ETANA
![](640px-Fragment_of_the_Epic_of_Etana,_Akkadian,_Mesopotamia,_First_Dynasty_of_Babylon,_c._1895-1595_BC,_clay_-_Morgan_Library_&_Museum_-_New_York_City_-_DSC06599.jpg)
Fragment
of the Epic of Etana, Akkadian, c. 1895 - 1595 BC
King
of the First dynasty of Kish
Preceded
by : Arwium
Succeeded
by : Balih
Regnal
titles of Etana : Ruler of Sumer and King of Kish
Etana
(E.TA.NA) was the probably fictional thirteenth king of the first
dynasty of Kish. He is listed in the Sumerian King List as the successor
of Arwium, the son of Mashda, as king of Kish. The list also calls
Etana "the shepherd, who ascended to heaven and consolidated
all the foreign countries", and states that he ruled 1,560
years (some copies read 635) before being succeeded by his son Balih,
said to have ruled 400 years. The kings on the early part of the
SKL are usually not considered historical, except when they are
mentioned in contemporary Early Dynastic documents. Etana is not
one of them.
Myth
of Etana :
![](Myth_of_Etana.jpg)
The
Myth of Etana. Seal impression of the Akkadian Empire period
A
Babylonian legend says that Etana was desperate to have a child,
until one day he helped save an eagle from starving, who then took
him up into the sky to find the plant of birth. This led to the
birth of his son, Balih.
In
the detailed form of the legend, there is a tree with the eagle's
nest at the top, and a serpent at the base. Both the serpent and
eagle have promised Utu (the sun god) to behave well toward one
another, and they share food with their children.
But
one day, the eagle eats the serpent's children. The serpent comes
back and cries. Utu tells the serpent to hide inside the stomach
of a dead bull. The eagle goes down to eat the bull. The serpent
captures the eagle, and throws him into a pit to die of hunger and
thirst. Utu sends a man, Etana, to help the eagle. Etana saves the
eagle, but he also asks the bird to find the plant of birth, in
order to become father of a son. The eagle takes Etana up to the
heaven of the god Anu, but Etana becomes afraid in the air and he
goes back to the ground. He makes another attempt, and finds the
plant of birth, enabling him to have Balih.
So
far, versions in three languages have been found. The Old Babylonian
version comes from Susa and Tell Harmal, the Middle Assyrian version
comes from Assur, and the Standard version is from Nineveh.
Analysis
:
Folklorist scholarship recognizes that the tale of Etana helping
an eagle fits into the Aarne–Thompson–Uther tale type
ATU 537, "The Eagle as helper: hero carried on the wings of
a helpful eagle". It has also been suggested that the myth
of Etana originated the folk-type of later oral tradition.
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etana