Epic of Gilgamesh (SBV)

Prestige, Hero Myth

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About this myth

Epic of Gilgamesh (SBV) is a Prestige, Hero myth originating from the Akkadian belief system. The oldest attested artifact in our index that contains this myth was likely created around 699 BCE. The main deity depicted in this myth is likely Gilgameš. Others include An, Enki, and Enlil.

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Artifact K.3375 / Gilgamesh Tablet XI (British Museum)
Sourceomnika.conscious.aiRetrieval date07/04/2020
MediumDigital iconImage date2020CreatorOMNIKA FoundationSource notesMyth icon for the Epic of Gilgamesh, Standard Babylonian Version (SBV).
Source record No.K.3375MediumTabletMaterialClayOrientationFull obverseImage dateUnknownCreatorBritish MuseumSource notes"Part of a clay tablet, upper right corner, 2 columns of inscription on either side, 49 and 51 lines + 45 and 49 lines, neo-Assyrian. Epic of Gilgamesh, tablet 11, story of the Flood." © The Trustees of the British Museum

In a nutshell

Myth summary

Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk and has a track record of terrorizing his own people. The people cry out to the supreme deity Anu, who creates a twin of Gilgamesh named Enkidu. Enkidu sets out for Gilgamesh, finds him, and they become friends after a brawl. The two journey together, whereby Enkidu dies. Gilgamesh tries to become an immortal with the help of a plant, but fails. The story ends with Gilgamesh realizing that his destiny is to be a good king to his people. 

Attested: 699—600 BCE
Created: Unknown
Myth type: Prestige, Hero
Main deity: Gilgameš
Belief system: Akkadian
Origin: Asia › Middle East › Iraq

Belief system

Akkadian Culture

Polytheistic

Akkadian refers to a culture that emerged in Mesopotamia during the third millennium BCE. The belief system included many deities, most of whom were later diffused into Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian culture.

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Belief system

Gilgameš

Main deity

Gilgameš (Sumerian: 𒄑𒉈𒂵𒈩) was the mythical king of a city named Uruk and was well-known for his epic journey to find immortality.

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Main deity

Other deities mentioned

An
Enki
Enlil

Artifact

K.3375 / Gilgamesh Tablet XI

The British Museum

The artifact named K.3375 has contents related to this mythological story.

Condition: Just OK
Type: Tablet
Material: Clay
Date: c. 699 BCE
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Main artifact
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Translation

"Standard Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic": Composite English Translation by Andrew R. George

Book · Andrew R. George · 2000

"Standard Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic" is a composite English translation of the Standard Babylonian Version (SBV) of the Epic of Gilgamesh myth. It was published by Andrew R. George in 2000. It runs one hundred print pages and contains almost three thousand lines. While there are twelve cuneiform tablets related to this translation, George chose not to include the twelfth tablet (XII) as it is related to a different myth, among other reasons.

Included: Translation, Collation (partial)
Language: Akkadian ⟶ English
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More information

Background

The Epic of Gilgamesh (SBV) is the Standard Babylonian Version of the Epic of Gilgamesh hero and prestige myth. Scholars egenerally concur that this myth is best understood as a series of stories related to the mythical king of Uruk, Gilgamesh; and, the stories were organized together in order to represent a cohesive composition.

 

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Artifacts related to this myth

K.3375 / Gilgamesh Tablet XI

Clay Tablet

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Texts related to this myth

See full texts of this myth via related artifacts. Where available, a translation is included.

All texts

Title
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"Gilgamesh (SBV)" Book · Stephanie Mary Dalley · 1989
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"Standard Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic" Book · Andrew R. George · 2000
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How did we get this date?

699—600 BCE

The attested date for the myth named 'Epic of Gilgamesh (SBV)' is derived from the oldest artifact we have: K.3375 / Gilgamesh Tablet XI. The creation date for this artifact is a range because the exact date is unknown. We derived this from the source(s) listed below:

Notes (see bottom of page for full bibliography)

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    How did we get this date?

    We're not quite sure about the creation date for this myth.

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    Cite this page

    MLA Modern Language Association (8th ed.)

    OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. "Epic of Gilgamesh (SBV)." OMNIKA – World Mythology Index, OMNIKA Foundation, 28 Apr. 2019, omnika.org/stable/102. Accessed 2 May. 2024.

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    APA American Psychological Association (6th ed.)

    OMNIKA (2019, April 28). Epic of Gilgamesh (SBV). Retrieved from https://omnika.org/stable/102

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    CMS Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed.)

    OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. "Epic of Gilgamesh (SBV)." Las Vegas, NV: OMNIKA Foundation. Created April 28, 2019. Accessed May 2, 2024. https://omnika.org/stable/102.

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    Bibliography

    Black, Jeremy, and Anthony Green. Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary. Illustrations by Tessa Rickards. London, United Kingdom: The British Museum Press, 1992.
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    British Museum. K.3375 / Gilgamesh Tablet XI, 600-699 BCE. Middle East Department, Nineveh Gallery, Table-case A [G55/dc8], K.3375, London, United Kingdom, the British Museum.
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    Budge, Ernest A. T. The Babylonian Story of the Deluge and the Epic of Gilgamesh, With an Account of the Royal Libraries of Ninevah. London, England: The Trustees of the British Museum, 1920.
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    Dalley, Stephanie M. Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, The Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1989.
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    Rassam, Hormuzd. Asshur and the Land of Nimrod: Being an Account of the Discoveries Made in the Ancient Ruins of Nineveh, Asshur, Sepharvaim, Calah, Babylon, Borsippa, Cuthah, and Van, Including a Narrative of Different Journeys in Mesopotamia, Assyria, Asia Minor, and Koordistan. New York, NY: Eaton & Mains, 1897.
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    Smith, George. The Chaldean Account of Genesis: Containing the Description of the Creation, the Fall of Man, the Deluge, the Tower of Babel, the Times of the Patriarchs, and Nimrod: Babylonian Fables, and Legends of the Gods; from the Cuneiform Inscriptions. London, England: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington, 1876.
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    Fast facts

    Myth
    Akkadian Belief system
    Gilgamesh Main deity
    Origin
    location_city Iraq Middle East
    event_note c. 699 BCE Attested

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