THE ASSYRIAN COSMOLOGY #1

Origin/Historian/Author: Middle Assyrian Period
Source: Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament, Robert William Rogers

Introduction
The cosmology of the Assyrians is rooted in the cosmology of the Babylonians, and developed quite naturally after the separation of the two peoples began. The Assyrian chief god is Ashur, the Babylonian chief god is Marduk, and the Sumerian chief god is Enlil. The oldest form of the name Ashur was Ashir, but when speculation and comparison of the older literature began, he was first identified with Anshar but later identified as Asarluhi. Unfortunately, no complete Assyrian cosmological text has come down to us, however we are still able to determine Marduk to be Ashur, and a keeper of the title of “Enlilship” by cross referencing certain texts.

This heavily damaged two-sided tablet appears to show a portion of the Enuma Elish, in this case an Assyrian version. Whether Babylonian, or Assyrian, the defeat of Tiamat is always referred to as Anshar’s victory, not Ashur’s or Marduk’s. Interestingly, Marduk/Ashur’s name is completely absent from the remnants of this tablet, perhaps broken off to delete him from record, or just coincidence. Although not shown here, in other texts there is dialogue between Anshar and Marduk which implies Anshar was the chief god, or at least the current successor to Lahmu.

After Marduk/Ashur defeated Tiamat he was given the titles of Enki and Enlil. But only after the conflict mentioned in the Murder of Anshar myth was Marduk considered the new king of the gods. This text offers fragments of the altercation between the Primordial Gods and the younger Gods. While it does conclude in the same manner as the Enuma Elish, without the presence of Marduk’s name or any cultural variant, this text implies Anshar defeated Tiamat and her forces.

Full Text Below

Obverse :

The key of the rising (?)
After he had [determined] the days . . .
The watch of the night and the day . . .
The breadth of Tiamat . . .
Did Anshar create . . .
He brought together . . .
The assault of the wind . . .
He determined . . .
He established the head . . .
He opened a spring . . .
He opened and . . .
He opened . . .
He opened her 3 nostrils . . .
He poured down . . .
The spring . . .

Reverse :

A cedar
. . . Adad
He placed upon . . .
The sceptre of peace . . .
From the glory . . .
The one that receives him is the mighty ocean
In it . . .
In his sanctuary . . .
The gods, as many as there were . . .
Lakhmu and Lakhamu . . .
They made . . .
In the presence of Anshar . . .
Nannar . . .
The second, he spake . . .
The god . . .
When to . . .
The word . . .
Since the days when thou . . .
Everything which thou hast said . . .
Anshar opened his mouth and spake, to the gods . . .
That which is above the ocean, the home of . . .
A copy of Esharra which I have builded, I . . .
Beneath I have fortified the places . . .
I will build a house, the dwelling . . .
In its interior will I found a city . . .
Afterward from the ocean . . .
The place . . .
. . . the shade . . .
. . . the habitations of the great gods . . .
. . . His father . . .
over all that thy hands have founded
over the earth which thy hands have
created . . .
the city of Asshur, the name of which
thou hast pronounced . . .
. . . I know for eternity . . .
. . . Whatever our work which we have fashioned . . .
The place . . .
They rejoiced . . .
The gods . . .
That which they have known . , .
He opened . . .