Creation

The theme of the creation of mankind is popular throughout many of the myths recounted within the book. In "Atrahasis", it is Belet-ili who creates man from the clay of Ea and the blood of Ilawela to relieve the gods from their work. In "Etana", the gods create the city of Kish, and form Etana to be their builder and the king of the city. In "Epic of Creation", Tiamat and Apsu create primeval gods, who then spawn the rest of the gods. Mankind is not created until Tiamat is killed, and Marduk creates the Earth. Following the gods' proclamation of Marduk as their king of the gods, he creates mankind to do the work of the gods. Ea tells him to kill a god from which to make man, and the assembly chooses Qingu, Tiamat's lover and king of her army. In "Theogony of Dunnu", Plough and...