EnumaElishTheEnumaElishisthebest-knownBabyloniancreationaccount.Itexistedinvariousversionsandcopies,theoldestdatingtoatleast1700B.C.E.Accordingtothisaccount,beforeheavenandearthwereformedthereweretwovastbodiesofwater.ThemalefreshwateroceanwascalledApsuandthefemalesaltwateroceanwascalledTiamat.Throughthefusionoftheirwaterssuccessivegenerationsofgodscameintobeing.AsintheGenesis1story,wateristheprime...[
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AtrahasisEpicTheAtrahasisEpic,namedafteritshumanhero,isastoryfromMesopotamiathatincludesbothacreationandafloodaccount.ItwascomposedasearlyasthenineteenthcenturyB.C.E.Initscosmology,heavenisruledbythegodAnu,earthbyEnlil,andthefreshwateroceanbyEnki.Enlilsetthelessergodstoworkfarmingthelandandmaintainingtheirrigationcanals.Afterfortyyearstheyrefusedtoworkanylonger.Enki,alsothewisecounselortothegods,p...[
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TheTriumphofDeath,byPieterBruegeltheElder(1525-1569)c.1562,MuseodelPrado,Madrid--WebMuseum,Paris[
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ParadiseandHell,HieronymusBosch(1450-1516)Theleftpanelcontainsthreescenes,fromtoptobottom:creationofEveoutofAdam'sside,theserpenttemptsAdamandEve,andtheirexpulsionfromthegarden.c.1510,Prado,Madrid--WebMuseum,Paris[
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GardenofEdenGallery(SeeGiguresSeparately)Thecreationofthefirstcoupleandtheirtemptationtodefytheauthorityoftheircreatoristhesubjectofnumerousartisticrenditions.Note:Thethumbnailphotosarebuttons.Clickonone,andifyouhaveaninternetconnectionyouwillbetakentoavirtualmuseumsiteforalargeversionofthepicturethatoftenincludesbackgroundinformation.CreationofAdam,byMichelangelo(1475-1564)1512,SistineChapel,Vati...[
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Figure1.BEnkiEnkiwasthegodofthesubterraneanfreshwaterocean.Hewasalsothegodofwisdom,magic,andtheartsofcivilization,andispicturedhereonthiscylindersealimpressionwithwaterandfishflowingfromhisshoulders.c.2500B.C.E.CylindersealofAdda,thescribe.BritismMuseum(1922),page235.[
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