Adapa, The First Sage Between Myth & Divinity

Myths from ancient Mesopotamia are considered the first literary texts in history. Along with poems, hymns, incantations and laments, Mesopotamian myths provided us with valuable information that helped shaping our understanding of the culture, traditions and beliefs of people lived in ancient times in this vast alluvial plain of southern modern-day Iraq. Sumerian myths, the Epic of Gilgamesh as an example, do not tell us about superheroes fighting monstrous hybrid creatures only, or kings transcending between different worlds in search for immortality, but also shed light on lay people lived in those ancient cities. The Greek philosopher Euhemerus (316 BCE) described myths as ‘actual historical characters and events, and that gods were once men who were deified and worshipped after their death’. Moreover, myths provided answers and valid explanation for existential questions like: who am I? what am I? Where did I come from? Where will I go after I die? They also act as validating tool and add powerful assertion to the narrative of events happened in remote past (Lincoln,1999).

The myth of Adapa and The Southern Wind, represents a typical example of an ancient Mesopotamian myth that attempts to find answers for the above-mentioned extant questions. It tells the story of Adapa, the sage of the city of Eridu and the priest at god Enki’s (Ea in Akkadian) temple. The plot begins when Adapa went fishing and suddenly the Southern Wind blew and capsized his boat. He cursed the Southern Wind and broke its wings. While Adapa descends into water (The Apsu) and stays for seven days, the wind ceased to blow towards the land. The god Anu, god of Heaven, was angry after his Vizier revealed what Adapa, the servant of the god Enki, has done to the wind. He summoned Adapa to be questioned and tried in Heaven. The god Enki, well known for being the god of wisdom and pure water, gave advice to Adapa that he must not eat ‘bread of death’ or accept the ‘the drink of death’ offered by god Anu. However; Enki also advised him to accept the garment to put on and the oil to anoint himself. After a long trial, Adapa follows Enki’s instructions. The God Anu then reveals to Adapa that the bread and the drink, contrary to what god Enki’s told Adapa, were the food of eternal life and immortality. The god Anu laughs and expels Adapa from Heaven and destined him to live as mortal but ‘extra-wise’ man. The Adapa narrative can be described as a ‘crossover’ myth with motifs that have close similarity to other Sumerian myths. There are three archaeological sources of this story discovered so far. Two were written in Akkadian and one in Sumerian language. Five fragments were discovered in the library of Ashur-Banipal in Nineveh in 1853 dating back to the Neo-Assyrian period (910 – 609 BCE). One fragment was found in Tel El-Amarna archives in Egypt in 1932 that belongs to the Middle Babylonian (Kassite Period) (1600 – 1150 BCE). The discovery of the third source of Adapa myth was significant. It was discovered in 1982 in Tel Haddad in northern Iraqi area of Tel Himreen. This fragment is considered the eldest version so far and dated back to the Old Babylonian Period (2000 – 1600 BCE). In addition, It is the only version written in Sumerian. Assyriologists recognised that the narrative has substantial differences to the other two versions. This led to critical debates among scholars who tried to learn how both versions were related to each other. But most importantly, the degree to which the myth has evolved over centuries and its ability to reflect the beliefs and cultures in the period of its writing.

The first few lines provides an overview of the main characters and examines the environment in which the events took place.

‘To him he gave wisdom, but did not give eternal life.

At that time, in those years, he was a sage, son of Eridu.’

The description highlights the main motif, a paradox of wisdom and immortality, and also defines the geophysical space of the myth. Eridu was considered the first city in the world by ancient Sumerians and home for the great god Enki who created Adapa. The Babylonian Epic of Creation (The Enuma Elish), tells the story of building Eridu and how the God Marduk built a reed house on the face of the water:

‘All the lands were sea,

Then Eridu was made, Esagila was built,

Marduk constructed a reed frame on the face of the waters

He created mankind ‘

The myth then continues to describe Adapa:

‘Ea created him as a protecting spirit among mankind.

A sage- nobody rejects his words-

Clever, extra-wise, he was one of the Anunnaki,

Holy, pure of hands, the pasisu-priest who always tends his rites’

The Great Universal Deluge plays a crucial role in differentiating the earlier Sumerian version from the two Akkadian texts. In Its Sumerian Version, the events took place in post-diluvian Mesopotamia. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that Adapa’s knowledge is Primeval and gods gave it to humanity through the agency of the sage- Adapa. It is also worth mentioning that themes of descent into water and then ascent to Heaven were not alien to Sumerian beliefs. It was widely believed that the god Shamash, god of sun and light, descends into the netherworld every night in order to ascend and climb the mountain of sunrise again in the morning. In the two Akkadian versions, Adapa is the first antediluvian sage, whom the god Enki created and gave wisdom and broad understanding. Although there is no mention of the fate of Adapa at the time of The Deluge, it is thought that his descent into water (the Apsu) for seven days is comparable to Ziusudra’s (The Sumerian Noah) sailing journey when The Deluge swept the land. Not surprisingly, both journeys lasted seven days. Furthermore, Adapa’s descent is perceived as planned by the god Enki to preserve humankind’s knowledge and wisdom from annihilation. Furthermore, many elements in the Akkadian antediluvian versions resemble the myth of Oanness and the Seven Sages. Greek literary texts, quoting the Babylonian priest Berossus who lived in early third century BCE, mentioned Oan/Oanness being the first of seven sages before the deluge. The Uruk Kings and Sages List, discovered in 1962, stated a total of seven kings reigned before the deluge and for each king there was a nominated sage. The list stated ‘During the reign of Ayalu, the king, Adapa was the sage’. Berossus described Oanness having the form of a fish and head of man under the fish’s head. In the daytime, he comes up to the seashore of the Gulf to teach people wisdom, writing, knowledge and craftsmanship before going back at night to the deep water (The Apsu). Oanness is widely thought that he is Adapa in the Akkadian version of the story.

The story of Adapa draws similarity to the biblical story of genesis and also the story of creation as mentioned in the Qur’an. The themes of forbidden food and drink and Adapa being the first man created by the god Enki is comparable to Prophet Adam’s story. However; another character mentioned in the Qur’an has even closer resemblance to the sage Adapa. Prophet/wiseman Al-Khidr as described in The Cave Chapter (Verse 61 – 65) is related to Adapa in many ways. Both are water-saints. In addition, the notion of the fish slipping away revealed in the Cave Chapter was a sign to Moses that he is going to meet Al-Khidr. furthermore, Al-Khidr is described in this chapter as having ‘greater wisdom’ than Moses: “Then they came upon a servant of Ours, whom We had blessed with mercy from Us, and had taught him knowledge from Our Own”. There are numerous shrines in different Muslim countries for Al-Khidr and the majority are located on riverbanks. Like Adapa, Al-Khidr is believed by majority of Muslim scholars to be immortal.

To conclude, the myth of Adapa and the Southern wind, like other myths from ancient Mesopotamia, provided explanation to existential humankind's questions related to creation, death, heavenly knowledge and life after death. These questions played a crucial role in shaping the beliefs of the people who lived in the land of Sumer and Akkad in ancient times.