The Chaldaen Account of the Deluge (tablets held in the British Museum)

Gilgamesh spake to him, even to Pernapishtim the remote;
"I look up to thee with amazement, Pernapishtim;
They appearance has not changed, like unto me art thou.
And thou thyself art not changed, like unto me art thou,
Although thou didst depart from this life. But my heart has still to struggle against all that no longer lies upon thee.
Tell me how thou didst come to dwell here and obtain life in the assembly of gods."
Pernapishtim, then, spake to him, even to Gilgamesh:
"I will disclose unto thee, Gilgamesh, the hidden story, 
and the oracle of the gods I will tell thee. 
The city of Shurippak, a city which as thou knowest, is situated on the bank of the river Euphrates. 
This city was ancient already, when the gods within set their hearts to bring a deluge, a cyclone, even the great gods, as many as there were: Their father Anu, their counsel, the war like Bel, their leader Adar, their champion the god En-nu-gi.
But god Ea, the lord of unfathomable wisdom, argued with them, 
their plan he announced to the forest, calling "Forrest, forest, town, town, 
Forest hear and town pay attention;
O man of Shurippak, a son of Ubara-Tutu
Build a house, construct a vessel; leave thy possessions, save thy life. 
Leave the property but save thy life;
Bid the seed of life of every kind to mount into the ship. 
The ship, that thou shalt build, let he proportions be measured by specific design
Her width and her length be equal. Into the sea then launch her"
These words Atrachasis heard in a dream-oracle. 


When I perceived them, I said to Ea, my lord:
"I will build, my lord, as thou didst command.
I will observe it, I will perform it. 
But what shall I answer to the questions of the people and the inquiries of the elders?"
Ea, opening his mouth, spake saying to his servant, to me: 
"As an answer say thus unto them: I know the god Bel is hostile to me; 
Not can I longer live in the city. On Bel's earth I dare not live securely . 
I will go down to the sea, with Ea, my lord, I will live. 
Upon you he (Bel) will for a time pour down rich blessing.
Will grant you fowl in plenty and abundance of fish.
A multitude of cattle and abundance of harvest.
But when he who lights up the darkness sends an appointed sign,
he will pour down upon you a destructive rain.
On the following morning  at day break I ....
The light I feared;
The earth I desired to leave, all that was needed I collected. 
On the fifth day I drew its vessel's design. 
In its circuit 120 cubits were high its sides; 
120 cubits measured the length of its beam. 
I added a front roof and closed it in. 
I built in it six divisions, thus making seven stories.
Its interior I divided again in 9 partitions 
(thus making in all 63 divisions, 9 on each of the seven stories. 
Beaks for water within I cut off;
I selected a mast and added what was wanting.
Three sars of pitch I poured out on the outside;
Three sars of naphta I distributed in its interior; (so as to make it water sealed.)
Three sars ?? of men, carriers of baskets, carried the oil (food)
One sar of oil I reserved which people might eat
While the other two sars the boatman stowed away. 
In the temples ? I slaughtered oxen.
Killed lambs day by day.
Jugs of cider and oil and sweet wine
Large bowls, filled with drink like river water. 


A feast to the gods I made such as is held on great religious festivals. To god Shamash my hand put down the food (the sacrifice to the gods) On the seventh day the ship was finished. 
......  ..... broken fragment.......heavy it was and.... ... ...
The tackling above and below I added; and after everything was completed 
The ship settled into the water two thirds of its height (80 cubits sank) 
With all that I had, I laded it; with all that I had of silver, I laded it; With all that I had of gold I laded it; I embarked all my family and servants; 
The cattle, the beasts of the field, and the workmen who assisted me, them all I embarked.
A sign Shamash had agreed upon 
"When he who usually lights up the darkness will send in the evening a destructive rain, 
Then enter into the ship and close thy ship." 
This very sign came to pass; 
He who lights up the darkness, sent a destructive rain in the evening. 
Of the day I feared its dawn;
The day to behold I was afraid;
I entered into the ship, and closed the door.
The guidance of the ship I gave unto Buzur-shadu-rabu, the boatman, 
The great house ship together with it's contents. 


As soon as dawn appeared,
There rose from the north a dark cloud.
The weather god Ramman thundered in the midst.
God Nebo and god, the king, went in front of him. 
There came they that oppress mountain and country.
God Uragal tore loose the anchor.
There came also Adar, storm he poured down.
The gods the Anunnaki lifted on high their torches,
With those light they illuminate the land.
The storm, excited by Ramman, reached up to heaven.
ALl lighted was turned to dark
He overflooded the land...... ..... ... he devastated 
With violence he blew and in one ...>.. day the storm rose above the mountains. 


Like as an onslaught in battle it came against the people. 
Not could brother see his brother, not did recognize one another the people;
Even in heaven the gods were afraid of the deluge;
They (the gods) retired, went up to the heaven of god Anu (i.e., the sky).
There the gods crouched down like as dogs, on the surrounding walls they sat down. 
Then cried out Ishtar full of wrath as a woman in travail
There called out the goddess, the loftym, she whose cry is powerful:
This people .. .. has been turned into clay, and 
the evil that I have predicted before in the assembly of the gods 
As I have predicted the evil in the assembly 
It has come about namely:
To destroy my people completely, I predicted the storm. 
But I will bear my people again and bring them to life again
though now, like young fishs, they fill the sea. 
The gods wailed with her over the Anunnaki;
The gods sat there bowed down in weeping;
Their lips were pressed together in fear and in terror
Six days and seven nights continued the storm. 
Raged cyclone and tempest.
When the seventh day arrived that fearful cyclone ceased, the battle 
Which they had fough like as a battle-army rested;
The waters of the deep narrowed down (sank) the terrible storm, the deluge, was at an end. 
I looked up over the sea and raised my voice. 
But the whole race had returned to clay.
Like as the surrounding field had become the bed of the rivers
I opened an air hole and light fell upon my cheeks;
Dazzled I sank backward, sitting down weeping,
down my cheeks flowed my tears.
I looked up: "The world was a wide ocean! (I cried).
On the twelfth day there arouse out of the water a strip of land.
On Mount Nicir the ship settled.
The mountain of the land Nicir took hold of the ship and did not let it move again. 
One day, two days, Mount Nicir took hold of the ship and did not let it move again. 
The third and fourth day Mount Nicir, the same. 


The same on the fifth and sixth day. 
On the seventh day, in the morning I set a dove free, 
she flew hither and thither but there was no place to land for her so she returned. 
I then sent out a swallow. The bird flew hither and thither and returned again as there was no place to rest. 
At last I sent out a raven, it left;
The raven went and saw the decrease of the waters. 
It settled down to feed either on the carcasses still floating about or on the slimy mud and went off but no more returned. 
Then I disembarked and to the four winds I offered a sacrifice.
A peace offering I made upon the height of the mountain. 
Each time I placed seven censers.
Poured into them calmus, cedar wood and sweet smelling lollium. 
The gods inhaled the savor, yea the gods inhaled the sweet savor;
The gods gathered like flies around the sacrificer.
But when now the lofty goddess arrived,
she took the great lightnings of Anu and did according to her desire. "These gods! (she said,) not by my necklace, will I forget;
The gods may come to the sacrifice, 
But Bel shall not come to the sacrifice,
because rashly did he cause the deluge delivering my people to destruction." 
But when god Bel arrived, 
He saw the vessel and grew angry, wrath filled his heart against the gods, Igigi and he said: 
"What soul has escaped here? No man must survive the universal destruction!" 
God Adar opened his mouth and spake, saying unto Bel the warlike:
"Who besides Ea could have thought this out?
But Ea who knows everything." 
Ea opened his mouth and spake, saying unto Bel, the warlike:
"Thou, mighty among the gods warrior, 
Thus, thus rashly has thou caused the deluge.
May the sinner bear his sin's reward, and the wiked his wickedness. 
Be lenient, let not all be crushed; be merciful, let not everything be destroyed.
Instead of causing a flood, lions might have come, and diminished mankind;
Instead of causing a flood, hyenas might have come and diminished mankind;
Instead of causing a flood, pestilence might be brought about to have killed the people
I did not reveal the decision of the gods. 
Atrachasis I let see it in a dream, the decision of the gods he heard"
Then came Bel to his senses, Bel mounted to the ship,
took me by the hand and raised me up.
He raised up and placed my wife at my side. 
Then he turned toward us, sat down between us and blessed us, saying: "Ere this Pernapishtim was a man;
Now Pernapishtim and his wife shall be like unto the gods and lifted up on high;
Let Pernapishtim live afar off at the mouth of the two rivers."
And he took us and made us to dwell afar off at the mouth of the two rivers. 

Babylonian Account of Creation (tablets held in the British Museum)

Long ago when the heaven above had not been named and the earth beneath had no name, and only Apsu (the Ocean), the primeval, who begot them, and Tiamat, Confusion, who bore them both existed-their waters mingled- and when no fields were formed, and no reeds to be seen, when not one of the gods had been called into being. Luchmu and Lachamu were the first to be called into being. Ages passed, then Anshar and Kishar were created, and long days before Anu, Bel and Ea were created. 


(Apsu and Tiamat having determined todestroy the light and restore the primeval darkness, a struggle ensues. )
Anshar opened his mouth and said to Gaga his minister, "Go, Gaga, minister, that rejoicest my spirit, to Luchmu and Lachamu I send thee. Assemble all the gods, seat them at the table to partake of a feast. Let them eat bread and mix wine. Go Gaga, and stand before them then and all that I tell thee, repeat to them, saying: Anshar your son has sent me, his heart's command he entrusted to me saying:  "Tiamat our mother, has turned against us in hatred. With all her might she rages in anger.  All the gods have turned to her, even those you created go to her aid. They are banded together and at the side of Tiamat they advance. Cursing the light they follow Tiamat. Furious, without resting by day or by night they prepare for the fray, fuming and raging, they band themselves together and begin the revolt. Tiamat, the mother of the deep, who bore us all, has added invincible weapons, spawning monster serpents, sharp of tooth, unsparing of fang. For blood she filled their bodies with poison. Fierce monster-vipers she clothed with terror, endowed with awful splendor and made.....


She clothed fierce monster vipers with terror, endowed them with dread and splendor, and made great of stature, that their appearance might frighten and fill with horror. Their bodies are immense, their attack irresistible. She made a viper, a dragon, and the lachamu, a storm giant, a mad dog, a scorpion-man, fierce storms, a fish-man, and a ram; all provided with weapons, merciless, fearless of fight, defiant among the gods the sons she had born and made Kingu greatest among them all, saying: 
    "Thou art sent to march at the head of the forces, to order the weapons to strike, the attack to begin." She entrusted to him the first place in war and in victory. She seated him on a throne and said: 'I have recited thy spell, in the assembly of the gods. I have raised these to power, I have given thee the sway over all the the gods. Be thou great, my spouse, thy name be magnified in all the world.' She gave him the tablets of destiny and laid them on his breast saying: 'May thy command not be annulled, established be the word of thy mouth' Kingu, thus exalted and having obtained power over the gods, commanded: "Let your word overcome the fire god. Whoever is great in valor, let him display his might." I sent Anu but he feared to face her. Nudimmud was afraid and turned back. I have called on Marduk, adviser of the gods. He has determined to go against Tiamat.  He spoke to me aned said, "If I, your avenger, conquer Tiamat and give you life, assemble the gods and declare my control of the gods to be supreme. Enter joyfully into the palace and my rule shall take the place of thine. Let whatever I do be unaltered. The word of my mouth not be changed or annulled." Hasten and give him the rule that he may go and fight your enemy."


When Luchmu and Lachamu heard this, they feared and all the gods wailed grievously, saying: "What has happened that they hate us? We do not understand the conduct of Tiamat." Then they came together, all the gods and went into the great hall before Anshar. They took courage and sat down to the banquet.; they ate bread and mixed wine. The sweet drink, the mead, overcame their senses, they became drunk, their bodies were filled with wine. They lost their reason, their spirits rose and they gave the rule to Marduk their avenger. 


And they (the gods) put him (Marduk) in a royal palace; Under the protection of his father he dwelt (lived) in (his) kingdom. 
Yea, thou art glorious among the great gods. 
Thy work is unequaled, thy command is (the command of ) Anu. 
From today thy command shall be unalterable. 
To exalt and to humble be in they power. 
Verily, thy word be firm, be thy command not resisted. 
None among the gods has surpassed they power,
(Though with) decorations be filled the shrine of the(se) gods.
The place of their gathering may it now be established in thy place, (where they will say unto thee): 
"Oh Marduk, thou art, indeed, he who has become our avenger (against Tiamat) ; 
We have given thee the kingdom, the rule of the whole universe." When thou art in the assembly (of the gods), may thy will prevail against all. 
Thy weapons may never be broken, may thy enemies tremble. 
O Lord, spare thou the life of him that trusteth in thee. 
The the god that is wedded to evil, pour out his life's blood.
(His) word (command ) they set up their midst as unique (i.e., all-important)
Unto Marduk, their first-born, they spake: 
Thy work, O Lord, be greater than that of the (other) gods;
To destroy and to create, speak and it shall be done. 
Open thy mouth, and his (perhaps the last god's ) word shall vanish away (i.e. be made ineffective)


Speak again to him and his word shall be restored.
He (Marduk) spake, and in his mouth (i.e., that of the god which does evil negative things) was destroyed, his (power of ) speech.
Again he spake unto him and his speech was restored unto him. 
When the gods, his fathers, saw the effect of his (Marduk's ) word, they rejoiced greeting him saying: Marduk indeed be our king!" 
They invested him with the scepter, the throne, and the reign; A weapon unsurpassed they gave him, consuming the enemy. "Go now  (they said unto him) and cut asunder the life thread of Tiamat; 
May the winds carry her blood to secret places far away
The gods, his fathers fixed the fate of the lord (Marduk). 
They led him along the road to safety and success. 
A bow he made himself and took it for his weapon,
The falchion he swung that he had made of (the wood) of the terebinth. 
The god took up the weapon, seized it with his right hand, the bow and the quiver at his side he hung; 
A lightning he caused to go before him. 
With destructive and fierce wrath he filled his bowels. 
A net he made to enclose Kirbish-Tiamat.
The four winds he seized, so that she could by no nmeans escape, the wind from the south and the north, the east and the west. 
Then he brought to her Tiamat's side the net, the present of his father Anu.
He created the destructive wind, the evil wind, the storm and the hurricane; 
The four winds, the seven winds, the whirlwind, the wind whose equal does not exist.
He caused the winds, he had created, to issue forth, even the seven of them,
To work the destruction of Kirbish-Tiamat, to storm behind her;
And the lord raised his mighty weapon, the hurricane.
The chariot, something unequaled, the terrible, he mounted;
He harnessed it and hung the four reins over the side of the chariot. With his free hands he used the weapon, the relentless, the overwhelming, the swift, to fight those whose fangs contain poison, the hosts of Tiamat....terrible was the battle.




He took his way and caused Tiamat pursuit'
To place of Tiamat he turned to face
With her lips she cried aloud
When fright overwhelmed her she seized his fist.
In that day they beheld him, the gods beheld him; The gods, his fathers, beheld him, the gods beheld him.
The lord approached for the fight, Tiamat he saw.
Of Kingu, her husband, he sought his overthrow.
When he (Kingu) beheld him, his reason became disturbed,
his mind distracted, his actions confused.
And the the gods, his helpers, walking at his side,
saw how the first born bore their yoke exposing himself to danger for their sake.
Observing that Tiamat did not direct toward him to fight
But with her lips cried out great evils saying'
'Around thee, O lord of the gods cometh her host
their throng they gather, where thou art.'
But the lord lifted up the hurricane, his mighty weapon, 
against Kirbish-Tiamat, on whom he takes vengeance he hurled it, saying: 
'As though didst excite rebellion on high, 
Now gather courage and give resistance. 
As thou didst direct evil against my fathers, therefore may be tied down thy army and the weapons may they be bound rendered harmless. 
Stand and I and thou will fight together!
But Tiamat upon hearing this,
considered herself defeated and lost her balance of mind. 
She roared wildly and loud;
Completely her inside burst into two parts.
Magic words she spake and applied her incantation.
They then made their weapons appeal to the gods of battle.
They approached each other, Tiamat and the leader of the gods, Marduk.
To the fight they approached against one another, they approached the battle.
But the lord spread out his net to enclose her;
An evil wind, to seize her from behind, he loose before him;




Then opened her mouth Tiamat to crush it, the evil wind. 
But he (Marduk) caused the evil wind to enter her mouth that she could not close it to shut her lips. 
The strong winds filled her stomach,
So that here heart sank with her courage lost ; wide opened he her mouth, he grasped his falchion and pierced her stomach splitting it opened. 
Her entrails he tore out, cut out her heart.
He grasped her and destroyed her life.
Her corpse he threw down, upon it he placed himself.
After Tiamat, the leader had been killed,
Her host was broken up, her throng was scattered,
and the gods her helpers, going at her side, 
trembled feared, retreated backward.
He (Marduk) let them escape and spared their life;
With a cordon they were surrounded which no one can escape;
He enclosed them and their weapons he broke.
They were placed like birds in a net; they sat down in utter prostration. 
And the world they filled with their wailing. They bore his punishment they were kept in bondage, and the eleven creatures were filled with fear. 


He put their hands in bonds
and their opposition beneath himself he trod.
And Kingu who against Marduk had been their [leader]?
He took away from him the tablets of fate.
With the seal he doomed him and sealed him, his breast he seized. 
After he had bound his enemy, and he crushed the proud foe completely, 
He fully established the superiority of AN-SAR over the enemy. 
Marduk, the mighty, had thus accomplished the intention of god Ea.
Over the gods in bondage he strengthened the guard.
Toward Tiamat, then whom he had overcome, he turned back,
And the lord trampled on the lower part of Tiamat's body.
With this unmerciful club he smote her, 
he cut through the veins of her blood:


The wind, even the wind of the north, he caused it to carry to secret places far away.
He saw it, his face rejoiced, he gloried.
A present, a peace offering he caused to be brought to him. 
Then the lord quieted down, seeing her (Tiamat's) corpse. 
The foul, rotten flesh he tore away, and he performed wonderful deeds.
He tored from her like of a fish her skin in it's two halves. 
Half of her he stood up, and made it the heavenly dome.
He pushed in front of it a bolt; he stationed a guard;
commanding him not to let the waters pour out freely. 
He connected the heaven with the lower regions,
And he placed it opposite to the primeval sea, the dwelling of god Ea.
Then the lord measured off the circui of the primeval sea.
A palace he built like that in heaven called E-shar-ra 
The palace E-shar-ra which he had built as a heavenly dome.
Anum, Bel, and Ea he caused to inhabit it as their habitation. 
He (Marduk) established the mansions of the great gods. 
The stars correponding to them, he fixed, and the annual constellations.
He determined the length of the year, its limits he defined.
For each of the twelve months three stars he fixed,
from the time when the year opens in fixed limits,
he founded the mansion of Jupiter, to mark their bounds. 
That none of the days may deviate, nor found to be lacking
The mansion of Bel and Ea at the north and south poles he established with him (Jupiter?) 
He opened gates at both sides,
and forced open the bolts on the left and on the right
In the very midst he made the morning firmament have a zenith
He made the moon-god (Nannaru) brilliant, and intrusted the night to him.
He defined him as a night-body, to mark of the days saying:
"Monthly without ceasing define the time with the disc;
In the beginning of the month light up in the evening.
That the horns shine to mark the heavens.
On the seventh day make half the royal cap showing half the disc
On the fourteenth mayest thou mark the half of the month