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The Chaldean account of Genesis : $b Containing the description of the creation, the fall of man, the deluge, the tower of Babel, the times of the patriarchs — John Shaqi

The Chaldean account of Genesis : $b Containing the description of the creation, the fall of man, the deluge, the tower of Babel, the times of the patriarchsSmith, George

Religion

The Chaldean account of Genesis : $b Containing the description of the creation, the fall of man, the deluge, the tower of Babel, the times of the patriarchs

Name: The Chaldean account of Genesis : $b Containing the description of the creation, the fall of man, the deluge, the tower of Babel, the times of the patriarchs
Author: Smith, George

Smith, George

Bible. Genesis -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Cosmogony, Babylonian; Mythology, Assyro-Babylonian

I may add that since the greater part of this edition has been in
type, I have found myself able to explain the name of the hero which
in default of the true transcription has been provisionally read
Izdubar. The name is composed of three ideographs, the first of
which is the determinative prefix of wood, while the two latter are
rendered _saptu saplitu_, “the lower lip,” in Semitic Assyrian. Now M.
Lenormant has shown that Izdubar was originally the Accadian Fire-god,
and Mr. Boscawen has pointed out that the fire-stick was once used in
Babylonia; it is therefore evident that the three ideographs composing
the name represent the lower piece of wood, with a lip or groove in
it, which formed the most important part of the primitive fire-machine.
I believe the Accadian pronunciation of the name will turn out to be
Kibirra.

  A. H. SAYCE.

 _May 21st, 1880._




CONTENTS.


  PREFACE                                                       page vi

  CHAPTER I.—THE DISCOVERY OF THE GENESIS
  LEGENDS.

 Cosmogony of Berosus.—Discovery of Cuneiform Inscriptions.—Historical
 Texts.—Babylonian origin of Assyrian literature.—Mythological
 tablets.—Discovery of Deluge texts.—Mutilated condition
 of tablets.—Lecture on Deluge tablets.—“Daily Telegraph”
 offer.—Expedition to Assyria.—Fragments of Creation tablets.—Solar
 Myth.—Second journey to Assyria.—Tower of Babel.—Clay records.—List of
 texts.—Legend of Oannes.—List of early legends and their authors
                                                                 page 1

  CHAPTER II.—BABYLONIAN AND ASSYRIAN LITERATURE.

 Babylonian literature.—Kouyunjik library.—Fragmentary
 condition.—Arrangement of tablets.—Subjects.—Dates.—Babylonian
 source of literature.—Literary period.—Babylonian
 Chronology.—Accad.—Sumir.—Extinction of the Accadian
 language.—Izdubar legends.—Creation.—Syllabaries and bilingual
 tablets.—Assyrian copies.—Difficulties as to date.—Library of
 Senkereh.—Assyrian empire.—City of Assur.—Library at Calah.—Sargon of
 Assyria.—Sennacherib.—Removal of library to Nineveh.—Assur-bani-pal or
 Sardanapalus.—His additions to library.—Description of contents.—Later
 Babylonian libraries                                                13

  CHAPTER III.—CHALDEAN LEGENDS TRANSMITTED THROUGH
  BEROSUS AND OTHER ANCIENT AUTHORS.

 Berosus and his copyists.—Cory’s
 translation.—Alexander Polyhistor.—Babylonia.—Oannes,
 his teaching.—Creation.—Belus.—Chaldean
 kings.—Xisuthrus.—Deluge.—The Ark.—Return to
 Babylon.—Apollodorus.—Pantibiblon.—Larancha.—Abydenus.—Alorus,
 first king.—Ten kings.—Sisithrus.—Deluge.—Armenia.—Tower of
 Babel.—Kronos and Titan.—Dispersion from Hestiæus.—Babylonian
 colonies.—Tower of Babel.—The Sibyl.—Titan and
 Prometheus.—Damascius.—Tauthe.—Moymis.—Kissare and Assorus.—Triad.—Bel
                                                                     31

  CHAPTER IV.—BABYLONIAN MYTHOLOGY.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Chaldean account of Genesis : $b Containing the description of the creation, the fall of man, the deluge, the tower of Babel, the times of the patriarchs

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