The ancient Sumerian courtyard

[Jim_Duyer]

If we have any questions about the composition of a King's Court during the Middle Ages, we only need to pick up one of the many tomes on Camelot during the time of King Arthur. Dozens of authors have reported on this, over hundreds of years, and to many of us it is as familiar as our own modern government.

And the Babylonians of 2000 BC and later are well represented in this type of literature, since they were prolific writers themselves; the escapades of the hero Gilgamesh are fresh in the minds of most of our students.  But why have we heard very little about the earliest civilizations in the land between the rivers  - those Sumerians from 3500 BC and earlier?

Archaeologists can tell quite a bit about a culture from the goods and services that they evidenced with artifacts, [truth be told, most archaeologists are dumpster divers of a sort] but a report of what they themselves felt were the ideal requisites for the successful operation of a kingdom tells us even more about their values and desires.  I haven't seen anything like this published previously.

I have found that the Sumerian scribes had a habit, a quirk actually, and one which perhaps led to our current ignorance about their civilization.  They believed that most intelligent people would understand that no sane person would mount a trade caravan simply to deliver one of each item on a long list.  It would not be economically feasible to deliver say, one cow, one slave, one basket of wheat, and especially not over long distances of desert lands.

And so they often added a single digit number one to the left of their lines on tablets, perhaps because the number one also indicates  "first, principal, primarily" and thus it was their way to begin a report.   But they miscalculated with our modern scholars, because it seems that whenever our ancient language translators see numbers in front of lines of text, they automatically assume it is a commercial tablet, and usually leave these un-translated. Too many texts, too few qualified translators, and not enough funding - the usual excuses.

It's difficult to puzzle out some of the pictographic glyphs in Sumerian writing - those done in the very earliest period of their history - some few thousands of years before they came out with the classical style of cuneiform writing that we are most familiar with today.  And thus the number of qualified translators shrinks even further.

I decided to translate one of these pictographic examples, specifically the tablet denoted CDLI no. P000161.  Here are a few of the details that are furnished in the tablet entry, and a link to that tablet, if you wish to examine it:

Publication date        2015 ff.
Collection        Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin, Germany
Provenience        Uruk (mod. Warka)
Excavation no.        W 17942
Period        Uruk III (ca. 3200-3000 BC)
Language        undetermined
Sub-genre        Archaic Lu2 A (witness)
Translation        no translation
[ https://cdli.ucla.edu/search/search_results.php?&ObjectID=P000161 ]

The suggestion that the "Language = undetermined and Translation = no translation" is not unusual to those who have worked with the CDLI (UCLA)  library of tablets - they have decided not to translate it and so they do not wish to be pinned down on the underlying language, but it is completely obvious that it is Sumerian.  The period of authorship alone would tell us that, since only the Sumerians and Hurrians understood the pictographic style that early, and the Hurrian version of symbol construction is noticeably different.

Well, enough with the technical details.  This tablet was authored by a scribe or scribes who were familiar with the inner courtyard of a Sumerian city-state.  For some reason he or she (a good percentage of Sumerian scribes were female) decided to make a list of all of the necessary offices and occupations of a rulers courtyard.   It's crafted in the form of a wish-list, providing us more likely with the staff that the scribe felt was important, and not necessarily a list of personnel, but more of a "dream team".  But I don't believe that it is fictional in any way, and it paints a very complete picture of life in a Sumerian courtyard some 5370 years ago.

I won't bore you with the transliteration, but I did, as usual, confirm the symbols and made minor adjustments to a very few of them, when appropriate.  Following the lines are my own comments.

-------    The Ones We Need:  (my suggested title)

1 with an understanding of the metal cultic vessel
[ used in alchemy, white magic, for potions and medicines]

1 with an understanding of the left hand (evil)
[the Bible concurs that the left had was considered impure and evil.  And so left-handed work included spells, enchantments and evil works against the enemies of the kingdom]

1 clothed in wisdom & understanding
[I like to think that this may be a philosopher or perhaps a historian, or both]

1 with forethought of the flood
[Contrary to popular reports by archaeologists and religious leaders, the Sumerians did
not wait for the gods to warn them of impending floods - they measured the rainfall and the rise in the height of the rivers and were able to warn their people in advance.]

1 with the wisdom & understanding to anoint

[One able to nominate those due for promotion or kingship.]

1  with a large chariot
[A Military leader employs the large chariot that leads the army in battle.]

1 with understanding of the branches of canals
[Canals and channels were what made the deserts of Sumer bloom for them.]

1 elder with ME
[The ME were the divine instructions or authorizations of the sky gods. This speaks of an elder who was able to be the conduit of their commandments to his people.]

1 to undo the past
[Yes, even the early Sumerians needed a problem solver. One to identify and fix errors.]

1 master of the fields
[An agricultural genius and manager of slaves and field labor.]

1 priest
[Standard, but strange. Not "a cadre of priests led by a Bishop" and not a priestly class, but one good priest was apparently all that they thought necessary.]

1 great elder (sage)
[A sage who could offer advice based upon his reading of ancient tablets.]

1 administrative official
[Probably the governmental person in charge of lands and commerce. Alternatively, this could be the tax collector or revenue official - treasurer.]

1 with bread and cream
[What would life in the court be like without a good cook?]

1 to be great and elevated
[A contender who seemed to be on an upward path to greatness.]

1 to be great in the courtyard
[And another who knew his way around the politicians.]

1 lamb  (gentle)
[One who spoke out against War?]

1 in a branch of a great profession
[Have to have a branch of professionals in any government.]

1 with the knowledge to anoint
[One familiar with protocols and procedures.]

1  chief administrator of a temple with knowledge
[Temple functions included the scribes.]

1 to do, to make, to perform
[Someone able to get things done.]

1 overseer with a crown
[Notice that they ask for an overseer with a crown, not a ruler with a crown that might stand aloof, but one that would be a part of the everyday operations.]

1 with a great crown
[And not just any crown, but one with greater lands or importance.]

1 with a base or foundation
[A traditionally conservative crowned head.]

There are six lines that are missing from this tablet.  They have been broken off or damaged to such an extent that we can no longer determine, nor even guess, at their contents.

However, based upon mentions in other tablets, I would suggest the following might have been included:

1 for Justice and Laws (very important to the Sumerians)
1 for Arts, and especially statues.
1 for Music (very important - the Sumerians invented the Lyre)
1 for Metal works and bullion
1 for Caravans, traders and weights and measures
1 astronomer would seem useful.

Your own opinions toward the missing six may differ, and perhaps by translating other tablets we may be able to fill in these missing positions.

And what have we not seen on their list?  Nothing about 1 slave-catcher, 1 jailer, 1 to sacrifice humans, 1 to manufacture propaganda, 1 to instigate trouble.

Some will feel that there is little reason to learn the truth about early humans. They would prefer to remain content with the expression of some of our historians and scholars that these were a crude and brutish group - ignorant and filthy pagans who wallow in the mud, the lot of them.  But really, does anything that you have read above suggest that?  To me their tablet suggests intelligent planning.

In another report I will provide the evidence that each of the Sumerian city-states chose to worship one principal god or goddess, and that they were not the polytheistic pagans that we have been told of.  If we called them Modified Monotheists we would probably be closest to the truth in regards to their religious preferences.

PS  In case you are wondering, yes, I did briefly consider publishing this on Academia.edu and thus submit it for peer review. Ditto with the CDLI website.  But their requirements that I produce a specific PDF or other restrictive format, or fill in some long form for submission, does not meet with the time constraints that I am presently facing.  And I don't care for the attention that it might bring - I prefer to research and write.

As always I value your own thoughts or suggestions.

[Sue (Ayt)]

Perhaps 1 for the healing arts - physician or herbalist?
And maybe a court secretary or scribe - for the records.

[Jim_Duyer]

Perhaps 1 for the healing arts - physician or herbalist?
And maybe a court secretary or scribe - for the records.
Good suggestions. For some reason the scribes were reluctant to either provide their name or mention themselves. They did complain, frequently, about superiors who were not that sharp, but only after Sumeria fell and the Babylonians took over do we see scribes being named and self-congratulated.
I can assure you that they were very intelligent. Thanks for your comment.

[Journeyman]

My first thought is that this person:



1 to do, to make, to perform
[Someone able to get things done.]



Is going to be very busy! 29 people to decide what must be done, 1 to actually do it. Reminds me of some offices I've worked in... :)

I really enjoyed this Jim, it's good to see actual people actually engaging in research at first hand. I've been trying to do something myself recently and without language skills all I can really do is look at the work of others and try to find something interesting to say at second hand. It's not without value, but with your work it feels like you've taken us on a trip through time to a very different place. Thank you for that.

I was interested in some of the roles. I'd not realised they worked so much with canals, it makes me think of some of the Ancient Egyptian sites which used water in very sophisticated ways. The alchemist role also sounded interesting. There appear to be two to annoint, one with the knowledge and one with the wisdom? That seemed like a fine distinction.

[Jim_Duyer]

Thanks for your insight! Canals were indeed very important - they depended upon them to distribute the water from the rivers - Euphrates in the south and Tigris in the North, and they were heavily involved in growing wheat for both consumption and trade.
Yes, the word that was used means knowledge, forethought and wisdom - all in one word. I tried to place the best of the choices with each line. There is some wiggle room here, and so it could be one to anoint, as in one with the standing in the community to nominate people for new positions, including kingship. And the other who would have the wisdom to know the technical details of an official anointing ceremony - which would include religious anointing as well. So perhaps one is for government and the other for religious purposes.

I try very hard to get into the minds of these early people. Whenever I look at something they have done, rather than depending upon published papers to tell me what it means, I look at it as if I had to do it myself, using no modern aids - how could I do this, and what is the best way?

I am constantly amazed at how similar they thought - take away our modern conveniences and we are actually very much alike in terms of values and judgements. Their civilization grew great because their laws imposed fines instead of the eye-for-eye that arose when the Babylonians took over, and also because females had equal rights under the laws to own property, become scribes or priests, run the government, etc. They also had, at one time, a female to rule over all of Sumeria.

I'll remember to share more as I come across it - I have to be careful because once I share them here I can no longer include them in a book, due to publishing rules.

I can tell you this, which is interesting. I have translated some of the markings at Gobekli Tepi from 10,000 BC and they are in Sumerian. Interesting times will follow.

[pabranno]

Jim, thank you for sharing your hard earned insights.
Sumer is fascinating.
Someday perhaps you could share what you have discerned about Gobekli Tepi. Sounds very interesting.

Pamela

[Jim_Duyer]

Jim, thank you for sharing your hard earned insights.
Sumer is fascinating.
Someday perhaps you could share what you have discerned about Gobekli Tepi. Sounds very interesting.

Pamela

I'm going from memory, but one of the messages from Gobekl Tepi said something like "Water is everything, but children are greater", which kind of touched me. I find that, after years of being a tough nut, a no-nonsense businessman, I'm finally beginning to mature enough to appreciate kindness and recognize clear displays of values in humanity.

One I did from the Tartara groups of tablets speaks of a kingdom that was lost when agricultural blight struck the territory and they lamented that they had not shared with their cousins and distant relatives when they had the opportunity - which led to both sides losing everything to another group of invaders. Now I laugh when our scholars tell us that the early groups were crude and barbaric, because most of what they left behind for us to read today is pure wisdom literature. Thanks for your comment - I'm glad to do it - and more will follow.

[Vicus]

Gilgamesh flood tablet

Jennifer Nalewicki
Live Science
Sat, 15 Jun 2024
https://www.sott.net/image/s35/708659/super/wjZgXfjVn4i9G4f2v8ZcyC_650_80_.jpg
The Gilgamesh flood tablet contains an inscription detailing the story of an epic flood.


What it is: Also known as the 11th tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh, this fragment of a baked clay tablet contains cuneiform inscriptions describing an epic flood that swept through Babylon. It is considered one of the oldest pieces of literature in the world.

Where it was found: Nineveh (also known as Kouyunjik), an ancient Assyrian city in Upper Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq).

When it was made: The Epic of Gilgamesh may date to as early as the third millennium B.C,https://www.metmuseum.org/TOAH/hd/gilg/hd_gilg.htm but this particular tablet dates to the seventh century B.C.

What it tells us about the past: The epic tale that was carved into the ancient tablet is eerily similar to the biblical story of Noah's ark found in the Book of Genesis. The tablet describes how the gods sent a flood down to destroy Earth. However one god, Ea, alerts Utu-napishtim, the ruler of an ancient kingdom, of the plan and instructs him to build a boat to save himself and his family along with "birds and beasts of all kinds," according to the British Museum, which counts the artifact as part of its permanent collection.

Just like in the Book of Genesis, the voyagers release birds to see if the waters had receded enough for land to emerge. Later, Utu-napishtim tells Gilgamesh of his experience, according to the text.

Archaeologists discovered the roughly 6-by-5-inches (15 by 13 centimeters) tablet in the late 1800s but were unsure of what the inscription said. After handing over the artifact to the museum, a researcher named George Smith deciphered the text and allegedly said, "I am the first man to read that after more than two thousand years of oblivion," according to Smithsonian.


While this tablet was the first evidence of the Noah story coming from another culture, archaeologists have since discovered much older cuneiform tablets with similar flood stories that suggest the story had been circulating long before the Hebrew bible was written. In other words, the Epic of Gilgamesh may have been the source of the Noah's ark story.

You can read an English translation of the 11th tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh online. https://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/tab11.htm

https://www.sott.net/article/492285-Gilgamesh-flood-tablet

[shaberon]

While this tablet was the first evidence of the Noah story coming from another culture, archaeologists have since discovered much older cuneiform tablets with similar flood stories that suggest the story had been circulating long before the Hebrew bible was written. In other words, the Epic of Gilgamesh may have been the source of the Noah's ark story.


The particular tablet pictured is so young it could be called brand new.

Gilgamesh himself is considerably older, and can be found to go through recensions, that is, different arrays of his self-qualifications or companions or environment. In itself, this closely resembles the process of Egyptian mythology after its primordial ca. 3,000 B. C. E. first depictions.

There is a massive gulf between ancient Sumerian courtyards and late Gilgamesh reproductions.

There is also a huge reason for myth cycles in terms that are actually quite simple.

Even if we take Astrology in its least complex basis, astronomy, or just the movements of bodies, some really terrible things would have happened to the deities of 3,000 B. C. E.. First would be the precession of the Equinox, and second, you would lose the "North Star" because it would slip off Thuban in Draco and fall into nothingness.

This could only be partly esoteric, since maritime trade was a mainstay of these distant places, which were interlinked since at least 3,000 B. C. E.. The directions for travel and the timing for crops becomes useless, therefor the deities or reality itself has to be re-stated.

"This" has already transpired before Gilgamesh is ported into the Torah most likely during the Babylonian Captivity. This Flood Myth is also unknown in India until it shows up in six lines of Brahmana commentary that are probably not older than the pictured tablet. So I would suggest the Great Flood is a peculiarly Sumerian property, like the Yearly Flood has not much meaning unless you live at the Nile.

The position that the primitive and mostly-ignored tablets are coming from is between India and Harran and the trans-Caucasus Steppe country. Genetics from ancient Ukrainian cattle finds show that they were inter-bred with the Indian Zebu starting around 3,000 B. C. E., but, this tapered off by about 1,200 B. C. E..

Signs of ancient battles usually amount to "skirmishes"; I am not sure it is until Sargon that we can verify a military state for the purpose of fulfilling state militancy. By the time of Hammurabi you get a Code attempting to portray the right kind of ruler and the practice of Debt Jubilee. Most likely, he is responding to a "class" of people who were trying to rig a new and more destructive system in their favor.

The fact that it is the same area suggests to me that the span from original Sumeria to Judea-conquering Babylon is an entire genre, with a junction point at Enheduanna (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enheduanna), daughter of Sargon, placed as a high priestess to fuse the Sumerian and Semitic (Akkadian) deities.

With her, you get a pretty specific timeframe of around 2,300 B. C. E., and, an ongoing legacy of cuneiforms and other scripts from multiple areas, in the way it could all be considered a recorded or historical era.

That does not mean that Sumeria before this was disconnected or pale, it does however mean that the trove of actual evidences has been almost categorically overlooked. This is like the Indian IVC, there's nothing spectacular about it, so it does not attract research. One visitor said the IVC sites look like a pile of cardboard boxes. It doesn't have any important-looking stone monuments, so, no one really cared as compared to where those are found. Then, in the first major dig project, the director embezzled most of the money. That is why this archaelogy is "slow" compared to the fact that massive hauls from Sumeria are lying around unused.


The state of affairs is such that the lower region is culturally dependent on the Moon God of Harran (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harran) in the Mesopotamian highlands:


The name Harran is recorded for the city from the earliest documents mentioning it and has remained in continuous use and largely unchanged since ancient times. Harran is mentioned in early cuneiform records of the Sumerians and Hittites as (URU.ŠÀ.KASKAL), sometimes shortened to (KASKAL), transliterated as Ḫarrānu(m).

Harran is situated at an important geographical crossroad, both between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and at the border between the ancient Mesopotamian and Anatolian cultures. The earliest known settlements in the region surrounding Harran date to 10000–8000 BC and settlements in its close vicinity are known to have existed by 6000 BC. The region initially shifted between the control of the Sumerians and Hittites before being occupied by ancient Semitic-speaking people around 2750 BC. The earliest written records concerning Harran suggest that the city itself was founded c. 2500–2000 BC as a merchant outpost by traders from the Sumerian city of Ur.

Enheduanna is not an arbitrary stamp out of a vacuum.

Harran appears to function as a Hierophant through all Babylonian Empires.

It is also the source of the non-Jewish Mandeans, who are also Semites but using a form of Aramaic. This language remains relevant enough to be found on Ashoka's Pillar of ca. 300 B. C. E. in India. This is among the oldest strata of "writing" that can be found there, and, it is a Rosetta Stone of Sanskrit, Greek, and Aramaic.

My guess would be that in the vast Sumerian archive, it would be possible to find deities in different languages that peacefully and constructively merge. In other cases, one might find a caste or a deviant belief or something like that. It could easily be able to tell a multi-faceted story that a single quote taken out of context will ruin. The universality or "catholicity" of Harran is such that:

Further treaties signed that invoke Sin of Harran include a 14th-century BC treaty between Šuppiluliuma I of the Hittites and Shattiwaza of Mitanni...

The first note about the courtyard is remarkable in that among those Seals that show "Meluhhans" interacting with the Akkadians, there often is such a Vessel, which is not for certain whether it means a specific Liquid, or perhaps is being used as a Standard Measure.

At least in my mind, it shows continuity for what I take as a sort of "international language", based on using some pictoglyphs as Animal Totems. Some of these must be universal, as everyone has the same Sun and mostly the same stars at similar latitudes, and then of course most regions have something of their own specific character that is not relevant elsewhere.

The mentioned treaty includes surprisingly not just Indian deities, but, in fact, numerous bunches of deities, who are understood as something like Witnesses. Any given place has something like its Storm, Sun, and Moon gods, and, they are all at the negotiating table with the ones of Harran.