tradition

Mesopotamian tradition

Traditions

The religions and literatures of ancient Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria, known from cuneiform tablets.

Also known as Babylonian · Sumerian

Meetings with this tradition

object · 44

Tablet of Destinies appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Enuma Elish has the Tablet of Destinies held and then taken in the combat that allots offices. A Babylonian named tablet of that cosmogony, not Hebrew luchot and not the already-stored mesopotamian→fate walk.
from Enuma Elish, standard version often dated to the late 2nd millennium BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Clay tablet appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s eastern logos notes clay tablets among the writing of Mesopotamia and neighbors. A named clay-tablet in that traveler’s speech, not wax-tablet as the Roman wax surface and not a modern slate dump.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Cylinder seal appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s eastern logos notes cylinder seals among the stamp seals of Mesopotamia. A named cylinder-seal in that traveler’s speech, not signet-ring as the finger seal and not a modern rubber stamp.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Lapis lazuli appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh names lapis lazuli among royal and ornamental stones of that Mesopotamian world. A named blue stone in that epic, not Pliny dye speech and not a generic gem dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Bitumen appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s Babylon logos names bitumen among the hot mortar that binds the city’s baked-brick walls and quays. A named bitumen pitch in that traveler’s speech, not amber as fossil resin and not a modern asphalt dump.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Shekel weight appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s eastern logos counts silver and goods by the shekel among Babylonian and neighboring measures. A named shekel-weight in that traveler’s speech, not a mina and not a Greek obol.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Mina weight appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s eastern logos uses the mina among Babylonian and neighboring weight tallies of silver and tribute. A named mina-weight in that traveler’s speech, not a shekel and not a talent alone.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Talent weight appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s eastern and tribute speech counts gold and silver by the talent among Babylonian and imperial tallies. A named talent-weight in that traveler’s speech, not a mina and not a shekel.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Sword appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats swords among the weapons Gilgamesh and Enkidu carry against Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. A named sword in that Mesopotamian epic, not an Iliad combat dump and not shield as the defensive plate alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Shield appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats shields among the warrior gear of Gilgamesh and Enkidu in the Humbaba and Bull of Heaven combats. A named shield in that epic, not aspis or scutum as Hellenic/Roman type-names and not sword as the cutting weapon alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Broadaxe appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh has axes cast and taken for the Cedar Forest expedition against Humbaba; the published broadaxe is that epic’s woodcutting/combat axe-class among existing object ids (no bare axe entity). A named axe-class tool in that poem, not labrys as a Minoan double-axe and not adze as the dressing tool alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Adze appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats cedar timber cut for a great door and temple carpentry after the Humbaba expedition; the adze is the published dressing tool for that woodwork among existing object ids. A named carpentry tool in that poem’s cedar-door neighborhood, not opening-adze as Egyptian funerary gear and not broadaxe as the felling axe alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Throne appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats thrones among Ishtar’s offered royal gifts and the kingship furniture of Uruk. A named throne in that epic, not a generic seat dump and not crown as the head-mark alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Crown appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats crowns among the royal marks of Gilgamesh’s kingship and the glory offered in Ishtar’s gift speech. A named crown in that epic, not diadem as a headband alone and not throne as the seat alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Diadem appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats royal head-ornaments among Uruk kingship and wedding/gift speech; the published diadem is that headband class beside crown. A named royal head-band in that epic’s glory neighborhood, not crown as the full royal mark alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Cup appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats cups among Siduri the ale-wife’s drinking gear and the feast vessels of Uruk. A named cup in that epic, not chalice as a later cult-cup type-name and not cauldron as the large cooking vessel alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Cauldron appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats large cooking and feast vessels among Uruk wedding and hospitality speech; the published cauldron is that deep vessel class. A named feast-cauldron neighborhood in that epic, not cup as the drinking vessel alone and not Celtic cauldron dumps.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Drum appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats the pukku (often rendered drum or ball) among the playthings that fall to the underworld and draw Enkidu’s descent. A named drum-class object in that epic, not bell as a struck metal signal and not lyre as the stringed instrument alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Lyre appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats music and celebration among Uruk’s feast and mourning neighborhoods; the published lyre is the stringed instrument class for that court speech. A named lyre-class instrument in that epic’s feast/lament world, not kithara or chelys as Hellenic type-names and not drum as the pukku alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Altar appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats altars among the offerings and prayers Gilgamesh and Enkidu make to Shamash before the Cedar Forest expedition. A named altar in that epic, not temple as the larger house and not a generic sacrifice dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Reed boat appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats reed craft and marsh boats among the southern waters of the flood survivor’s world and the ferry toward Dilmun’s neighborhood. A named reed-boat in that epic, not reed as the plant already walked and not canoe as a dugout alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Canoe appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats small watercraft among the waters Gilgamesh must cross with Urshanabi and the flood survivor’s boat world. A named canoe-class craft in that epic’s water-crossing neighborhood, not reed-boat as the marsh-reed hull alone and not coracle as a round skin boat invent.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Chariot appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats a chariot of lapis and gold among Ishtar’s offered gifts to Gilgamesh. A named chariot in that epic, not wagon as a load cart and not wheel as the rolling part alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Bronze appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats cast metal weapons and gear among the axe and sword furniture prepared for the Cedar Forest. A named bronze-class metal in that epic’s casting neighborhood, not copper as the element-only row and not iron as a later blade metal alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Carnelian appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats carnelian among the precious stones of royal treasure and Enkidu’s funeral offerings beside lapis. A named carnelian in that epic, not lapis-lazuli as the blue stone already walked and not a generic gem dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Ivory appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats luxury materials among Uruk’s wealth and gift speech; ivory is published luxury inlay/ornament ware in that treasure neighborhood. A named ivory in that epic’s luxury world, not bone as raw osseous material and not a Pliny pharmacy dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Sandal appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats clothing and footwear among the civilizing of Enkidu and the dressed bodies of Uruk. A named sandal in that epic’s dress speech, not boot as a later closed shoe and not linen as the cloth alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Ring appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats rings and jewelry among royal gifts, treasure, and funeral offerings. A named ring in that epic, not signet-ring as a seal-device invent and not armlet as the arm ornament alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Armlet appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats arm ornaments among the jewelry of gift and funeral treasure speech. A named armlet in that epic, not ring as the finger jewel alone and not torque as a Celtic neck-ring type-name.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Linen appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats cloth garments among the clothing Shamhat gives Enkidu and the dressed bodies of Uruk. A named linen-class cloth in that epic’s dress speech, not wool as the other textile alone and not veil as a covering alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Wool appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats textile clothing among Enkidu’s dressing and Uruk feast dress; wool is the published fleece-cloth class beside linen. A named wool cloth in that epic’s dress neighborhood, not linen as the plant-fiber cloth alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Staff appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats traveler’s gear among Gilgamesh’s road to Utnapishtim and the long walk beyond the waters. A named staff-class walking stick in that journey speech, not scepter as the royal symbol-only row and not a magician’s wand dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Forge appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh has weapons cast for the Cedar Forest expedition; the forge is the published metal-heating hearth of that casting speech. A named forge in that epic’s weapon-making neighborhood, not kiln as the pottery/brick furnace alone and not anvil as the hammer-block invent.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Kiln appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh opens on Uruk’s walls of kiln-fired brick; the kiln is the published firing furnace of that burnt-brick speech. A named kiln in that epic’s wall-building neighborhood, not forge as the metal hearth alone and not brick as an unpublished lemma.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Torch appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats portable fire among night roads, Cedar Forest approaches, and underworld-neighbor darkness. A named torch in that epic’s night-travel neighborhood, not lamp as the oil vessel alone and not candle as a later stick-light.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Lamp appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats fixed oil-lights among house and temple neighborhoods of Uruk beside portable torches on the road. A named lamp in that epic’s lighting speech, not torch as the carried brand alone and not lantern as a shielded later type.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Coffer appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats treasure chests and stored wealth among Uruk’s house of goods and funeral offerings. A named coffer in that epic’s treasure-store neighborhood, not clay-tablet as the writing surface and not a generic box invent.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Stylus appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh opens with Gilgamesh writing his toils on a tablet; the stylus is the published writing tool of that tablet speech. A named stylus in that epic’s writing neighborhood, not quill as a feather pen and not clay-tablet as the surface alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Chisel appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats worked stone and carved record among the stela/tablet speech of Gilgamesh’s deeds and the dressing of cedar timber; the chisel is published cutting furniture for that craft neighborhood. A named chisel in that epic’s carving speech, not adze as the wood-dressing tool alone and not stylus as the writing point alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Brick appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh opens with the baked bricks of Uruk’s walls — measure the courses, inspect the brickwork. A named brick in that epic, not adobe-brick as the sun-dried mud unit alone and not clay as the raw element already met.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Adobe brick appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh’s Uruk wall speech sits beside Mesopotamian mud-brick building; adobe-brick is the published sun-dried mud-brick unit in that wall neighborhood beside kiln-fired brick. A named adobe-brick in that epic’s brickwork world, not brick as the fired course alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Brick mold appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh’s praise of measured brick courses implies the mold-made brick of Uruk’s walls; brick-mold is the published forming tool in that brickwork neighborhood. A named brick-mold in that epic’s wall-craft speech, not brick as the finished unit alone and not brick-trowel as the laying tool invent.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Blanket chest appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats stored goods and house chests among Uruk’s wealth and the gear of travel and funeral; blanket-chest is the published domestic storage chest in that store neighborhood beside coffer. A named blanket-chest in that epic’s house-store speech, not coffer as the treasure chest alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Stamp seal appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s Babylon and eastern logos seats flat-faced seals pressed into clay among Mesopotamian marking practice beside cylinders he also knows. A named stamp-seal in that traveler’s speech, not a cylinder-seal already walked and not a signet-ring.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented

celestial-body · 21

Milky Way appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN sky speech names the pale band of the night sky among path and star groups. A named milky band in that compendium, not galaxy as a modern class alone and not a fog flatten.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Ursa Major appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN names the Wagon / Great Bear among northern constellations. A named great-bear figure in that compendium, not ursa-minor and not a bear-being dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Ursa Minor appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN names the lesser northern wagon/bear neighbors among circumpolar figures. A named lesser-bear figure in that compendium, not ursa-major as the great wagon already filed and not a bear-being dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Sun appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN tracks the sun’s path and standstills among year hinges of Mesopotamian sky list-work. A named sun in that compendium, not Ra as an Egyptian sun-god and not a natal-chart dump alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Moon appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN tracks the moon among path and month markers of Mesopotamian sky list-work. A named moon in that compendium, not Selene identity and not Ptolemy’s natal moon alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
North Star appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN seats northern fixed stars and pole-neighbor marks among Mesopotamian sky list-work. A named north-star hinge in that compendium, not Matariki’s Māori year-star alone and not a compass slogan dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Aquila appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN names the Eagle (mulTI8.MUŠEN) among path stars. A named eagle figure in that sky list-work, not altair the bright star alone and not an eagle-being dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Pegasus appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN names the Field (mulIKU) among path figures identified with the Pegasus region. A named field figure in that list-work, not a Greek horse myth screenplay and not andromeda alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Corvus appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN names the Raven (mulUGA.MUŠEN) among path figures. A named raven/crow sky figure in that list-work, not raven the being already walked in other houses and not crater the cup alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Pisces Austrinus appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN names the Fish (mulKU6) among path figures identified with the southern-fish region. A named fish figure in that list-work, not pisces the zodiacal tails alone and not a fish-being dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Water Jar appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN names the Great One (mulGU.LA) among path figures whose later reading is the water-pourer / water-jar region of Aquarius. A named water-jar sky mark in that list-work, not aquarius the Ptolemy sign alone and not a household jar dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Girtab appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN names GIR.TAB (Girtab), the Scorpion, among the path figures of Mesopotamian sky list-work. A named Girtab figure in that compendium, not scorpius as a Ptolemy sign dump alone and not antares the heart-star alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Pegasus Square appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s Field (mulIKU) is the square of stars later called the Pegasus Square. A named field-square in that list-work, not pegasus the wider figure alone and not a geometry slogan dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Never-setting appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s Path of Enlil seats northern stars that do not set for Mesopotamian latitudes. A named never-setting class in that list-work, not circumpolar-star as a modern label alone and not never-rising the southern counterpart.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Never-rising appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s Path of Ea seats southern stars that do not rise for Mesopotamian latitudes. A named never-rising class in that list-work, not never-setting the northern counterpart and not a modern invisibility slogan alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Circumpolar star appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s northern Wagon and Enlil-path stars are the circumpolar neighbors of Mesopotamian list-work. A named circumpolar-star class in that compendium, not never-setting as a bare verb alone and not ursa-major already walked.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Sidereal month appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN tracks the moon through path stars — a sidereal-month neighbor of Mesopotamian lunar list-work beside synodic month speech. A named sidereal-month measure in that compendium, not synodic-month the phase return alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Meridian transit appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s ziqpu lists are meridian-transit timing of path stars across the night. A named meridian-transit in that list-work, not culmination as a bare peak word alone and not a telescope transit dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Rising star appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s path calendar is built on rising stars dated through the ideal year. A named rising-star class in that list-work, not heliacal-rising the first-visibility hinge alone and not setting-star.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Setting star appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN tracks setting stars among path and visibility speech beside the rising dates. A named setting-star class in that list-work, not heliacal-setting alone and not rising-star.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Lupus appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN names the Mad Dog (mulUR.IDIM) among path figures identified with the Lupus region. A named mad-dog sky figure in that list-work, not a wolf-being dump and not scorpius alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented

place · 16

Underworld appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s underworld material is a Mesopotamian below. It is not Xibalba’s ballcourt of trials.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Dilmun appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats Utnapishtim in Dilmun, the far clean land at the waters’ mouth. A named Dilmun land in that epic, not Eden as a Qur’anic garden and not a generic paradise flatten.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Irkalla appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh names Irkalla among underworld seats in Enkidu’s vision of the house of dust. A named Irkalla underworld in that epic speech, not Duat and not a generic underworld flatten alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Babylon appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Enuma Elish centers Babylon as Marduk’s city where the gods’ shrine is raised after the cosmogonic victory. A named Babylon seat in that creation epic, not the Genesis Babel tower and not a nation-state dump.
from Enuma Elish, standard version often dated to the late 2nd millennium BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Ziggurat appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus describes the staged temple-tower of Bel at Babylon among the city’s great works. A named staged temple-tower in that traveler’s Babylon logos, not a step-pyramid and not every Mesopotamian ruin.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Hearth appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats domestic fireplaces among Uruk house and feast speech beside the city’s baked-brick world. A named hearth in that epic’s house neighborhood, not forge as the smithing hearth alone and not kiln as the industrial furnace alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Nineveh appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s Assyrian logos seats Nineveh (Ninus) among Median revolt and Assyrian capital speech. A named nineveh in that traveler’s speech, not babylon as the southern seat already walked and not ur/uruk as Sumerian seats Herodotus does not seat.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Uruk appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh opens and closes on Uruk — Eanna, the baked-brick walls, and the city Gilgamesh rules and returns to. A named Mesopotamian city seat in that poem, not Babylon as Enuma’s city and not Nineveh as the tablet findspot alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Mountain trail appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats the long mountain trail through darkness under Mashu among Gilgamesh’s night road toward the far waters. A named mountain-trail in that epic, not mountain-pass as the twin-peak gate alone and not road as the broader way-word.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Salt Marsh appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats southern marsh and waters among the flood survivor’s world at the edge of the sweet and bitter waters. A named salt-marsh neighborhood in that epic, not reed-bed as the reed thicket alone and not sea as open salt alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Gatehouse appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats the gates of Uruk among the city’s walled entries and the places the Bull of Heaven assaults. A named gatehouse in that epic’s wall-and-gate speech, not gate as the opening already met under Herodotus and not courtyard as the inner court alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Pleasure Garden appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats Siduri’s shore garden and the far jewelled garden among places of rest, drinking counsel, and wonder on Gilgamesh’s road. A named pleasure-garden neighborhood in that epic, not orchard as fruit-tree planting alone and not Dilmun as the flood survivor’s clean land already walked.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Boatyard appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh’s flood tablet seats the building of Utnapishtim’s great boat — timber, bitumen, and workmen — as a named boat-building place in that survival speech. A named boatyard neighborhood in that epic, not reed-boat as the marsh craft alone and not ferry-landing as the crossing shore alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Open Field appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats open country and fields among Enkidu’s wild range and the lands outside Uruk’s walls where hunters meet the wild-man. A named open-field in that epic, not steppe as the broader grassland alone and not arable-field as a tilled farm invent alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Brickworks appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh opens by praising Uruk’s baked-brick walls and kiln-fired brickwork. A named brickworks neighborhood in that wall-building speech, not brick as the unit already filed beside and not ziggurat as the staged tower already walked under Herodotus.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Moat appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s Babylon logos seats a broad water-filled ditch among the city’s outer defenses beside the baked-brick wall. A named moat in that traveler’s Mesopotamian speech, not a bare dry ditch and not a later castle-moat dump.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented

number · 10

Three hundred sixty appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN sky-math uses a 360-unit circle of the year and ecliptic speech. A named Mesopotamian 360-count in that compendium, not 365 as the civil year-day count and not a bare circle dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Twelve appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN organizes months and sky sections in twelve-fold counts. A named Mesopotamian twelve in that compendium, not zodiac as the later sign-list alone and not a bare dozen slang.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Sixty appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s sexagesimal sky arithmetic seats sixty among the working base of the list. A named sixty in that compendium, not three-hundred-sixty as the circle count already filed and not twelve as the month count.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Ten appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN list measures and decade counts seat ten among ordinary working numbers of the sky tables. A named ten in that compendium, not decimal as a modern slogan and not a decade dump alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Thirty-six appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN and Mesopotamian list arithmetic seat thirty-six among star and measure groupings. A named thirty-six in that compendium, not three-hundred-sixty and not a modern lottery dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Fifteen appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s month speech marks day fifteen among mid-month / opposition hinges of lunar calendar list-work. A named fifteen-count in that compendium, not thirty the full ideal month alone and not a folk half-month slogan dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Sexagesimal appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s day-length ratios, ideal-year counts, and path measures run in sexagesimal Mesopotamian number speech. A named sexagesimal scheme in that list-work, not sixty the integer alone and not base-sixty as a bare radix dump alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Base Sixty appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s tablet arithmetic and time measures presuppose base-sixty place value of Mesopotamian scribal sky list-work. A named base-sixty radix in that tradition’s sky arithmetic, not sexagesimal as the scheme-name alone and not sixty the bare count.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Twenty-nine appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s lunar calendar speech sits beside months counted twenty-nine or thirty days in Mesopotamian month practice — the short-month hinge next to the ideal thirty-day month of the list-work. A named twenty-nine-count in that compendium’s month arithmetic, not thirty the ideal month alone and not a folk numeral dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Ratio appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s Tablet II day-length scheme states longest-to-shortest daylight as a:b ratio speech in Mesopotamian sexagesimal measures. A named ratio in that list-work’s day-length arithmetic, not proportion as equality-of-ratios alone and not sixty the bare count alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented

concept · 9

Mesopotamian tradition is connected to Death.
Gilgamesh’s poem is preoccupied with death after Enkidu. Mesopotamian tradition here meets death as an epic problem, not an Egyptian weighing.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
connected to · sourced · documented
Mesopotamian tradition is connected to Fate.
Enuma Elish assigns lots and offices after combat. Allotment here is a Babylonian cosmogonic politics, not a natal chart.
from Enuma Elish, standard version often dated to the late 2nd millennium BCE
connected to · partially sourced · documented
Flood appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Utnapishtim’s flood is told inside Gilgamesh. It is a Mesopotamian survival story with a boat and a later hush.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Descent appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Gilgamesh’s journeys include waters and a far-away of the dead. The descent is a Mesopotamian epic problem.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Dream appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Gilgamesh’s epic treats dreams as narrative foreknowledge: Gilgamesh’s meteor-and-axe dreams are read as signs of Enkidu, and Enkidu’s dream carries knowledge of the dead. That is Mesopotamian epic material, not Artemidorus’s Greek handbook.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Creation appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Enuma Elish is the Babylonian cosmogony of combat and allotted offices after Marduk’s victory. A named creation speech in that Mesopotamian poem, not Gilgamesh’s flood plot and not a bare class-word dump alone.
from Enuma Elish, standard version often dated to the late 2nd millennium BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Horizon appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN tracks risings and settings on the horizon among Mesopotamian path and calendar list-work. A named horizon in that compendium, not Matariki’s Māori horizon speech alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Meridian appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s ziqpu-star lists time the night by stars culminating on the meridian. A named meridian in that list-work, not meridian-transit the event alone and not a modern coordinate dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Malediction appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats spoken malediction among Ishtar’s anger and other harm-speech after the Bull of Heaven. A named malediction in that epic, not curse-formula as the formulaic wording alone and not blessing as the opposite speech.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented

word · 5

Omen appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Eclipse and other celestial omens are a known Mesopotamian genre. They sit beside Gilgamesh, not inside it.
appears in · interpretive · culturally specific
Cuneiform appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN is an astronomical compendium preserved in cuneiform list-work. A named Mesopotamian cuneiform script-kind in that series, not hieroglyph and not a clay-tablet object alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Battle Cry appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats war shouts and combat cries among the Humbaba and Bull of Heaven fights. A named battle-cry in that epic, not contest-speech as the gate challenge alone and not field-holler as a wrong shelf.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Frame tale appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh opens and closes with the frame of Gilgamesh’s written toils and the invitation to read the walls of Uruk — a named frame-tale structure around the adventures. A named frame-tale in that epic, not epic-song as the long song form alone and not One Thousand and One Nights as a later frame dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Legend appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats the told legend of Gilgamesh’s deeds as Mesopotamian long-tale speech the walls and tablet preserve. A named legend in that epic’s tale-speech, not epic-song as the sung long form alone and not myth as a cosmogonic dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented

animal · 3

Bull appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats the Bull of Heaven among the assaults on Uruk that Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeat. A named bull in that Mesopotamian epic, not Rigveda cattle speech already filed as cow and not a generic strength-animal dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Serpent appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh has a serpent take the plant of youth and shed its skin. A named serpent in that Mesopotamian epic, not Asklepios’s temple snake and not Apep.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Scorpion appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats scorpion-men as guardians at Mount Mashu on the road to Utnapishtim. A named scorpion figure in that epic, not zodiac Scorpius and not Pliny pharmacy.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented

being · 3

Gilgamesh appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats Gilgamesh as king of Uruk — two-thirds divine, builder of the walls, companion of Enkidu, and seeker after death. A named Mesopotamian epic hero in that poem, not a generic culture-hero dump and not Enkidu as the wild companion alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Enkidu appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats Enkidu as the wild-man companion formed for Gilgamesh, civilised through Shamhat, and dead after the Cedar Forest and Bull of Heaven. A named Mesopotamian epic companion in that poem, not Gilgamesh as the king alone and not a generic wild-man invent.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Enki appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh’s flood tablet seats Ea/Enki as the god who warns Utnapishtim to build the boat and survive the deluge. A named Mesopotamian craft-wisdom god in that flood speech, not Marduk as Enuma’s combat king and not a generic water-god dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented

phenomenon · 3

Eclipse appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Eclipse omens are a known Mesopotamian genre. They sit beside, not inside, the Gilgamesh flood story.
appears in · interpretive · culturally specific
Solstice appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN tracks the sun’s standstills among year hinges. A named solstice hinge in that sky compendium, not equinox and not a festival dump alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Equinox appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN tracks equal-day hinges among the year path. A named equinox hinge in that sky compendium, not solstice and not a zodiac slogan dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented

symbol · 3

Gate appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s Babylon logos treats the city’s gates among monumental works. A named gate in that traveler’s speech, not Virgil’s underworld gate and not a garden-gate dump.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Crescent appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
MUL.APIN’s lunar path speech includes the crescent among early-month moon shapes of Mesopotamian list-work. A named crescent in that compendium, not Pliny’s Roman moon-phase encyclopedia alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Wheel appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh names golden wheels on the chariot Ishtar offers Gilgamesh. A named wheel in that gift speech, not chariot as the whole vehicle alone and not a generic potter’s wheel dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented

text · 3

MUL.APIN belongs to Mesopotamian tradition.
The series is a Babylonian astronomical compendium. Hunger and Pingree edit tablets, not myths of seven sisters.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
belongs to · sourced · documented
Gilgamesh epic appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Atlas source Gilgamesh is the Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh — the Mesopotamian long tale of Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the search after death. A named Mesopotamian epic text in that tradition, not flood as a free-standing concept and not descent as a generic underworld word.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Enuma Elish appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Atlas source Enuma Elish is the Babylonian creation combat of Marduk and Tiamat. A named Mesopotamian cosmogony text in that tradition, not Gilgamesh’s flood plot and not creation as a bare class word alone.
from Enuma Elish, standard version often dated to the late 2nd millennium BCE
appears in · sourced · documented

element · 2

Salt appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Enuma Elish’s combat with Tiamat seats sea and crystalline salt among the ordered world after the waters are divided. A named salt in that cosmogony, not Roman table-salt pharmacy and not Nahua salt speech alone.
from Enuma Elish, standard version often dated to the late 2nd millennium BCE
appears in · sourced · documented
Bituminous mortar appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
Herodotus’s Babylon logos seats hot bitumen used as the binding mortar among baked-brick wall and quay courses. A named bituminous-mortar in that traveler’s Mesopotamian speech, not the bitumen pitch material alone already walked and not modern asphalt paving.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
appears in · sourced · documented

plant · 2

Cedar appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Standard Babylonian Gilgamesh epic sends Gilgamesh and Enkidu to the Cedar Forest to cut timber and face Humbaba. A named cedar-expedition in that poem, not Dioscorides’ kedros and not Yggdrasil.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Reed appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh names reed huts and marsh reed among the flood survivor’s world and the southern waters. A named plant in that epic, not papyrus as the Egyptian marsh plant and not aulos as Hellenic reed-pipe.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented

deity · 1

Inanna appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh seats Ishtar — the goddess whose sacred-marriage offer Gilgamesh refuses and who sends the Bull of Heaven — under the Inanna/Ishtar identity already published as inanna. A named Mesopotamian goddess presence in that poem, not a Descent-of-Inanna text dump and not Marduk.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · culturally specific

motif · 1

Exile and return appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats Gilgamesh’s departure from Uruk after Enkidu’s death and his return to the city’s walls — exile-and-return as the road’s close. A named exile-and-return motif in that epic, not quest as a generic seek alone and not Dilmun as the far land alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented

tradition · 1

Astrology is historically related to Mesopotamian tradition.
Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos preface credits Chaldean observers among the prior arts that shaped Hellenistic judicial astrology. A named Mesopotamian/Chaldean debt in that handbook, not MUL.APIN list-work alone and not Enuma fate alone.
from Claudius Ptolemy · Tetrabiblos, c. 150 CE
historically related to · sourced · documented

Meetings in this tradition's context

celestial-body · 22

Star is associated with Omen.
Mesopotamian omen literature treats some celestial appearances as signs for king and land. That is a cuneiform technical genre, not Ptolemy’s natal chart.
associated with · interpretive · culturally specific
Pleiades appears in MUL.APIN.
MUL.APIN lists the cluster among Mesopotamian star-names (MUL.MUL and related entries). A cuneiform list, not a Greek catasterism.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Sirius appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Arrow Star (MUL.KAK.SI.SÁ) among Mesopotamian star-names, identified with Sirius. Cuneiform list-work, not Ptolemy’s judicial dog-star and not generic star.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Orion appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the True Shepherd of Anu (MUL.SIPA.ZI.AN.NA) among Mesopotamian star-names, identified with Orion. Cuneiform list-work, not Ptolemy’s constellation handbook and not a minted hunter-hero.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Altair appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Eagle star (mulTI8.MUŠEN) identified with Altair. Cuneiform list-work, not aquila the figure alone and not a modern Summer-Triangle dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Betelgeuse appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the True Shepherd of Anu (Orion) whose shoulder-star is identified with Betelgeuse. Cuneiform list-work, not orion the figure alone and not a Tetrabiblos bright-star dump.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Rigel appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the True Shepherd of Anu whose foot-star is identified with Rigel. Cuneiform list-work, not orion the figure alone and not Matariki’s Puanga year-marker speech alone.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Markab appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Field (mulIKU) whose corner-stars include the light identified with Markab. Cuneiform list-work, not pegasus the figure alone and not scheat as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Scheat appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Field whose corner-stars include the light identified with Scheat. Cuneiform list-work, not pegasus alone and not markab as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Enif appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Field / horse-region lights including the nose-star identified with Enif. Cuneiform list-work, not pegasus alone and not markab/scheat as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Alnitak appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the True Shepherd of Anu whose belt lights include the star identified with Alnitak. Cuneiform list-work, not orion the figure alone and not alnilam/mintaka as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Alnilam appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the True Shepherd belt lights including the star identified with Alnilam. Cuneiform list-work, not orion alone and not alnitak/mintaka as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Mintaka appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the True Shepherd belt lights including the star identified with Mintaka. Cuneiform list-work, not orion alone and not alnitak/alnilam as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Algorab appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Raven (mulUGA.MUŠEN) whose bright star is identified with Algorab. Cuneiform list-work, not corvus the figure alone and not raven the being already walked elsewhere.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Algenib appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Field (mulIKU) whose corner-stars include the light identified with Algenib. Cuneiform list-work, not pegasus the figure alone and not markab/scheat as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Bellatrix appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the True Shepherd of Anu (Orion) whose shoulder lights include the star identified with Bellatrix. Cuneiform list-work, not orion the figure alone and not betelgeuse as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Meissa appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the True Shepherd whose head-star is identified with Meissa. Cuneiform list-work, not orion alone and not bellatrix/betelgeuse as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Saiph appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the True Shepherd whose other knee/foot light is identified with Saiph beside Rigel. Cuneiform list-work, not orion alone and not rigel as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Dubhe appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Wagon (mulMAR.GID.DA) whose bowl pointer-star is identified with Dubhe. Cuneiform list-work, not ursa-major the figure alone and not north-star already walked.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Mizar appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Wagon whose handle lights include the star identified with Mizar. Cuneiform list-work, not ursa-major alone and not alcor the faint companion as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Alkaid appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Wagon whose handle tip is identified with Alkaid. Cuneiform list-work, not ursa-major alone and not mizar as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented
Gienah appears in MUL.APIN.
Hunger and Pingree’s MUL.APIN attests the Raven (mulUGA.MUŠEN) whose wing-star is identified with Gienah of Corvus. Cuneiform list-work, not corvus the figure alone and not algorab as this same edge.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
appears in · sourced · documented

object · 12

Clay tablet is used in Writing.
The Epic of Gilgamesh opens with Gilgamesh writing the whole of his labour on a tablet and leaving a written record of his toils. Clay-tablet used in that writing practice, not wax-tablet as a Roman wax surface and not a second appears_in→mesopotamian beside the Herodotus seat already held.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Bitumen appears in Flood.
The Epic of Gilgamesh’s flood tablet seats bitumen among the caulking of Utnapishtim’s boat. A named bitumen in that flood episode, not a second appears_in→mesopotamian beside the Herodotus seat already held and not pitch as the element-only neighbor.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
appears in · sourced · documented
Shekel weight is used in Burial.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats weighed treasure among Enkidu’s funeral offerings and the precious goods Gilgamesh sets out for the dead. Shekel-weight used in that burial-offering measure speech, not a second appears_in→mesopotamian beside the Herodotus seat already held.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Mina weight is used in Burial.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats mina-scale weighed goods among funeral treasure speech for Enkidu. Mina-weight used in that burial-offering measure neighborhood, not a second appears_in→mesopotamian beside the Herodotus seat already held.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Talent weight is used in Burial.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats large weighed treasure among funeral offerings; the talent is the published large-unit weight in that burial-measure neighborhood. Talent-weight used in that funeral speech, not a second appears_in→mesopotamian beside the Herodotus seat already held.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Carnelian is used in Burial.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats carnelian among the precious stones Gilgamesh offers in Enkidu’s funeral. Carnelian used in that burial-offering practice, not lapis as the blue stone already walked and not a second gem dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Altar is used in Prayer.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats altars among the prayers and offerings Gilgamesh and Enkidu make to Shamash before facing Humbaba. Altar used in that prayer practice, not a generic sacrifice dump and not temple as the larger house.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Drum is used in Lament.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats drum-class sound among mourning for Enkidu and the underworld neighborhood of the pukku. Drum used in that lament practice, not lyre as the stringed lament neighbor alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Lyre is used in Lament.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats stringed music among mourning speech for Enkidu. Lyre used in that lament practice, not drum as the pukku lament neighbor alone and not kithara as a Hellenic type-name.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Harp is used in Lament.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats stringed music among mourning for Enkidu; harp is the published large stringed instrument class beside lyre in that lament neighborhood. Harp used in that lament practice, not lyre as the already-walked lament string alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Bone box is used in Burial.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats funeral goods and remains-care among Enkidu’s burial offerings; bone-box is the published osseous-remains container in that burial neighborhood. Bone-box used in that burial practice, not coffer as the treasure chest already walked and not ash-chest as the ash container alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented
Ash chest is used in Burial.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats funeral offerings and the care of the dead after Enkidu; ash-chest is the published ash/remains chest in that burial neighborhood beside bone-box. Ash-chest used in that burial practice, not bone-box as the bone container alone and not coffer as treasure store alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented

element · 2

Water is associated with Flood.
The Gilgamesh flood is water as world-covering disaster, survived by Utnapishtim. It is not baptism and not Daoist softness.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
associated with · sourced · documented
Water is associated with Underworld.
Gilgamesh’s journeys include waters that bound the world of the dead and the far-away. Mesopotamian waters of the dead are not the Styx by another name until later readers say so.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
associated with · partially sourced · documented

phenomenon · 2

Eclipse is associated with Prophecy.
Mesopotamian omen series treat lunar and solar eclipses as signs that can be read for king and land. That is a cuneiform technical literature, not Ptolemy’s natal craft.
associated with · interpretive · culturally specific
Eclipse is associated with Omen.
Where an eclipse is treated as a sign, it is an omen. Mesopotamian series and later handbooks disagree on what it signs.
associated with · interpretive · culturally specific

text · 2

MUL.APIN is associated with Star.
The series lists stars and paths. Cuneiform astronomy, not Greek catasterism.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
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MUL.APIN is associated with Calendar.
The compendium is used for calendrical and stellar order. A Mesopotamian sky-book.
from Hermann Hunger and David Pingree · MUL.APIN, 1989 (this edition); tablets earlier
associated with · sourced · documented

concept · 1

Flood is associated with Rebirth.
Enuma Elish is a cosmogony of order from conflict, not a flood-survival tale. Keep Gilgamesh’s flood and creation-combat as related Mesopotamian files, not one plot.
from Enuma Elish, standard version often dated to the late 2nd millennium BCE
associated with · interpretive · culturally specific

word · 1

Funeral Oration is used in Burial.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats Gilgamesh’s spoken praise and farewell over Enkidu among funeral speech at the companion’s death. Funeral-oration used in that burial speech, not lament-performance as sung/performed lament alone.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
used in · sourced · documented