Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld and the Sumerian Gilgamesh Cycle

by Alhena Gadotti

Alhena Gadotti offers a much needed new edition of the Sumerian composition Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld , last published by Aaron Shaffer in his 1963 doctoral dissertation. Since then, several new manuscripts have come to light, prompting not only a new edition of the text, but also a re-examination of the composition. In this book, Gadotti argues that Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld was the first, not the last of the Sumerian stories about Gilgamesh. She also suggests that a Sumerian Gilgamesh Cycle, currently only attested in old Babylonian manuscripts (ca. 18th century BCE), was in fact developed during the Ur III period (ca. 2100-2000 BCE). Providing a new way to look at the Sumerian Gilgamesh stories, this book is relevant not only to scholars of the ancient Near East, but also to anyone interested in epic and epic cycle.

446 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2014

Reviews

[Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was something unique about this book which I couldn’t probably. Its basically about a seriously strong dude called Gilgamesh and is set as the books says in an antediluvian time where honour and heart meant something tangible to people. Gilgamesh is loved by some of the Gods and rules his land like a bit of s despot. Then Along comes along hard lad called Enkidu. They both have a fight and Gilgamesh wins but they both become friends. They then hear about some nutter in the jungle who has fire for breath and jaws of death called Humbaba. Gilgamsh and Enkidu go to some enormous forest and basically deafeat this Humbaba monster. After that bit im not sure what happens in this shortened version of the book. Interesting read but dies off a bit at the end …