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== References in popular culture == |
== References in popular culture == |
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* In the [[science fiction]] [[book]] ''[[Snow Crash]]'', by [[Neal Stephenson]], Enki is portrayed as a proto-[[hacker]] or as Stephenson puts it "a [[neurolinguistic]] hacker." To elaborate on this, Stephenson suggests that the early [[Sumerian]] culture circumvented the language barrier by using a language that affects us on the core level of our [[brain]]. Our own modern languages are what he calls [[acquired language]], and then the other variety is based in the deep structures of our brain so it is common to every human being. He compares it with "Speaking in Tongues" or [[Glossolalia]] and other apparently [[babble]] related [[language]], suggesting that there is in fact meaning in the babbling. Stephenson compares using this core language to programming in binary, so in a sense it allows you to circumvent the consciousness of the person and send triggers directly to their brain stem. In Sumer the societies were controlled by verbal rules called ''[[me]]''. Stephenson compares them to little programs but for humans. There were ''me'' for everything from building a house to baking bread, even religious rituals and war had ''me'' controlling them. All the ''me'' was stored in the temple and dispensed by a high priest/king called an ''[[en]]''. He goes on to explain this core language and its ''me'' were actually wiped out by a [[metavirus]] that is explained in the myths like the Tower of Babel. Enki was an ''en'' and used this core language to construct new ''me''. He wrote a ''me'' called the nam-shub of Enki that acted like a counter-virus which spread and blocked the metavirus and the other ''me'' which is why suddenly all these languages, many of which are unrelated and have no common origins, appeared on the scene. The people were freed from the control of this core language and were in effect immunized from the metavirus. The metavirus didn’t disappear though, the cult of [[Asherah]] still spread the virus by cult prostitutes and by nursing infants on infected mothers. He also brings in the [[herpes simplex]] as an example of how a virus can target the central nervous system. The story gets amazingly in depth about this metavirus and other times in history it has surfaced, for example when [[Sennacherib]] tried to conquer Jerusalem, speculating that the [[deuteronomists]] had an ''en'' of their own. Also he points to [[kabbalistic]] [[sorcerers]], known as [[ba'al shems]] which translates to "masters of the divine name" as another example of a group who could wield the ancient tongue. Clearly Stephenson did immense research while writing this book and It is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys [[cyberpunk]] fiction, or technology with a twist of archaic history. |
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* In the [[science fiction]] [[book]] ''[[Snow Crash]]'', by [[Neal Stephenson]], Enki is portrayed as a proto-[[hacker]]. |
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**[Note: some of this information was taken directly from the book, "Snow Crash". In order to show in more detail how Enki is connected to the book and to explain the parts of Sumerian culture that is not listed elsewhere on this site. Copyrights still belong to Neal Stephenson where his work was used directly.] |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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Revision as of 19:10, 21 July 2005
| Deities of the ancient Near East |
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| Religions of the ancient Near East |
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Enki was a deity in Sumerian mythology, later known as Ea in Babylonian mythology. He was the deity of water, intelligence and creation. The main temple to Enki was in Eridu. He was the keeper of the holy Me. Contrary to the translation of his name ("en" meaning "lord", and "ki" meaning "earth"; "Lord of the Earth"), he is the lord of the Abzu, the watery abyss. His name is possibly an epithet bestowed on him for the creation of the first man, Adamu or Adapa. His symbols included a goat and a fish, which later combined into a single beast, the Capricorn, which became one of the signs of the zodiac.
Enki had a penchant for beer and a string of incestuous affairs. First he had intercorse with his daughter (by way of his consort Ninhursag) Ninsar. He then had intercourse with Ninsar who gave birth to Ninkurra. Finally, he and Ninkurra spawned Uttu.
According to Sumerian mythology, the Enki allowed humanity to survive the Deluge designed to kill them. After Enlil, An and the rest of the apparent Council of Deities, decided that Man would suffer total annihilation, he covertly rescued the human man Ziusudra by either instructing him to build some kind of an boat for his family, or by bringing him into the heavens in a magic boat. This is apparently the oldest surviving source of the Noah's Ark myth and other parallel Middle Eastern Deluge myths.
Enki was considered a god of life and replenishment, and was often depicted with streams of water emanating from his shoulders. Alongside him were trees symbolising the male and female aspects of nature, each holding the male and female aspects of the 'Life Essence', which he, as apparent alchemist of the gods, would masterfully mix to create several beings that would live upon the face of the earth.
New Age interpretation
According to Zecharia Sitchin Enki was the same as Ptah and Poseidon / Neptune. He supposedly created a being called LU.LU. by mixing the Life Essence of animals with the Life Essence of the gods. This LU.LU. (which means mixed), would go on to receive more god-like attributes as a result of Enki's creator-ambitions, and subsequently humans were created.
It should be noted that Sitchin's theories are not accepted by the majority of historians, mythologists and scientists.
References in popular culture
- In the science fiction book Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson, Enki is portrayed as a proto-hacker or as Stephenson puts it "a neurolinguistic hacker." To elaborate on this, Stephenson suggests that the early Sumerian culture circumvented the language barrier by using a language that affects us on the core level of our brain. Our own modern languages are what he calls acquired language, and then the other variety is based in the deep structures of our brain so it is common to every human being. He compares it with "Speaking in Tongues" or Glossolalia and other apparently babble related language, suggesting that there is in fact meaning in the babbling. Stephenson compares using this core language to programming in binary, so in a sense it allows you to circumvent the consciousness of the person and send triggers directly to their brain stem. In Sumer the societies were controlled by verbal rules called me. Stephenson compares them to little programs but for humans. There were me for everything from building a house to baking bread, even religious rituals and war had me controlling them. All the me was stored in the temple and dispensed by a high priest/king called an en. He goes on to explain this core language and its me were actually wiped out by a metavirus that is explained in the myths like the Tower of Babel. Enki was an en and used this core language to construct new me. He wrote a me called the nam-shub of Enki that acted like a counter-virus which spread and blocked the metavirus and the other me which is why suddenly all these languages, many of which are unrelated and have no common origins, appeared on the scene. The people were freed from the control of this core language and were in effect immunized from the metavirus. The metavirus didn’t disappear though, the cult of Asherah still spread the virus by cult prostitutes and by nursing infants on infected mothers. He also brings in the herpes simplex as an example of how a virus can target the central nervous system. The story gets amazingly in depth about this metavirus and other times in history it has surfaced, for example when Sennacherib tried to conquer Jerusalem, speculating that the deuteronomists had an en of their own. Also he points to kabbalistic sorcerers, known as ba'al shems which translates to "masters of the divine name" as another example of a group who could wield the ancient tongue. Clearly Stephenson did immense research while writing this book and It is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys cyberpunk fiction, or technology with a twist of archaic history.
- [Note: some of this information was taken directly from the book, "Snow Crash". In order to show in more detail how Enki is connected to the book and to explain the parts of Sumerian culture that is not listed elsewhere on this site. Copyrights still belong to Neal Stephenson where his work was used directly.]