Myths of Babylonia and Assyria.pdf

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MYTHS OF BABYLONIA
AND
ASSYRIA
Donald A. Mackenzie
Prepared and Published by:
E BD
E-BooksDirectory.com
Table of Contents
List of Figures
V.2.
V.3.
V.4.
XIX.3. COLOSSAL WINGED AND HUMAN-HEADED BULL AND
Preface
This volume deals with the myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria, and as
these reflect the civilization in which they developed, a historical narrative has
been provided, beginning with the early Sumerian Age and concluding with the
periods of the Persian and Grecian Empires. Over thirty centuries of human
progress are thus passed under review.
During this vast interval of time the cultural influences emanating from the
Tigro-Euphrates valley reached far-distant shores along the intersecting
avenues of trade, and in consequence of the periodic and widespread migrations
of peoples who had acquired directly or indirectly the leavening elements of
Mesopotamian civilization. Even at the present day traces survive in Europe of
the early cultural impress of the East; our "Signs of the Zodiac", for instance, as
well as the system of measuring time and space by using 60 as a basic numeral
for calculation, are inheritances from ancient Babylonia.
As in the Nile Valley, however, it is impossible to trace in Mesopotamia the
initiatory stages of prehistoric culture based on the agricultural mode of life.
What is generally called the "Dawn of History" is really the beginning of a later
age of progress; it is necessary to account for the degree of civilization attained
at the earliest period of which we have knowledge by postulating a remoter age
of culture of much longer duration than that which separates the "Dawn" from
the age in which we now live. Although Sumerian (early Babylonian)
civilization presents distinctively local features which justify the application of
the term "indigenous" in the broad sense, it is found, like that of Egypt, to be
possessed of certain elements which suggest exceedingly remote influences and
connections at present obscure. Of special interest in this regard is Professor
Budge's mature and well-deliberated conclusion that "both the Sumerians and
early Egyptians derived their primeval gods from some common but
exceedingly ancient source". The prehistoric burial customs of these separate
peoples are also remarkably similar and they resemble closely in turn those of
the Neolithic Europeans. The cumulative effect of such evidence forces us to
regard as not wholly satisfactory and conclusive the hypothesis of cultural
influence. A remote racial connection is possible, and is certainly worthy of
consideration when so high an authority as Professor Frazer, author of The
Golden Bough , is found prepared to admit that the widespread "homogeneity of
beliefs" may have been due to "homogeneity of race". It is shown (Chapter 1)
that certain ethnologists have accumulated data which establish a racial
kinship between the Neolithic Europeans, the proto-Egyptians, the Sumerians,
the southern Persians, and the Aryo-Indians.
Throughout this volume comparative notes have been compiled in dealing with
Mesopotamian beliefs with purpose to assist the reader towards the study of
linking myths and legends. Interesting parallels have been gleaned from
various religious literatures in Europe, Egypt, India, and elsewhere. It will be
found that certain relics of Babylonian intellectual life, which have a distinctive
geographical significance, were shared by peoples in other cultural areas where
they were similarly overlaid with local colour. Modes of thought were the
products of modes of life and were influenced in their development by human
experiences. The influence of environment on the growth of culture has long
been recognized, but consideration must also be given to the choice of
environment by peoples who had adopted distinctive habits of life. Racial units
migrated from cultural areas to districts suitable for colonization and carried
with them a heritage of immemorial beliefs and customs which were regarded
as being quite as indispensable for their welfare as their implements and
domesticated animals.
When consideration is given in this connection to the conservative element in
primitive religion, it is not surprising to find that the growth of religious myths
was not so spontaneous in early civilizations of the highest order as has
hitherto been assumed. It seems clear that in each great local mythology we
have to deal, in the first place, not with symbolized ideas so much as
symbolized folk beliefs of remote antiquity and, to a certain degree, of common
inheritance. It may not be found possible to arrive at a conclusive solution of
the most widespread, and therefore the most ancient folk myths, such as, for
instance, the Dragon Myth, or the myth of the culture hero. Nor, perhaps, is it
necessary that we should concern ourselves greatly regarding the origin of the
idea of the dragon, which in one country symbolized fiery drought and in
another overwhelming river floods.
The student will find footing on surer ground by following the process which
exalts the dragon of the folk tale into the symbol of evil and primordial chaos.
The Babylonian Creation Myth, for instance, can be shown to be a localized and
glorified legend in which the hero and his tribe are displaced by the war god
and his fellow deities whose welfare depends on his prowess. Merodach kills the
dragon, Tiamat, as the heroes of Eur-Asian folk stories kill grisly hags, by
casting his weapon down her throat.
He severed her inward parts, he pierced her heart,
He overcame her and cut off her life;
He cast down her body and stood upon it ...
And with merciless club he smashed her skull.
He cut through the channels of her blood,
And he made the north wind to bear it away into secret
places.
Afterwards
He divided the flesh of the Ku-pu and devised a cunning plan.

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