Tablet
Object Title | Flood Tablet / Deluge Tablet |
---|---|
Object Number: | CBS10673 |
Current Location: |
Middle East Galleries Currently On Display |
Provenience: | Iraq Nippur |
Period: | Old Babylonian Period |
Date Made: | 17th century BCE |
Early Date: | -1699 |
Late Date: | -1600 |
Section: | Babylonian |
Materials: | Clay |
Technique: | Baked |
Iconography: | Eridu Flood Enki |
Inscription Language: | Sumerian Language |
Length: | 13.3 cm |
Width: | 10.16 cm |
Thickness: | 1.9 cm |
Credit Line: | Gift of the Sultan; Babylonian Expedition to Nippur, 1896 |
Other Number: | P265876 - CDLI Number B10673 - Old Museum Number CBS 10673 + CBS 10867 - Other Number CBS10867 - Associated Object Number 0416 - Cast Number |
Description
CBS Register: fr. of baked clay tablet.
Flood Tablet. Lower third of tablet with 6 columns of text; 3 on each side. Preserved columns each have 10-15 lines and the compete tablet would probably have had ca. 260 lines. Text, written in Sumerian deals with the creation of humans, prediluvian cities and their rulers, and the flood. Preserved passages: A) Divine instructions to man include the building of cities under the protectorship of specific deities. 5 city names preserved including the port town of Eridu to Ea, god of water B) Enki reveals the gods' plan to destroy the human race by means of a flood to Ziusudra, the king, and urges him to heed his advice. Wind and storms come and with them the flood, which lasts for 7 days and 7 nights before the sun returns. Ziusudra emerges from his boat and offers sacrifices. After Enki mollifies their fury, An and Enlil grant Ziusudra eternal life. Text dated to 17th century BC by script.
(ETCSL 1.07.04, CDLI Composite: Q000357). Joins with CBS10867.
Exhibited in the Middle East Galleries as number B10673.
Current & Past Exhibitions:
Year of Water (20 Aug 2010 - 26 Aug 2011) | View Objects in Exhibition |
Sacred Writings: Extraordinary Texts of the Biblical World (15 Aug 2015 - 07 Nov 2015) | View Objects in Exhibition |
Middle East Galleries (21 Apr 2018) | View Objects in Exhibition |
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