“…The Deluge cleanses and gives birth to new forms even as it destroys the old…”(p. 41). The flood myth gives an explanation and a purpose to events and practices that have previously occurred and ones that currently occur in our world today. There are several different beliefs behind the causes for the Great Flood, but the most common include overpopulation, wickedness and sins of humanity and regret. A few of the different myths conveyed by the Mesopotamians, Incas, Maya, Greeks and Egyptians reveal these variances behind the triggers of the flood and why it was necessary to begin with. The wheel of life begins to turn when humanity begins to act out. The Greek, biblical and Egyptian flood myths all share the common theme of humanity’s …show more content…
In order to keep the population stable under the Mesopotamian myth, some women are barren, some babies die at birth and some women decide not to have sex for religious reasons (pp. 42-48). In the Maya and Incan flood myths regret and mistakes are a significant aspect. In the Maya story the wooden men created by God had no soul or heart and so they were not able to provide love or nourish and sustain him as he had wished (pp. 65-66). Comparably, the giants that Viracocha created in the Incan story turned out to be lazy and ungrateful. This was the complete opposite of why they were created and because they did not provide the Gods with hard labor and devotion, the flood was sent upon them (pp. 66-67). The consequence for each story was evidently death in order to create a new …show more content…
One reason may be because each civilization’s ancestors experienced slightly different events during that time period causing them to believe the flood was necessary for different reasons. An example of this today is how everyone has their own beliefs as to how humans were created either by God, science, evolution of monkeys, etc. depending on their past or religious beliefs. Each flood myth story was written at different times and in different territorial regions of the world, providing for distinctive twists to each of them. These civilizations all had their own understanding on how things came to be and why they did. Myths are passed down and told orally from generation to generation and it could definitely have been altered while being passed
It contains useful comparisons and historical data to help support his analysis. The author considers the story to hold very value for Christians. It concerns the typical myths that were tied to pagan people. Despite that theory, there have been many Christians who have studied the afterlife and creation in the epic. He suggests an interesting thought when he starts to explain the story. The author hints that maybe the main character, Gilgamesh, was a historical figure. The base analysis for his line of thought is the story of the flood found in the bible. After looking at the lengths of time of each story, he considers it to not be a problem. To provide some evidence, the author shows a chart of a series of questions about each flood and compares the two. The most striking comparison in the chart was the command to build a boat; "O man of Shuruppak, son of Ubar-Tutu, tear down thy house, build a ship; abandon wealth, seek after life; scorn possessions, save thy life. Bring up the seed of all kinds of living things into the ship which thou shalt build. Let its dimensions be well measured."17 The text from the quote can almost match what the bible said. In both stories the person was commanded to build a boat because a flood is coming due to man’s sins or man’s wickedness. In the conclusion of the article, the author says a bold statement; “the widespread nature of flood traditions throughout the entire human race is exce...
Perhaps the most popular comparison with Noah's Flood is that of an ancient Babylonian story of a similar flood. A quick look at the text does show some key similarities between them however there are also some pointed differences. I will show you both and let you decide whether there is or is not a connection.
Whether in Christianity in the form of Noah’s Ark, or through Mesopotamian history in the form of an immortal, the idea of a great flood has proven to be a common story throughout the world. Though Noah’s Ark may be the most popular form of the story, it is not the oldest. Many people believe Noah’s Ark was based on Utnapishnem’s flood story. The two stories are obviously based on the same thing, but one must wonder which one is true or which came first.
The Sumero-Babylonian version of the epic of Gilgamesh, after two and a half millennia of dormancy, was resurrected by British archaeologists in the nineteenth century. Amid the rubble of an Assyrian palace, the twelve clay tablets inscribed the adventures of the first hero of world literature – King Gilgamesh, whose oral folk tales go back to at least 3000 years before Christ (Harris 1). Tablet XI contains the story of the Flood. In this essay let us compare this flood account to the more recent Noah’s Flood account in Genesis of the Old Testament.
Creation stories have profound effects on humans. Those associated with ancient cultures/civilizations aim to ensure the successful survival or well-being of themselves and that particular culture/civilization of their association, but not all are beneficial, prosperous, or fortunate. Mesopotamia’s “The Gilgamesh Epic”, Egypt’s “Hymn to the Nile-Documents”, and Mesoamerica’s Mayan and Aztec creation stories/religion are influential to establishing significant relationships within society, whether that is between humans and nature or humans and their “god(s).”
The roles of Noah and Utnapishtim in the Flood Myths are quite similar. There are several differences regarding the two flood myths, but the general idea behind the two remains consistent. In the Mesopotamian Flood Myth, the Gods were overwhelmed by the amount of humans that existed on Earth and were unable to sleep due to the noise of men. So they decided to "exterminate mankind." While in the Hebrew story of Noah and the Flood Myth, God grew tired of the evil that had plagued mankind and engulfed the earth. So God decided to start the world over to undue the mistakes of man. Both of these stories display an attempt by the Gods to start the world over to cleanse the earth. Both Utnapishtim and Noah were spoken to by Gods and asked to build large boats from which all who were to be spared would seek shelter during the storm. Both men were allowed to spare the lives of their family via the safety of the boats. Also, the method used by the Gods in these myths are the same, the skies would rain down upon the earth flooding the land and killing all who were not ordered onto the boats.
The Epic of Gilgamesh records a story of a world-wide flood and pre-dates Genesis. So some claim that this invalidates the Genesis record. But P.J. Wiseman presents an interesting theory in this regard in his book Ancient Records and the Structure of Genesis (New York: Thomas Nelson, 1985).
Creation myths, cosmogonies, explain the beginnings of the universe. The book of Genesis, the Hebrew story of creation, tells of a supreme being who brings light unto the darkness, moves the waters from the land, and gives life (Leeming, 24-25). Mabel, the main character in “The Odor of Chrysanthemums”, finally begins to live her own life after being rescued from dark, murky water by a man who can give her everything she needs (Lawrence, 9-10). Flood myths help to explain events which cannot be controlled, such as natural disasters. The Hebrew flood myth tells of a man named Noah, who is selected, along with his family, to survive an epic flood.
1. Flood is sent by God to destroy his creation, which has become corrupt and evil The humans are so wicked and evil that "it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart" (Gen. 6:6). He says,"I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth. . . " (Gen. 6:7)
The flood of Gilgamesh was written before 2000 B.C, while the Genesis story was written in 400 BC Which was much later then the Gilgamesh flood. Biblical writers probably knew of the much older flood but revised it so that it fit with their own history and worldview. They most likely intended the original story with their own mythology. Despite the many similarities between the two stories, the differences are revealed in a number of different topics that distinguish the biblical version of the story from the ancient version.
Comparing each record of the flood can reveal how different cultural and religious backgrounds explain events of the world, and despite the stories differences, their similarities prove
Throughout the world there are various cultures with varying religions and creation stories to explain the creation of the Earth and it’s inhabitants. Of these creation stories two with similar and also different characteristics is the Creation story in the book of Genesis which is a part of the 1st Testament in the Hebrew Bible and explains the creation of Earth and humans, and the Theogony which is the greek creation story that describes the origins of the Earth and the Greek Gods. Both the Theogony and the Creation in Genesis show nature as a blessing for humans but it can also affect them negatively, However the myths differ in the ways that the Earth and humans were created and how humans interact with the deities of the creation stories.
The questions about the existence of life and the creation of the world are always mind-boggling and fascinating, however, the real answer to these questions may never surface. All there is to rely on are the myths, stories and legends passed on from generation to generation by ancestors and the clues they have left. This essay will try to uncover the ancient Mesopotamian and Hebrew views on existence and creation by looking at sources like the Genesis and other ancient Mesopotamian texts and poems. Mesopotamians and Hebrews had contrasting views on how they explained the events in their lives, and through analysis of ancient sources, those differences will be outlined. In such populated and booming areas, human conflict was inevitable and some of the law codes that were placed in effect to establish order within the society will be examined. Throughout it all, god and religion played a central role in these ancient civilizations.
It has come to my realization that water played remarkable role during civilization of Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was used for irrigation, drinking, resources, construction and trade. It because of water that the cities first appeared in Mesopotamia and along Indus. So the history of the above mentioned areas started because of the availability of water at the beginning.
In continuation to the Bible’s magnificent hits, the story that follows upon Creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, is the prominent story of Noah and the Flood. This story is one of the most memorable to all people whether they are religious or not, due to the fact that out of all biblical stories, this somehow seems the most impossible, in regards to the plot. The famous story about the Great Flood is best know from the Bible in (Genesis 6-9). Across the Biblical book of Genesis and the entire Torah, disagreements and doublets can be recognized. Per example, in the v ery beginning of the Bible there are two Creation stories (Genesis 1 and Genesis 2), and throughout this great story of the Flood, we can find several contradictions.