Enlil and Ninlil facts for kids
The Myth of Enlil and Ninlil is an ancient Sumerian story. It's a creation myth that tells about the god Enlil and the goddess Ninlil. This story was written on clay tablets a very long time ago, around 2500 to 2000 BC. It explains how some important gods came to be.
Discovering This Ancient Story
People found parts of this myth on old clay tablets. These tablets were dug up from ancient cities like Nippur. The first lines were found on a tablet from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Many different pieces of these clay tablets were discovered over time. Scholars, who are like history detectives, worked to put them all together. They translated the ancient Sumerian language to understand the full story. It took many years and different experts to piece together the myth we know today.
The Story of Enlil and Ninlil
The myth begins by describing the city of Nippur. In this story, Nippur is a special place. It's shown as a city where only gods lived, even before humans existed. It had walls, a river, canals, and a well. It was a holy place, like the home of the gods.
The story introduces Enlil, a young god, and Ninlil, a young goddess. Ninlil's mother, Nun-bar-ce-gunu, warns her to be careful near the river. She tells Ninlil that Enlil might try to get close to her.
Despite the warning, Ninlil goes near the river. Enlil asks his helper, Nuska, to take him across the river. On the other side, Enlil and Ninlil meet. They spend time together by the river. From this meeting, they have their first child, Suen-Acimbabbar, who becomes the moon god.
After this, the other gods in Nippur become upset with Enlil. They decide he must leave the city because of his actions. So, Enlil is sent away from Nippur. But Ninlil follows him.
As Enlil travels, he meets Ninlil three more times. Each time they meet, they have another child. Two of these children become gods of the underworld, named Nergal-Meclamta-ea and Ninazu. Their third child is Enbilulu, who is known as the "inspector of canals."
The myth ends by celebrating Enlil and Ninlil. It praises them for bringing new gods into the world.
See also
- Sumerian religion
- Sumerian literature
