy the gods. Sends a flood - only atrahasis survives (takes one of every kind of animal on the boat with him) Ruler of the sumerian city uruk, c. 2600 bc.