Gilgamesh & Other Babylonian Tales

Fülszöveg

Gilgamesh
and Other Babylonian Tales
by Jennifer Westwood
drawings by Michael Charlton
The stories in this collection are among
the oldest known to mankind. They were
first told by the Sumerians, the inven-
tors of the written word. When the Su-
merian civilization collapsed just before
2000 b.c., their writing, language, and
much of their mythology were taken over
by the Babylonians, who lived in south-
ern Mesopotamia. The Sumerian stories,
with Babylonian modifications and addi-
tions, were preserved in Babylonian li-
braries of clay tablets.
The principal story in the volume,
"Gilgamesh," is man s first known heroic
epic. It tells of the mighty deeds of Gil-
gamesh, King of Uruk, his friendship
with Enkidu, and his search for eternal
life.
Two of the other tales — the story of
the Creation and the story of the Flood
— bear a startling resemblance to the
accounts found in the Bible's Book of
Genesis. Interesting differences and simi-
larities can be... Tovább

Fülszöveg

Gilgamesh
and Other Babylonian Tales
by Jennifer Westwood
drawings by Michael Charlton
The stories in this collection are among
the oldest known to mankind. They were
first told by the Sumerians, the inven-
tors of the written word. When the Su-
merian civilization collapsed just before
2000 b.c., their writing, language, and
much of their mythology were taken over
by the Babylonians, who lived in south-
ern Mesopotamia. The Sumerian stories,
with Babylonian modifications and addi-
tions, were preserved in Babylonian li-
braries of clay tablets.
The principal story in the volume,
"Gilgamesh," is man s first known heroic
epic. It tells of the mighty deeds of Gil-
gamesh, King of Uruk, his friendship
with Enkidu, and his search for eternal
life.
Two of the other tales — the story of
the Creation and the story of the Flood
— bear a startling resemblance to the
accounts found in the Bible's Book of
Genesis. Interesting differences and simi-
larities can be noted.
Jennifer Westwood has the rare ability
(continued from front flap)
to retell myths in a lively readable style,
while still preserving the flavor of the
original text. Gilgamesh and Other
Babylonian Tales will appeal not only
to archeologists and other scholars, but
also to any reader who enjoys a good
story.
Jennifer Westwood studied at St. Anne's
College, Oxford, and at New Hall, Cam-
bridge. She has taught at Cambridge
and is concluding research for her PhD
thesis on medieval Icelandic romances.
Jennifer Westwood has traveled exten-
sively in Europe and has studied in
France, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland.
At present, her home is London.
An earlier book, Medieval Tales, was
published recently by Coward-McCann.
7003 Vissza