Will Hayward

Ancient World
5 / 15 / 15
Rain, Rain, Go Away: Appeasing the Gods from Past to Present

Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament,
narrates Gods creation of the Earth and the first humans. Arguably one of the most
important texts in the history of the Christian religion, the book tells the story of Adam
and Eve in the Garden of Eden, which according to countless historians was situated
between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia. Although there is no exact date
attributed to the writing of Genesis, it is estimated that it was written between the years of
1440 and 1400 BC. Nearly 4,000 years prior to the creation of Genesis, the first city of
the Sumerian Civilization, Eridu, was established.1 Located between the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers, the ancient Mesopotamians considered Eridu to be not only the first city
in the world, but also the home of the Gods and the source of the Sumerian culture. From
this city stemmed trade, religion, growth and discoveries of all kinds and the many
artifacts that remain intact provide a unique perspective into the very beginnings of the
civilized world. Dating back to the Early Dynastic Period of 2900 2600 BC, the
sculpture of the Sumerian Man is almost 5,000 years old. At a glance, it is simply a relic
of the past, yet when looked at in depth the artifact is a doorway into not only the lives of
the Sumerians, but the earliest religious beliefs and rituals in the history of mankind. The
Sumerian Man demonstrates the eternal truth that humans have always attempted to
strengthen their relationship with the divine.
1 Eridu. Ancient World Encyclopedia. Accessed May 12, 2015.
http://www.ancient.eu/eridu/

The Sumerian Man is a roughly 15 inch tall, copper-alloy sculpture that depicts a
nude man carrying an offering. The sources age makes it difficult to validate any
information, but because of the wide expanse of knowledge regarding art and the worlds
civilizations, historians have made educated assumptions. Historians arent clear as to
who the artist was that crafted the sculpture, where exactly it came from or who the man
was, but through research and logical deduction they have been able to come to some
conclusions. In the Sumerian Early Dynastic period, nude art representation was limited
to priests, athletes, mythological heroes and prisoners of war. According to the
Metropolitan Museum of Art where the sculpture resides (Gallery 403: #55.142), [The]
figure, reminiscent of scenes depicting priests carrying offerings, carries an object that
might be a temple foundation deposit or offering related to its building.2 The value of
this piece, originating from its old age, is added to given its depiction of a priest and his
actions. Throughout history, priests and religious leaders have been known to hold great
positions of power and influence and this was no different in Sumerian society. The
priest led the worship of gods and events that happened in the temple and were widely
respected by the population. Still, the artist captured the authoritative religious leader in
the nude and carrying something above his head for the gods. Whether the box is a
foundation deposit or some type of sacrifice, the artist placed it atop the head of the
priest, making it clear that despite the power that the priest may have had, the divine
ruled all.
The Sumerian Man was acquired by the Met in 1955, purchased from Elias S.
David of New York, almost 6,000 miles from where the sculpture was thought to have
22 Man carrying a Box, Possibly for Offerings. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Accessed May 13, 2015. http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collectiononline/search/329075

originated. It is unknown who owned the piece before Mr. David, which makes it
impossible to bridge the gap that stretches thousands of years from what is assumed to be
its creation to its purchase by the Met.
The Sumerians are credited with many of mankinds oldest inventions, ranging
from the wheel, to arithmetic, to written word. It is believed that they were the earliest
nomadic hunters and decided to settle upon reaching the Fertile Crescent. Cities were
built and discoveries were made, rapidly increasing the power that the Sumerians held.
With that power came rivalry and conflict that often resulted in civil war.3 The Early
Dynastic period (2900 2350 BC), mentioned earlier, marked a time of division among
the cities of Southern Mesopotamia, but observed an increase in building and
improvement in the quality of artistic products.4 Both architectural and cultural
development permeated the land and societal organization increased, in government and
in religion. The Sumerian Man followed the common theme of Sumerian art that
explored the relationship between Sumerians and their Gods. The rapid advancement of
the Sumerians was accompanied by a greater following and devotion to the divine.
The Sumerian Gods were a central aspect of the culture. Each city had a temple
dedicated to a patron God and it was considered to be one of the most important
buildings, not only because of the religious significance but also because of the trade that
went on there. Although each temple had just one patron deity, Sumerians worshiped
over a hundred gods and recognized several as the most important. Anu was the god of
the heavens and was married to Ki, Goddess of the Earth. This couple was most

33 A Brief introduction to the Sumerians. Sumerian Shakespeare. Accessed May

12, 2015. http://sumerianshakespeare.com/21101.html
44 Early Dynastic Period in Mesopotamia. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Accessed
May 11, 2015. http://www.ancient.eu/Early_Dynastic_Period_(Mesopotamia)/

important to the religion and was most widely worshipped. The god Enlil was born of
Anu and Ki and became god of the air and storms. Other important gods included Enki,
god of water, Utu, god of the sun, and Ninhursag, considered to be the source of all life.5
The Sumerians were some of the earliest people, yet they developed a complex religion
with divinities and stories to accompany them. They had a strong belief that their gods
controlled everything and because of this, pleasing each and every god was of extreme
importance.6 The Sumerians believed not only that the gods would keep the city-states
strong, but also that the gods controlled the powerful forces which often dictated a
humans fate.7 It was from this sentiment that the need to appease the gods arose.
Inhabiting the area surrounding the near-convergence of the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers, the Sumerians held some of the most fertile land in Mesopotamia. The rivers not
only assisted in the irrigation of the many crops, but also provided economic stimulation.
However, the unpredictable flooding of the rivers posed an immediate problem to the
Sumerians. It was believed that the Sumerian gods had the ultimate control over the
flooding of the river and whether it assisted or damaged the crops. Agriculture was not
the only area that the rivers played a role in; they offered a means of transportation that
allowed trade in Sumer to flourish. Many of the Sumerian artistic products originating
from Early Dynastic period were traded on and around the rivers. In many ways, the
rivers, and indirectly the gods, governed the lives of the Sumerians and increased their
faith.
55 Sumerian Gods and Goddesses. International World History Project. Accessed
May 13, 2015. http://history-world.org/sumerian_gods_and_goddesses.htm
66 The Sumerians of Mesopotamia: One of the Worlds Earliest and Most Influential
Civilizations. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Accessed May 12, 2015.
http://www.ancient.eu/article/37/
77 Sumerian Religion. Real History World Wide. Accessed May 13, 2015
http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Misc/Sumer/Sumerian_Religion.htm

Arguably the most important text originating out of Mesopotamia, the Epic of
Gilgamesh details the story of the hero Gilgamesh, his good friend Enkidu and their
journey. Although Gigamesh encounters the gods many times throughout the lengthy
story, his interactions with Ishtar, the Babylonian Goddess of fertility and love, and their
consequences seem to stand out:
Back in Uruk Gilgamesh's beauty provokes the desire of the goddess Ishtar and she
proposes to him. Gilgamesh scorns her, reminding her of the fates suffered by her many
former conquests. Ishtar is enraged and rushes up to heaven. She persuades Anu, her
father, to give her the fiery Bull of Heaven (the constellation Taurus) so that she can
punish Gilgamesh with death. The Bull of Heaven causes havoc in Uruk, but Gilgamesh
and Enkidu discover its weak spot and kill it. They insult Ishtar further and return to the
palace in triumph to celebrate their victory In a dream Enkidu sees the gods in
assembly decree his doom He has a second dream, in which he is dragged down to the
Netherworld by the Angel of Death and granted a vision of hell. After describing the
dream to Gilgamesh he falls sick. Languishing on his deathbed he complains to
Gilgamesh of the ignominy of his fate, compared with death in battle. He dies.8

Despite the great power and strength of both Enkidu and Gilgamesh, they were unable to
resist the Gods in the end. Their actions angered Ishtar and in the end she brought death
to Enkidu and great sadness to Gilgamesh. Just as quickly as the gods had created and
introduced Enkidu to Gilgamesh, they took him away. Following the death of Enkidu,
Gilgamesh goes in search of an immortal being, Uta-napishti.
Said Gilgamesh to him, to Uta-napishti the Distant: I look at you, Uta-napishti: your
form is no different, you are just like me, you are not any different, you are just like me. I
was fully intent on making you fight, but now in your presence my hand is stayed. How
was it you stood with the gods in assembly? How did you find the life eternal? 9
88 George, Andrew. The Epic of Gilgamesh. London: Penguin Books. 2003.
http://www.cidmod.org/sidurisadvice/Gilgamesh.pdf
99 Abusch, Tzvi. The Development and Meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh: An
Interpretive Essay. Accessed May 11, 2015.
http://www.cidmod.org/sidurisadvice/Abusch3.pdf

Historian Tzvi Abusch, a professor of the Bible and Ancient Near East, notes that
Gilgamesh realizes Uta-napishti is no more than a normal man, who received
immortality not because of his heroic acts, but because he was obedient to the command
of his god.(Footnote 9) The Sumerians, just like Mr. Abusch, believed that the Gods
had total control over the lives of humans and rewarded obedience. It was because of the
gods all pervading power and influence that Sumerians commonly attempted to please
the gods.
When researching and studying history, the age of an artifact or source is often
one of the first pieces of information that is considered. Age helps deduce the who,
what, where and most obviously, the when. The age of the Sumerian Man allowed
historians to figure out information such as the period in which it was created and who
the man being depicted was. In the making of history, specific time becomes associated
with specific cultures, religions and events that occur. The information gathered because
of the age of the Sumerian Man led to the formulation of the conclusion that people of the
ancient world attempted to appease their Gods, which was presented as an the eternal
truth. However, it is the test of time that is able to disprove an eternal truth, a statement
that is believed to be true regardless of age or circumstances. For the statement to be
eternal is has to still be applicable to the modern day world.
Just as the once brilliantly shining copper exterior of the Sumerian Man has, over
time, faded into an oxidized, dull green, one would expect that humanitys relationship
with the divine would have faltered. Yet the devotion to deities has grown in numbers,
especially with the growing population of todays world. A study done in 2010 found that
almost 85% of the world population, roughly 5.8 billion adults and children, had some

sort of religious affiliation.10 Today, people across the globe practice 19 major religions
that are broken into over 270 large religious groups.11 Every Sunday my family and I
attend Catholic mass at Corpus Christi (Chatham, NJ) and every weekend I am joined
there by crowds of people, all coming to practice their faith. At mass people pray, give
money and take the Eucharist, hoping to find guidance, strength and often to appear more
favorable in the eyes of god. The last decade has seen an increase in religious extremism
and terrorism, a very different way that people attempt to please their gods. The Islamic
idea of Jihad, a religious war or duty waged in the name of Allah and Islamic religion has
become a topic of controversy because of its wide misinterpretation. Al-Qaeda, and now
the Islamic State (ISIS) have taken the world stage because of their far-reaching circles of
influence and horrific actions, but in their eyes they are acting in ways that will please
their god and lead him to reward them. Leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, was once
quoted as saying, I am one of the servants of Allah. We do our duty of fighting for the
sake of the religion of Allah Our primary mission is nothing but the furthering of this
religion [Islam].12 This ideology has become a justification for normally violent and
irrational action on the basis that it will appease the gods.
Thousands of years separate the Sumerian civilization from todays very different
cultures, yet the statement that humans have attempted to strengthen their relationship
with the divine remains an eternal truth. Although mankinds knowledge and control of
the world around them has increased, religion remains a very important part of modern
1010 The Global Religious Landscape. Pew Research Center. December 17, 2012.
Accessed May 13, 2015. http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religiouslandscape-exec/
1111 Religions of the World. ReligiousTolerance.org. Accessed May 13, 2015.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm
12 Terror in the Name of Allah. The Religion of Peace. Accessed May 14, 2015.
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/in-the-name-of-allah.htm

day cultures. Though the motives of humanity may have changed over time, the
Sumerian Man, the Epic of Gilgamesh and the religious practices of the 21st century have
proven that there has and always will be reasons to appease our gods.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BIBLIOGRAPHY
-

Eridu. Ancient World Encyclopedia. Accessed May 12, 2015. http://www.ancient.eu/eridu/

Man carrying a Box, Possibly for Offerings. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed May
13, 2015. http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/329075
A Brief introduction to the Sumerians. Sumerian Shakespeare. Accessed May 12, 2015.
http://sumerianshakespeare.com/21101.html
Early Dynastic Period in Mesopotamia. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Accessed May 11, 2015.
http://www.ancient.eu/Early_Dynastic_Period_(Mesopotamia)/
Sumerian Gods and Goddesses. International World History Project. Accessed May 13, 2015.
http://history-world.org/sumerian_gods_and_goddesses.htm
The Sumerians of Mesopotamia: One of the Worlds Earliest and Most Influential Civilizations.
Ancient History Encyclopedia. Accessed May 12, 2015. http://www.ancient.eu/article/37/
Sumerian Religion. Real History World Wide. Accessed May 13, 2015
http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Misc/Sumer/Sumerian_Religion.htm
George, Andrew. The Epic of Gilgamesh. London: Penguin Books. 2003.
http://www.cidmod.org/sidurisadvice/Gilgamesh.pdf
Abusch, Tzvi. The Development and Meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh: An Interpretive Essay.
Accessed May 11, 2015. http://www.cidmod.org/sidurisadvice/Abusch3.pdf
The Global Religious Landscape. Pew Research Center. December 17, 2012. Accessed May 13,
2015. http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-exec/
Religions of the World. ReligiousTolerance.org. Accessed May 13, 2015.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm
Terror in the Name of Allah. The Religion of Peace. Accessed May 14, 2015.
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/in-the-name-of-allah.htm

I have completed this paper in accordance with the Newark Academy Honor Code
-