Enūma Eliš

The Enūma Eliš (IPA: /eˈnuː.a ˈe.liʃ/[cite:@wiktionary2023enuma][cite:@gore2015genesis]; also spelt "Enuma Elish") is a Babylonian creation myth and temple tale[cite:@sbccoe2007genesis] originally written across seven Akkadian clay tablets.[cite:@enwiki:1309026123] It describes the creation of the world and man, and a war between gods focused on an offering to the god Marduk.

Etymology

The Enūma Eliš is named for its opening words, enūma and eliš.

enūma

"in the daytime"[cite:@wiktionary2022inuma]

• Alternative form of inūma

eliš

"top, upper side"[cite:@wiktionary2023elis]

Characters

Marduk

The king of the gods.

The Annunaki

The higher gods.

The Igigi

The servants of the gods.

Origin of man and the Ésagila

In the sixth tablet of the Enūma Eliš, Marduk tells Ea that he would create "savages" (mankind) to serve the gods.[cite:@enwiki:1309026123][cite:@websterenuma] Ea proposes that one of the rebel gods be sacrificed for the creation of said savages, to which Marduk asks who shall it be? The gods unanimously nominate Kingu. And thus, Ea takes Kingu, cuts is arteries, and creates mankind from his blood. In gratitude to Marduk, the gods raise Babylon, and in Babylon, the temple Ésagila in Marduk's honour.