catal huyuk

In Anatolia there are signs of human habitation in caves from at least the stone age. there are also rock paintings and engravings of people and animals on the walls of these caves, such as those near Antalya and elsewhere.

Gobekli Tepe

To date, the most astonishing find is at Göbekli Tepe (Turkish for "Hill with a Tummy"), which is a hilltop sanctuary built on the highest point of an elongated mountain ridge about 15km northeast of the town of Şanlıurfa (Urfa) in southeast Turkey. This site, currently undergoing excavation by German and Turkish archaeologists, is said to have been erected by hunter-gatherers at perhaps 11,500 B.C. This is believed to be before the advent of sedentism (permanent year-round settlement). That claim however, does not seem logical. Note the finely carved pillars to support the roof, it doesn't seem like Hunter Gatherer Nomads would have acquired the skills to do such work. What use would Hunter Gatherer Nomads have for such a structure? Hunter Gatherer Nomads did not store food, they moved to find food, how would Hunter Gatherer Nomads feed themselves while building the site? In any event, it is currently considered the oldest known shrine or temple complex in the world. And the planet's oldest known example of monumental architecture.

Together with the site of Nevalı Çori, (which has since been inundated by the waters of a Dam across the Euphrates), it has revolutionized our understanding of the Anatolian stone age. At the oldest level, the buildings at Göbekli Tepe contain monolithic “T” shaped pillars, which link coarsely built walls, which form circular or oval buildings. So far four such buildings, with diameters between 33 ft. and 100 ft. have been uncovered. Geophysical studies suggest 16 more structures exist there.

The later Stratum II, dated to Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period (7,500 - 6,000 B.C.), revealed houses or temples that are round megalithic (large stone) buildings . The walls are made of unworked dry stone and include numerous T-shaped monolithic pillars of limestone that are up to 10 ft. high. Another bigger pair of pillars is placed in the center of the structure. The floors are made of terrazzo (burnt lime), and there is a low Bench running along the whole of the outside wall. The relief’s (carvings) on the pillars include foxes, lions, cattle, wild boars, herons, ducks, scorpions, ants and snakes. Some of the relief’s had been deliberately erased, maybe in preparation for new pictures. There are freestanding sculptures as well, that may represent wild boars or foxes. Comparable statues have been discovered in Nevalı Çori and Nahal Hemar.

Nevali Cori

At Nevali Cori, the local limestone was carved into numerous statues and stele, including a more than life-sized bare human head with a snake or sikha-like tuft, (sikha- a long tuft, or lock of hair left on top or on the back of the shaven head). There is also a statue of a bird. Some of the pillars also have carved relief's, including human hands. The free-standing anthropomorphic figures (attribution of human characteristics to non-human creatures), which are made of limestone, are Comparable to sculptures found at Göbekli Tepe; together they are the oldest known life-sized sculptures.

Also found at Nevali Cori, (pictures have not been released), were several hundred small clay figurines (about 2 in. high), most of them depicting humans, these have been interpreted as votive offerings. These figures were fired at temperatures between 500-600° C, which suggests the development of ceramic technology before the advent of pottery proper.

Mythological considerations
The excavator of the site, Klaus Schmidt, has engaged in some speculation regarding the belief systems of the people that created Göbekli Tepe. Based on comparisons with other shrines and settlements, he assumes that they had shamanic practices, and suggests that the T-shaped pillars may represent mythical creatures, perhaps ancestors. Whereas he sees a fully articulated belief in gods, only developing later in Mesopotamia, which has the associated extensive temples and palaces. 

This corresponds with the old Sumerian belief that agriculture, animal husbandry and weaving had been brought to humankind from the sacred mountain of Duku (Dulkug), which was inhabited by Annuna-deities, which were very ancient gods without individual names. Klaus Schmidt identifies this story as a primeval myth that preserves a partial memory of the Neolithic. It is also apparent that the animal and other images are peaceful in character and give no indications of organized violence.

Interestingly; the complex was not gradually abandoned and simply forgotten. Instead, it was deliberately covered over with soil. The builders obviously wanted it preserved for posterity.

Lake Burdur

Other Sites like Hacilar near Lake Burdur, have some of the earliest actual settlements, these from about 8,000 B.C. The people here were living in mud-brick houses with plastered walls and floors. Their homes were painted and burnished, like those in contemporary Jericho in Canaan. These earliest settlements were characterized by the planting of barley and sometimes wheat. But they produced no pottery, and the only domestic animal was the dog. 

Afterward, the site seems to have been abandoned for nearly a thousand years. But was then re-occupied in the late phase of the Stone Age, by villagers of a far more sophisticated culture. These people had advanced agriculture and pottery. Their houses were symmetrically arranged, and these people produced human-looking and large sized, fertility and goddess figures.

Catal Huyuk

At the site of Çatal hüyük, there is evidence of a town that was occupied from about 7,500 B.C. Here apart from extensive evidence of the obsidian tool industry, we also find an early form of metallurgy. Lead and copper were shaped into ornaments like pendants, beads, rings and small utilitarian tools. Like at Lake Burdur, we find houses with very elaborate architectural features in each space; like wall paintings, platforms, and cult spaces. The small family houses are knitted together with no streets, occasional open spaces between the buildings were used as garbage disposal areas. The houses had their entrances through a hole in the roof, which was accessed by a ladder. The hearth and the oven were placed directly below this hole in the roof, so that the hole in the roof also acted as the chimney for the house.

The housetops were mud-plastered terraces, which also acted as the communal outdoor space for the family. The houses were mostly of the same size and arrangement; each house had a rectangular room with a narrow storage space or a compartmentalized space along one side. The large rectangular living room would also have a built-in platform, used for a variety of activities in the house. The houses were built of a timber frame of posts and beams, which divided the walls into a series of horizontal and vertical panels, which were then filled with mudbrick and plastered over. Though the houses are built one against each other, they almost never share walls; each room has its own walls independent of the adjoining structure.

Some of the more elaborately decorated rooms were shrine rooms, which have plaster reliefs on the walls: these were made on a framework of reeds. A goddess figure giving birth is the most famous one; Rams and Stags were also common. There were also pillars with plaster bull’s heads and horns, as well as some paintings that depict the daily life and the religious beliefs of the Catal Huyuk inhabitants. The walls and platforms were plastered with fine white mud plaster over and over again, in some cases 120 layers of plaster were found on a single wall. So re-plastering the walls and floors annually or seasonally must have had some symbolic value for the society. Some of the walls were painted with hunting scenes, dominated by a huge red bull, and a series of small male figures. 




Another painted scene is of large stylized vulture-like birds depicted with small headless human beings; this is interpreted as a funerary ritual. When people died in Catal Huyuk they took the body out of the settlement and left it out in the open for birds to consume the flesh: and only after that, the bones were brought back to the house and buried under the platforms. [This is the exact funerary practice of later Persians in Elam, and Hebrews in Canaan, see below]. 
One of the most significant aspects of Çatal Huyük houses is the practice of burial under the floor of living spaces, usually with elaborate grave goods and sometimes, organic materials. At times, the burials are so intense that in one building, a total of 67 individuals were buried under one room, in a space of less than 30 square meters. Many fertility goddess figurines were also found, made of clay, and very fragile, (fired at low temperature), representing an obese female with exaggerated sexual organs: some depicted in the state of giving birth and accompanied by lions.

Ancestral Relationship between the Khoisan Grimaldi of Anatolia and the Hebrews and Persians.

The ancient Anatolian Burial Practice of de-fleshing the body, and then placing the bones in a container for burial: is unique and practiced by only two later cultures. Principal among them are the Persians of the Zoroastrian religion. Their practice was to place the body where it may be eaten by scavenging birds and animals or weathered to its bare bones, and then placed in a container for burial.

In Bombay India, the Parsis (as the Indian descendants of the Persian refugees from the Arab/Turk invasion are called) maintain “towers of silence” which are high circular towers. The dead are carried to the top, and funeral servants place them on stone beds surrounding a central pit. After the hovering vultures have stripped the flesh from the bones, the bones are gathered and placed into the central pit. 

The Hebrews - Around two thousand years ago, during the time that Jesus Christ lived, Hebrew burial tradition shifted to include a secondary burial in Ossuaries. This burial practice involved collecting the deceased’s bones after the flesh had been left to decompose and desiccate, and then placing them inside an Ossuary. The Ossuary was then placed into a loculus – a type of satchel.

These precise burial practices are unique to those mentioned people, and to no other people of the world. Logically then, the question must be asked: are they related? It is no stretch to connect the Hebrews with these ancient Anatolians: From the time of the less ancient Sumerians, the Hebrews (formally called Amorites), were known to be a nomadic people inhabiting the area formed by the conjunction of the borders of modern day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. The Bible suggests that the city of Harran (which is in the center of that area) is in the homeland of the Hebrews, and referrers to it by name. 

Genesis 11:31
"And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Harran, and dwelt there".

sumer2

The main cities of Sumer were Kish, Uruk (in the Bible, Erech), Ur, Sippar, Akshak, Larak, Nippur, Adab, Umma, Lagash, Bad-tibira, Larsa and others. Each of these City-states was comprised of a walled city and its surrounding villages and land. Each city worshiped its own deity, whose temple was the central structure of the city. Political power originally belonged to the citizens, as rivalry and wars between the various city-states increased, each adopted the institution of kingship, so as to have ready and permanent leadership when crisis arose.

Ziggurats

Unlike the Egyptians, the Sumerians did not build pyramids, instead they built Ziggurats. These Ziggurats were huge structures, made of brick and comparable in size to a pyramid. In appearance they resembled a step pyramid. But they were not tombs, these were temples, sometimes with terraces planted with trees, scrubs and flowers. Similar in use to pyramid temples in the Americas.  <<Click here for details and pictures of a Ziggurat>>

Pretty much all that we know of early Sumerian dynasties, is from Sumerian epic stories and the Sumerian king list, (written about 2100 B.C.). According to this king list - one of the earliest historical documents - eight kings of Sumer reigned before the famous flood of old testament fame.

A great Part of the method of dating this civilization is through the archeological record of a great flood of the Euphrates River, which happened at about 3200 B.C. This is very risky science though. For it is more likely that the flood the Sumerians were referring to in their kinglist, was an Ocean flood. Which raised the water level of the Gulf and submerged cites on the coast.

Sumerian Prehistory

Note should be taken: In the Sumerian king list, after listing the kings names and length of reign, we get the following summary: In 5 cities 8 kings; they ruled for241,200 years, then the flood swept over. {as always when dating these first civilizations, we are on shaky ground!} - we don't know what to make of those rather fantastic numbers, but they have spurred some really interesting religious cults around the world.

It is in the Sumerian story, the "Epic of Gilgamesh" that we are first introduced to "Noah" and the great flood. {We should note at this time, that Sumer is the original home of some of the people, who will later become known as the Hebrews}. Consequently there will be similarities between Sumerian stories and Hebrew stories.

It is indicated in the king list, that after the flood various city-states through war, became the temporary seat of power. Until about 2,800 B.C, when they were united under the rule of one king, Jucur of Kish. Nothing is known of the first sixteen kings of Jucur's dynasty, until Etana, the seventeenth king. It was he, who according to the ancient Sumerian - epic of Etana - with the aid of an Eagle that he had helped, was carried high up into the sky. Etana reached heaven and prostrated himself before the gods, (the tablet is broken, so we don't know how the story ends).

In any event, unity was never a permanent thing with Sumerians, first one king of a city would gain power by defeating the others, thus making himself king of all the lands, then the next king of another city would do the same, etc etc.

Continuing from the king list: Etana's dynasty was defeated by Meckiajgacer, king of E-ana. He was succeeded by his son Enmerkar (2,650 B.C.).  It is apparently under the reign of Enmerkar, that the people of E-ana build themselves a new city and named it Unug/Uruk.

It is at about this time that the famous "Standard of Ur" was supposedly made: Click here for pictures and information on the Standard. <<Click>>

As priest-king, Enmerkar is the Ensi (city king), of Uruk and the ritual husband of the Great Goddess Inanna. Enmerkar has as his epithet "he who build Uruk", and he is known from two epic stories, Enmerkar and the Lord of Arratta, and Enmerkar and En-suhgir-ana.

There is no known inscription or plaque that bears his name, so there is no archeological proof of his existence, other than the tablet texts of the epic stories. These tablet texts, refer to commercial and military contacts with a city called Aratta, (probably in modern day Iran), where the Sumerian goddess Inanna, and the god "Dumuzi" were worshiped. This could mean that the people of Aratta were also Sumerian. These epics are seen as proof of trade contacts with other lands. Enmerkar was the first king, according to legend, to write on clay tablets.

Note: The following is for casual interest only. The Bible is a Religious Book, not a History Book, the following relates to a Biblical story.

According to the researcher, David Robl: The original story of the Tower of Babel, may describe the last phase of the building of the great temple for the god Enki at Eridu, (biblical Babel). Which was begun in this Uruk Period { this is the archaeological era, which has been argued as being the time immediately following the biblical Great Flood}.

The Tower of Babel

It was in this era, that a massive platform was built over the original shrine of Enki, and the building of a new temple begun, on top of this platform. This was the first platform-temple to be built in Mesopotamia, and the prototype of the later stepped platform-temples which we know as the Ziggurats. When finished, it towered above the surrounding countryside, and was certainly a major architectural innovation. Robl believes that the biblical king Nimrod, son of Cush, was in fact king Enmerkar.

He continues: Cush (biblical son of Ham and grandson of Noah), fathered Nimrod, who was the first potentate on earth. Hence the saying, 'Like Nimrod a mighty hunter in the eyes of Yahweh'.

Biblically, the mainstays of Nimrods Empire were Babel, Erech and Akkad (Agade), all of them in the land of Shinar. Shinar is (biblical ancient Sumer), Akkad was the capital of the later Akkadian empire, (that city is still to be located). Biblical Erech is Uruk, and Babel, as we have seen, originally referred to Eridu.

But Nimrod himself has always eluded identification - until now. The trick was to realize that the element 'kar' in Enmerkar was the Sumerian word for 'hunter'. Thus the name consists of a nomen  plus an epithet - Enmer 'the hunter'. This was precisely the epithet in Genesis, used to describe Nimrod.

The next step was straightforward. Ancient Hebrew was originally written without vowels (as in the Dead Sea Scrolls). Vowel indicators were only added to the Masoretic manuscripts, from the 5th century A.D, onwards. So in early copies of Genesis the name Nimrod would simply have been written "nmrd". The name Enmer would also have been transcribed into Hebrew as 'nmr' - identical to Nimrod but for the last 'd'.

The Bible is well known for its play on words. Hebrew writers often translated foreign names into familiar Hebrew words, which they felt had appropriate meaning. In this case, they changed Sumerian 'nmr' to Hebrew 'nmrd', because the latter had the meaning 'rebel' - a perfect description for the king who defied God, by building a tower up to heaven.

elam ( ancient iran )

http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Sumer_Iraq_2.htm

Little is known of the cultures of Iran during the early Bronze ages. However, it is clear that during these early periods, the rugged broken landscape of the Iranian Plateau, forced man into a variety of relatively isolated cultures. These cultures did not participate in the developments, that led to the fully urban civilizations in Egypt and Mesopotamia to their west, or in the Indus Valley to their south.

Except for Elam, which was contemporary with its neighboring cultures in every way. Here they had the same high level of civilization as their neighbors, with the same agriculture, the same architecture (the Elamites built Ziggurats too), and the same technology in mathematics and the sciences. The center of Elam was (what is now) "Khuzestan". Though geographically, Elam included more than Khuzestan, it was a combination of the lowlands, and the immediate highland areas to the north and east. The major cities of Elam were, Awan, Anshan, Simash, and Susa. Susa later became Elam's capital.

Elam's strength was based on it's ability to hold these various areas together, under a coordinated government that permitted the maximum interchange of natural resources that were unique to each region. (Elam was, as Afghanistan is today, the worlds major source of lapis Lazuli, which was greatly prized). Traditionally this was done through a federated government structure. Closely related to this form of government, was the Elamite system of inheritance and power distribution. The normal pattern of government for Elam was that of a king or overlord, ruling over vassal princes.

In the earliest times, the king was required to live in Susa, which functioned as the federal capital. With him ruled his brother closest in age (the viceroy), who usually had his seat of government in the native city of the currently ruling king. This viceroy was heir presumptive to the king. Yet a third official, the regent or prince of Susa (the district), shared power with the king and the viceroy. He was usually the kings son, or if no son was available, his nephew. On the death of the king, the viceroy became king. The prince of Susa remained in office, and the brother of the old viceroy nearest to him in age became the new viceroy. Only if all brothers were dead, was the prince of Susa promoted to viceroy, thus enabling the king to name his own son (or nephew), as the new prince of Susa.

Such a complicated system of governmental checks, balances, and power inheritance, often broke down, despite bilateral descent and levirate marriage, ( the compulsory marriage of a widow to her deceased husband's brother). What is remarkable is how often the system did work; it was only in the Middle and Neo-Elamite periods that sons more often succeeded fathers to power. The Elamite people were closely tied, culturally and otherwise, to Mesopotamia. Later, perhaps because of domination by the Akkadian dynasty (2334-2154 BC), Elamites adopted the Sumerian-Akkadian system of writing (the cuneiform script).

Little is known of the Elamite pantheon, except to say that the Elamites, in their many excursions into Sumer, were very fond of carrying off huge Sumerian statues of their gods, and installing them in Susa.

Consequently, perhaps the best way to think of the Elamites and their cities, is simply as an extension of Sumer and its cities. The two countries were culturally pretty much the same, and the people were ethnically the same - as attested to by later Assyrian relief's of the two peoples, in appearance and dress, they are indistinguishable one from the other.

Politically, Elam was closely involved with Sumer, Akkad, and Assyria, sometimes through peaceful trade, more often through war. In like manner, Elam was often a participant in the events of the Iranian Plateau. These involvements were related to the combined need of all the lowland civilizations to control the warlike peoples to the east, and to exploit the economic resources of the plateau.

The earliest kings in the Old Elamite period, may date to approximately 3,000 B.C. Already conflict with Sumer, especially with the city of Ur, was characteristic of Elamite history. In one case, according to the Sumerian King list, “Sumerian king Enmenbaragesi, made Elam submit”. The early Susa rulers were succeeded by the Awan (Shustar) dynasty. An early king of this dynasty, returned the favor to Sumer, he attacked and defeated Ur, and Elam ruled Sumer for the next 350 years.

Elamite rule was broken when King Susuda of Kish defeated the Elamites. There soon appeared a new ruling house in Elam, the Simash dynasty, (Simash may have been in the mountains of southern Luristan). The most notable event of this period, was the virtual conquest of Elam by King Shulgi of the 3rd dynasty of Ur (2094–2047 BC). Eventually the Elamites rose in rebellion, and overthrew the 3rd Ur dynasty, an event long remembered in Mesopotamian dirges and omen texts.

At about 1900 B.C, power in Elam passed to a new dynasty, that of Eparti. The third king of this line "Shirukdukh" was active in various military coalitions against the rising power of Babylon, but Hammurabi (1792–1750 B.C.) was not to be denied, and Elam was crushed in 1764 B.C. The Old Babylon kingdom however, fell into rapid decline following the death of Hammurabi, and it was not long before the Elamites were able to gain revenge.

Elamite king "Kutir-Nahhunte I" attacked Samsuiluna (1749–1712 B.C.) Hammurabi's son, and dealt so serious a defeat to the Babylonians that the event was remembered more than 1,000 years later in an inscription of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal. It may be assumed that with this stroke Elam once again gained independence. The end of the Eparti dynasty, which may have come in the late 16th century B.C, is buried in silence.

sumer3

http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Sumer_Iraq_2.htm

Ancient Man and His First Civilizations

Sumer-3

Modern Iraq

When last we left Sumer, the so-called "Tower of Babel" had just been built.

 

Uruk-agina

It is now, many dynasties and many kings later. The kingship has been taken to the city of Lagash. "Uruk-agina" is the last and most pious king of this dynasty in Lagash, he is also called Uru-Inimgina. Uruk-agina had introduced many social reforms, and enacted edicts related to the problem of enslavements caused by the running up of debts. High interest rates on capital (as much as 33.3 percent), has often led to enslaving one's own children temporarily, until the debts were paid off. Uruk-agina remits these debts by decree.

Uruk-agina himself, was a usurper, The previous rulers of Lagash, especially the previous two usurpers installed by the priesthood, had terribly oppressed the people, both economically and militarily. There was excessive taxes on such occasions as weddings and funerals, and land was "bought" by government officials, at far below market value. He claimed to have been chosen by the god Ningirsu, to end the oppression of the poor. He destroyed much of the old bureaucracy. For the priests, he cut their income, and ended their influence. He created a near idyllic state, but in so doing, he weakened Lagash to the point where it could no longer defend itself, (not enough money was coming to the royal treasury). This weakness encouraged Lugal-zaggessi of Unug to attack.

Lugal-zaggesi

Lugal-zaggessi of Unug sacked Lagash, and burnt all of its holy temples. The priests of Lagash, who Uruk-agina had chastised, may have aided Lugal-zaggessi. Uruk-agina fled to the town of Girsu, which was a possession of Lagash, but did not seem to have fallen to Unug. Here he disappears from history. The documents proclaiming his reforms are the oldest in history, to speak of freedom.

After his victory, King Lugal-zaggesi offered a prayer.

May the lands lie peacefully in the meadows. May all mankind thrive like plants and herbs; may the sheepfolds of "An" increase; may the people of the Land look upon a fair earth; the good fortune which the gods have decreed for me, may they never alter; and unto eternity may I be the foremost shepherd.

Lets take a pause now to look at something unusual: Unfortunately, seemingly all of the ancient civilizations - in their early stages - engaged in the practice of killing the royal courtiers, and burying them with the deceased King or Queen, so that they may serve the deceased king/Queen in the afterlife. The discovery by archaeologist Leonard Woolley, of the royal tombs at Ur, bear proof of this practice.

 

 

The royal tomb of Queen Puabi

The royal cemetery tomb of Queen "Puabi" at Ur, like the tomb of King Tutankhamun of Egypt, was an especially extraordinary find, because it was intact and had escaped looting throughout the millennias. The tomb featured a vaulted chamber set at the bottom of a deep "death pit"; the lady was buried lying on a wooden bier. She was identified by a cylinder seal bearing her name, which was found on her body. The seal was carved in cuneiform and written in Sumerian.

Barely five feet tall, Puabi was about 40 years old when she died, she was buried with her servants. The burial party, adorned with fine jewelry, had apparently been celebrating with an elaborate feast, just prior to their burial.

Queen Puabi wore an elaborate headdress of gold leaves, gold ribbons, strands of lapis lazuli and carnelian beads, a tall comb of gold, chokers, necklaces, and a pair of large, crescent-shaped earrings. Her upper body was covered in strings of beads, made of precious metals and semi-precious stones, stretching from her shoulders to her belt, while rings decorated all her fingers.

As to the courtiers, no one knows whether the courtiers willingly committed suicide, or if they "unknowingly" were poisoned. Click here for Pictures of more artifacts from the tomb. <<Click>>

 

Sargon I - The Akkadians

Now back to our history: By Lugal-zaggesi's time, the nearest Semites (Speakers of the Egyptian Language, living in the land just north of Sumer), were serving as mercenaries in the Sumerian armies. We do not know what these people called their central Mesopotamian homeland. So we refer to them as Akkadians, because of the city "Sargon I" will later build there, named Agade.

Sargon is known almost entirely from the legends and tales that followed his reputation throughout Mesopotamian history: not from documents that were written during his lifetime. This lack of contemporary record is explained by the fact that the capital city of Agade, which he built, has never been located and excavated.  It was destroyed at the end of the dynasty that Sargon founded, and was never again inhabited, at least under the name of Agade.

According to folktale, Sargon was a self-made man of humble origins. According to legend: a gardener, having found him as a baby floating in a basket on the river, brought him up in his own calling (sound familiar?). His father is unknown; his own name during his childhood is also unknown; his mother is said to have been a minor priestess (temple prostitute?), in a town on the middle Euphrates.

Rising therefore, without the help of influential relations, he attained the post of cupbearer to the Ensi of the city of Kish, which is in the north of Sumer. The event that would bring him to supremacy was the later defeat of King Lugal-zaggisi of Uruk. Lugal-zaggisi had already united the city-states of Sumer by defeating each in turn, and he claimed to rule the lands, not only of the Sumerian city-states, but also those as far west as the Mediterranean sea. But before Sargon can take on Lugal-zaggisi, he must first take Kish.

Now then, here is part of the story of how, Sargon I - "Sargon the Great" became king of Kish. The tablet that this story is taken from was damaged and incomplete.

One day, after the evening had arrived and Sargon had brought the regular deliveries to the palace, Ur- Zababa of Kish, was sleeping (and dreaming) in the holy bedchamber, his holy residence. He realized what the dream was about, but did not put it into words, did not discuss it with anyone. After Sargon had received the regular deliveries for the palace, Ur- Zababa appointed him cupbearer, putting him in charge of the drinks cupboard. Holy Inana did not cease to stand by him.

After five or ten days had passed, king Ur- Zababa ...(missing)... and became frightened in his residence. Like a lion he urinated, sprinkling his legs, and the urine contained blood and puss. He was troubled, he was afraid like a fish floundering in brackish water.

It was then that the cupbearer of Ezina's wine-house - Sargon, lay down not to sleep, but lay down to dream. In the dream, holy Inana drowned Ur- Zababa, in a river of blood. The sleeping Sargon groaned and gnawed the ground. When king Ur- Zababa heard about this groaning, Sargon was brought into the king's holy presence, Sargon was brought into the presence of Ur- Zababa, who said: "Cupbearer, was a dream revealed to you in the night?" Sargon answered his king: My king, this is my dream, which I will tell you about: There was a young woman, who was as high as the heavens and as broad as the earth. She was as firmly set as the base of a wall. For me, she drowned you in a great river, a river of blood.

Ur- Zababa chewed his lips, he became seriously afraid. He spoke to ...(missing)..., his chancellor: "My royal sister, holy Inana, is going to change (?) my finger into a ..(missing).... of blood; she will drown Sargon the cupbearer, in the great river. Belic-tikal, chief smith, man of my choosing, who can write tablets. I will give you orders, let my orders be carried out! Let my advice be followed! Now then, when the cupbearer has delivered my bronze hand-mirror (?) to you, in the E-sikil, the fated house, throw them (the mirror and Sargon) into the mould like statues."

For lack of space, we must cut the story short. To summarize, Ur-Zababa's plan fails, Sargon is not killed by Belic-tikal, but rather Sargon kills Ur-Zababa and becomes king of Kish. With Kish as his base, he goes on to conquer the other cities. Victory was ensured however, only by numerous battles, since each city hoped to regain its independence from Lugalzaggisi without submitting to the new overlord Sargon.

Thus, Sargon became king over all of southern Mesopotamia, the first great ruler for whom, rather than Sumerian, the Semitic tongue known as Akkadian was natural from birth. It may have been before these exploits, when he was gathering followers and an army, that Sargon named himself Sharru-kin (“Rightful King”) in support of an accession not achieved in this old established city through normal hereditary succession. Historical records are still so meager however, that there is a complete gap in information relating to this period. After he is king, we get this bit of propaganda.

The Legend of Sargon translation. (incomplete)

1. Sargon, the mighty king, king of Akkadê am I,

2. My mother was lowly; my father I did not know;

3. The brother of my father dwelt in the mountain.

4. My city is Azupiranu, which is situated on the bank of the Purattu [Euphrates],

5. My lowly mother conceived me, in secret she brought me forth.

6. She placed me in a basket of reeds, she closed my entrance with bitumen,

7. She cast me upon the rivers which did not overflow me.

8. The river carried me, it brought me to Akki, the irrigator.

9. Akki, the irrigator, in the goodness of his heart lifted me out,

10. Akki, the irrigator, as his own son brought me up;

11. Akki, the irrigator, as his gardener appointed me.

12. When I was a gardener the goddess Ishtar loved me,

13. And for four years I ruled the kingdom.

14. The black-headed peoples I ruled, I governed;

15. Mighty mountains with axes of bronze I destroyed (?). etc. etc. etc.

Sargon was an ambitious king, not content with just dominating Sumer. He continued on to defeat cities along the middle Euphrates and into northern Syria and the silver-rich mountains of southern Anatolia. He also dominated Susa, a city-state in Elam, which encompassed the Zagros Mountains of western Iran. Elam is also where the only truly contemporary record of his reign has been uncovered.

It is said that such was his fame that some merchants in a central Anatolian city, (central modern Turkey), begged him to intervene in a local quarrel, and according to the legend: Sargon with a band of warriors, made a fabulous journey to this still un-located city of Burushanda (Purshahanda), at the end of which, little more than his appearance was needed to settle the dispute.



During Sargons reign, commercial connections flourished with the Indus Valley, the coast of Oman, the islands and shores of the Persian Gulf, the lapis lazuli mines of Badakhshan, cedar wood came from Canaan (modern Lebanon), also trade with the silver-rich Taurus Mountains, Cappadocia, Crete, and perhaps Greece. It was during Sargon's rule that Akkadian became adapted to the script of the Sumerian language.
Because contemporary record is lacking, no sequence can be given for the events of his reign. Neither the number of years during which he lived nor the point in time at which he ruled can be fixed exactly; 2334 B.C. is now given as a date on which to hang the beginning of the dynasty of Agade, and according to the Sumerian king list, he was king for 56 years. As a testament to his legacy, two later Assyrian kings were named in his honor.
Upon Sargons death, Rimush (2315-2306 B.C.), son of Sargon became king. Upon ascension he put down rebellions in Ur, Umma, Adab, Der, Lagash, and Kazallu in Sumer. Also Elam and Barakhshi in Iran, but he probably lost Syria. Palace intrigue led to his assassination, possibly by supporters of his brother Manishtusu. He was assassinated by having his head bashed in with a clay tablet.

Manishtusu  (2306-2291 B.C.) - Either Rimush's older brother or his twin. The power of the Empire continued to wane, Manishtusu had to put down a coalition of 32 rebel kings. Though he did lose some ground, he did retain control of Assyria and Sumer. He then invaded the Oman region and defeated the local kings there. Court documents record him buying land from private citizens, indicating that the Kings there were not absolute and they did not control all of the land. An inscription was found from the reign of the Assyrian king Shamshi-Adad I, that stated that Manishtushu founded the famous temple of Ishtar in Nineveh. Manishtusu died in a palace revolt.

Naram-Sin (2291 2254 B.C.), Son of Manishtushu became king. He defeated a rebel coalition in Sumer and re- established Akkadian power. Naram-Sin pushed the boundaries of the Empire to the Zagros mountains. He re-conquered Syria, the area now called Lebanon and the Taurus mountains, destroying Aleppo and Mari in the process. The Oman area revolted, and Naram-Sin had to invade and defeat their King Mandannu. He also invaded Anatolia as far as Dierbakir. He called himself the "King of the Four Quarters" and the "God of Agade", thus making himself the first Mesopotamian king to declare himselfdivine.
Naram-Sin appointed his daughters as Priestess' and sons as Governors. Even with all this military expansion, he still had to continually put down rebellions. In fact, the Lullubi, a people of the Sherizor plain in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran, successfully pushed out the Akkadians under their king Annubanin, just a short time after Naram-Sin had subjugated them.

King Anubanini of the Lullubi

The Gutians - a people from the mountains northeast of Sumer (modern Iran) - invaded at the end of Naram-Sin's reign, causing great destruction and the break down of communications. The Gutian invasion was said by the Sumerians to be divine judgment for Naram-Sin's destruction of Enlil's temple at Nippur. A Sumerian Poem "The cursing of Agade" was composed in testament. Click Here for the Poem <<Click>>

One of the first cities that the Gutians take is Umma, a city in the eastern part of Sumer. Umma, which had experienced a resurgence in power during the rebellion against Agade, once again fell upon hard times. It was not until Umma submitted to Gutian rule did they begin to recover.

The "benign" subjection of Umma, probably prompted Ur-Bau, Ensi of Lagash, (a nearby city which also controlled the old capital of Ur - photo left), to establish a pro-Gutian government also. This move allowed Lagash to go unmolested by the Gutians and prosper.
Upon the death of Naram-Sin, his son Shar-Kali-Sharri (2254-2230 B.C.) became king. He tried to shore up the Empire and undo the damage caused by his father's policy's. Shar-Kali-Sharri fought well to preserve the realm and he won numerous battles, including one against the Amorites in Syria, but Elam declared independence and threw off the Akkadian language.
Shar-Kali-Sharri continually had to fight the Lullubi, Amorites, and Gutians. The Hurrians also contested with him for Assyria and northern Syria, Sumer then exploded in revolt. The Empire disintegrated under rebellion and invasion, he ended up ruling only the city of Agade. He is called the King of Agade, instead of earlier grandiose claims. He was killed in a palace revolt, his reign signaled the end of the Empire.

Of the Akkadian kings after Shar-kali-sharri, only the names and a few brief inscriptions have survived. Quarrels arose over the succession, and the dynasty went under, Two factors contributed to its downfall: the invasion of the nomadic Amurrus (Amorites), called "Martu" by the Sumerians, and the infiltration of the Gutians. According to the Sumerian king list, Sargons dynasty lasted 157 years. The last king of his dynasty was Car-kali-carri. Then there was a series of 11 other Akkadian kings who ruled for another 181 years.

Then the last Akkadian king, "Ilulu" was defeated by Sumerian king Ur-nijin of Unug. In Unug 3 kings ruled for 47 years, then Unug also was defeated by the Gutium. The Sumerians didn't think too much of the Gutians: here's what they had to say about them.

"They are not classed among people, not reckoned as part of the land
Gutian people who know no inhibitions,
With human intelligence but canine instinct and monkey's features"

(Unfortunately we have no pictures of the Gutians)

anvcient sumer

http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/sumer_Iraq_4a.htm

Ancient Man and His First Civilizations

Sumer-7

Modern Iraq

When last we left Sumer, the Assyrians had ascended and were trying to conquer the world, as cruelly as possible.

The Chaldeans

Meanwhile, The Sumerians {now called Chaldeans}, who inhabited the coastal area of Sumer near the Persian Gulf, had never been entirely pacified by the Assyrians.

Marduk-apla-iddina II (the biblical Merodach-Baladan - "Marduk has given me an Heir") (reigned 722 B.C. – 710 B.C.)( 703 B.C. – 702 B.C.) was a Chaldean prince who usurped the Babylonian throne in 721 B.C. He maintained Babylonian independence in the face of Assyrian military supremacy for more than a decade. Sargon II suppressed the allies of Marduk-apla-iddina II in Aram and Israel, and eventually drove him from Babylon in 710 B.C. After the death of Sargon II, Marduk-apla-iddina IIreturned from Elam and ignited all the Arameans in Babylon into rebellion. He was able to enter Babylon and be declared king again. Nine months later he was defeated near Kish, but escaped to Elam. He died in exile a couple of years later.

Sennacherib - Son of Sargon II (704 – 681 B.C.)
During his reign Sennacherib encountered various problems with Babylonia. His first campaign took place in 703 BC against Marduk-apla-iddina II who had seized the throne of Babylon and gathered an alliance supported by Chaldeans, Aramaeans, and Elamites. We can date the visit of Babylonian ambassadors to Hezekiah of Judah in this period. The allies wanted to make use of the unrest that arose at the accession of Sennacherib. In his attack, Sennacherib split his army and had one part attack the enemy stationed at Kish, while he and the rest of the army proceeded to capture the city of Cutha. After that was done the king returned swiftly to aid the rest of his army. The rebellion was defeated and Marduk-apla-iddina II fled. Babylon was taken, and its palace plundered but its citizens were left unharmed.

The Assyrians searched for Marduk-apla-iddina II, especially in the southern marshes, but he was not found. The rebellious forces in the Babylonian cities were wiped out, and a Babylonian named Bel-ibni, who was raised at the Assyrian court was placed on the throne. When the Assyrians left, Marduk-apla-iddina II started to prepare another rebellion. In 700 B.C. the Assyrian army returned to fight the rebels in the marshes again. Not surprisingly, Marduk-apla-iddina II fled again to Elam and died there.

Bel-Ibni proved to be disloyal to Assyria and was taken back a prisoner. Sennacherib tried to solve the problem of the Babylonian rebellion by placing someone loyal to him on the throne, namely his son Ashur-nadin-shumi. It didn’t help, another campaign was led six years later in 694 B.C, to destroy the Elamite base on the shore of the Persian Gulf. To accomplish this, Sennacherib had obtained Phoenician and Syrian boats which sailed with the rest of his army down the Tigris to the sea. The Phoenicians were not used to the tide of the Persian Gulf which caused a delay.







The Assyrians battled the Chaldeans at the river Ulaya and won the day. In 694 B.C, While the Assyrians were busy at the Persian Gulf, the Elamites invaded northern Babylonia in a complete surprise. Sennacherib's son was captured and taken to Elam where he was murdered, his throne was taken over by Nergal-Ushezib. The Assyrians fought their way back north and captured various cities, in the meanwhile a year had passed as it was now 693 B.C.

A large battle was fought against the Babylonian rebels at Nippur, their king was captured and in turn taken to Nineveh. For the loss of his son Sennacherib launched another campaign into Elam where his army started to plunder cities. The Elamite king fled to the mountains and Sennacherib was forced to return home because of the coming winter. Another rebellion leader, named Mushezib-Marduk claimed the Babylonian throne and was supported by Elam. The last great battle was fought in 691 B.C. with an uncertain result which enabled Mushezib-Marduk to remain on the throne for another two years. This was only a brief respite because shortly afterwards Babylon was again besieged and felll in 689 BC. Sennacherib claimed to have destroyed the city and indeed the city was unoccupied for several years.

At about 630 B.C, "Nabopolassar" became king of the Chaldeans, and in 626 B.C, he forced the Assyrians out of Uruk and crowned himself king of Babylonia. He then began wars aimed at the destruction of Assyria. By dynastic marriage, an alliance was made with Media, the two allies then attacked and destroyed the Assyrian Empire. In 605 B.C, Nabopolassar died in Babylon.

His son Nebuchadrezzar II, then became king. Nebuchadrezzar II's interest however, was in conquest and booty. He did particular damage in Canaan, where many Hebrews were forced into Babylonian exile.

Upon his death Awil-Marduk (called Evil-Merodach in the Old Testament) became king. His policies, as well as those of the next king, his brother-in law, "Neriglissar" were the same as those of Nebuchadrezzar II, namely conquest and booty.

After the death of Neriglissar, an Aramaean from Harran named "Nabonidus" became king, the circumstances of his ascension are unknown. He made a defense treaty with Median king Astyages, as a defense against the Persians, who were becoming a growing threat under their king Cyrus II. He devoted himself to renovating old temples, taking a special interest in old inscriptions, perhaps in reverence for the ancient Amorite dynasty of Hammurabi. He also gave preference to the god Sin over the Babylonian god Marduk, thus creating powerful enemies in the Marduk priesthood.

 

The Persian Conquest

For reasons unknown, Nabonidus left Babylon to reside in northern Arabia, leaving his son Belshazzar as viceroy in Babylon. Ten years later, Nabonidus returned to Babylonia because of growing opposition to his rule, no doubt incited by the Marduk priesthood. He appointed his daughter, high priestess of the Sin temple in Ur, in an apparent attempt to bypass the Marduk priesthood. With this, the priests of Marduk looked to Cyrus, hoping to have better relations with him, than they had with Nabonidus. They promised Cyrus the surrender of Babylon without a fight if he would restore their position and privileges.

So with that, we end our Sumer section. The rest of Sumers history, will now be told from the Persian view.

Turks Rule Black Lands! In these pages, we have made every effort to clearly say, and prove, that the White, and White-like, rulers and ruling elite in the former lands of Black civilizations, are not who they claim to be. Specifically; those of Egypt are NOT Egyptians, those of North Africa are NOT Berbers, those of Arabia are NOT Arabs, those of Palestine are NOT Hebrews, those of Lebanon are NOT Phoenicians, those of Iraq are NOT Mesopotamian's, those of Iran are NOT Persians or Elamites, those of Turkey are NOT Anatolians - THEY ARE ALL CENTRAL ASIAN TURKS! That said with the understanding that in earlier times, Greeks and Romans settled in these areas: and in North Africa, they were followed by Alan's, Vandals, and Goths. And also in the 19th. century, French and Italians invaded, and settled in North Africa. And with the understanding that when the Turks of the Ottoman Empire, relinquished hegemony over those lands after WW I, they and the European powers, merely handed control over to local Turk elites. But understanding that our say-so, and proofs, may be insufficient for some: We quote the eminent François Auguste Ferdinand Mariette (1821 – 1881) French scholar, Archaeologist, Egyptologist, and the founder of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. We quote from his book: "OUTLINES OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN HISTORY" TRANSLATED AND EDITED, WITH NOTES, BY MARY BRODRICK With, an Introductory Note by William C. Winslow, D.D., D.C.L. LL.D., Vice-President of the Egypt Exploration Fund for the United States CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, NEW YORK, 1892 Page 28 Click here for link to Online Book Here he is discussing the origins of the Hyksos: Quote: "How often do we see in Eastern monarchies and even in European states a difference of origin between the ruling class, to which the royal family belongs, and the mass of the people! We need not leave Western Asia and Egypt; we find there Turks ruling over nations to the race of which they do not belong, although they have adopted their religion. In the same way as the Turks of Baghdad, who are Finns, now reign over Semites, Turanian kings may have led into Egypt and governed a population of mixed origin where the Semitic element was prevalent. If we consider the mixing up of races which took place in Mesopotamia in remote ages, the invasions which the country had to suffer, the repeated conflicts of which it was the theatre, there is nothing extraordinary that populations coming out of this land should have presented a variety of races and origins." How grotesque then, that the Turk, Zahi Hawass, the Vice Minister of Culture in Egypt: makes pronouncements about the non-Black nature of ancient Egyptians. When he does so, only to hide the true nature of his own people, and the illegitimacy of their presence in, and rule over Egypt.

The Ottoman Empire

Eventually a new people "The Turks" will rule this land. The Muslim conquest; of which Turks and Greeks were the major component, will lead to the creation of the last great Middle-Eastern Empire, that of the Ottoman Turks. The power and influence of the Turkic Ottoman Empire was pervasive in all areas until it's breakup just after World War I. As with all great Empires; the Ottoman Empire had it's own religion, the Muslim religion of the Prophet Mohammad - Islam. Which during the duration of the Ottoman Empire, was termed the Turkish religion, rather than the Arab religion. Islam was spread as the Ottoman Empire expanded. Today, the world-wide acceptance and practice of Islam is due to the power and influence of the great Ottoman Empire. This was in conformity with other Empires established by migrants from the Eurasian plains.Earlier the Romans had accepted and adapted one branch of the Hebrew religion (Christianity), and made it their own. Thus making it a de facto European religion, Christianity was spread as the Roman Empire expanded. Today, the world-wide acceptance and practice of Christianity is due to the Romans and other Europeans they influenced, not to the Hebrews, who considered Christianity, a Hebrew "only" religion. Another Turkic group "the Khazars" who in the late 6th century A.D, had established a major commercial Empire covering the Caucasus region of Russia, accepted and adapted the Main Hebrew religion; thus also making it a de facto European religion. It is often times calledJudaism or the Jewish religion, the origin of the term "Jewish" is however unknown, Hebrews did not call themselves Jews. Today, because of the long duration of the Turkic Ottoman Empire (1299 - 1922), and the great influx of Turkic peoples throughout the centuries: The ruling elite of Egypt, North Africa and the Entire Middle-East is predominantly of Turkic stock, rather than the common perception of Arab stock. Though the term "Arab" is used as the common unifier of the various ethnicity's of the Middle-East. Please see the Anatolia-3 page, for a history of the Turkic peoples.

myth

http://www.mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_chinese_full.htm

CHINESE CREATION

In the beginning, there was an enormous egg containing chaos. On the inside the chaos raged on and on- both yin and yang were mixed together. All the opposites were writhing together; male and female, cold and hot, wet and dry, dark and light.

Finally the egg burst open, and out leapt the giant dragon Pan-gu. Yin and yang swirled around him and he pushed the two shell halves apart. Thus the opposites were separated and the earth began to take shape.

Every day for 18,000 years Pan-gu grew ten feet – thus the sky was raised a little higher every day. Once the sky was 30,000 miles above the ground, Pan-gu stopped and began to hammer out the mountains and fill the valley with water to form great oceans.

He created rivers with his fingers and stamped the earth down to create flat lands. He gathered raw light and tossed them into the sky to become stars.

After 18,000 years, Pan-gu had grown old and tired. He had made the world with his hands and formed the basic principles of yin and yang. He wanted to lay down and sleep forever. Once he lay down he never rose again. When Pan-gu died, his body formed huge mountains. His skull formed the top of the sky, his hair formed all flowers and plants, his bones turned to jade and pearl and his arms and legs the four directions.

His blood became the rivers, his breath turned into the wind and his voice to thunder. One eye became the sun and the other the moon.

For many years the world was a very beautiful place but also lonely; there were no people.

The half-dragon goddess Nuwa was born after Pan-gu died, from part of the mixture of yin and yang that he had separated. She decided to create humans to have some other beings to talk to and share ideas with, but mostly just to love.

Nuwa went down to the edge of the Yellow River where there were vast, soft mud banks. She began forming figures out of clay.  She decided that it would be much more practical for her creations to have legs instead of a dragon tail, thus her humans were not made in her image.

No sooner did she set the first little mud man on the ground did he start to jump, and dance and sing. He began to speak. “Look at me!”

Nuwa was delighted and began making more and more humans.

She made hundreds and hundreds of mud humans, but soon realized that it would take centuries for her to make enough people to fill the vast earth completely. Nuwa grabbed hold of a muddy stick and flung drops of mud across the land.

As the sun dried each drop, it became a new man or woman. Some say that these humans were the less intelligent ones. Those formed by Nuwa’s own hands became great leaders.

She told them to go and populate the earth. As they grew she loved them and protected them, and was revered as the mother of all humans.

marduk ancient king of mesopotamia

Ancient Mesopotamia for KidsMyth: How Marduk Became King
 of ALL the Ancient Babylonian Gods

The Problem: Once upon a time, a long time ago, the gods in the heavens wanted to rid themselves of the evil goddess Tiamat. Although every good god agreed that this was a great plan, no one wished to battle the evil goddess Tiamat, as she was very powerful.  The Good Guys: In desperation, Ea, the wise water god, decided that Marduk had the best chance of defeating the evil goddess. True, Marduk was young, but he had many powerful skills and was very quick witted. Ea asked Marduk if he would be willing to challenge the evil goddess Tiamat on behalf of all the Good Gods. Marduk’s Terms: If he took the job, Marduk knew he would have quite a fight on his hands. Marduk thought it over. He told Ea he would try to conquer evil if the good gods agreed to his terms. The good gods had to promise to reward Marduk with thepermanent position of Chief of the Gods if he battled the evil goddess Tiamat and won.

Ea’s Tricky Plan: Ea knew he could not make such a deal on his own. Something of such importance would need the approval of the entire Assembly of the Gods. Ea was pretty sure that a lot of the gods would not be happy about this, especially the older ones who typically teamed up so their collective vote often ruled the day. Ea decided to throw a banquet and invite the entire Assembly to the party. He really went all out to lull the gods into a peaceful and happy state. Ea had his servants serve mounds of pancakes, a most favorite and sought after food in ancient Mesopotamia. He ordered many huge vases, brimming with delicious date wine, be placed on the floor around the banquet table. Each god was given a tube (somewhat like a very long straw) to use to drink from the vases of wine. He had musicians play soft music on their pipes, accompanied by the bleating of live sheep, which was thought to be a most restful sound. The combination of pancakes and date wine and the bleating of sheep put all the good gods in such a great mood that the entire Assembly agreed to Marduk’s terms. Besides, the gods really did not think the boy had a chance. The Battle:  Marduk armed himself with a bow and several arrows, a thunderous club, a net of storms, and a saw-toothed lightning dagger. He went in search of Tiamat. Rolling his thunder and storms before him, Marduk fought one monster after another that the evil goddess Tiamat kept creating and throwing in his way. Each time he killed a monster, he moved closer to the evil goddess Tiamat. One day, he got close enough to catch her in his nets! Tiamat howled with fury. Before she could conjure yet another monster, Marduk shot an arrow down her howling throat, and killed her!   The mighty Marduk took his club and split Tiamat’s body in half. He placed half of her body in the sky and made the heavens. He posted guards to make sure she did not escape and gave them twinkling lights to show that all was well. He created the moon to guard the heavens, and set it moving back and forth, on endless patrol. With the other half of Tiamat's body he made the land. From each of her eyes, he set a river flowing. One eye made the Tigris River. The other eye watered the Euphrates River. He planted fields of grain and vegetables, and blessed the land with rain and cows and forests and orchards. Why humans were first put on the earth: Marduk told the gods who had supported Tiamat that they had to work the fields and tend the canals as punishment. These gods soon complained of all the work they had to do. They burnt their spades and baskets in protest.  Marduk, with an eye on the future, offered the gods a deal. If they agreed to recognize Marduk for all time as the Chief of all the gods, he would release them and find others to do the work in their place. That’s how humans were first put upon the earth. Marduk created humans to do the work, to till and hoe, to tend the canals and animals, and to worship all the gods at festivals.  Chief of the Assembly of Gods: Impressed, and as promised, the gods awarded Marduk with the permanent position of first Chief, leader of the Assembly of all the Gods. To this day, Marduk’s symbol is the saw-toothed lightening dagger that he holds in his belt, his trusty weapon that still helps him keep order in the heavens.