Flood Tablet / Deluge Tablet

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.