The Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian text, dates back to circa 2100-1200 BCE and features themes of heroism, mortality, and the quest for eternal life. One of the world’s oldest literary works, it offers tantalising glimpses into the themes of sexuality and power, and could be considered one of the earliest erotic stories. Central to this is the figure of Enkidu, a wild man created by the gods to challenge the demigod king, Gilgamesh. Enkidu’s transformation from beast to man begins when he encounters Shamhat, a temple priestess of love, who seduces him in a ritualistic act. Through their prolonged sexual union, Enkidu is “civilised,” losing his wild nature but gaining human awareness. This act of seduction can be seen as a pivotal moment where divine and mortal realms intersect, blending eroticism with sacred duty. While the erotic content is not explicit by modern standards, this mythological portrayal of sexuality is integral to the story’s exploration of power, civilization, and mortality, making Gilgamesh not only a tale of heroism but also an exploration of the primal forces that drive human existence.
As one of you wrote to me asking me about this, I decided to share the story and also relevance of understanding symbolism and myth when it comes to history and our origins, in this beautiful musical version on Youtube. Ancient Sumer was the land that lay between the two rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, in Mesopotamia. The language that the Sumerians spoke was unrelated to the Semitic languages of their neighbors the Akkadians and Babylonians, and it was written in a syllabary (a kind of alphabet) called “cuneiform”. By 2000 B.C., the language of Sumer had almost completely died out and was used only by scholars (like Latin is today). No one knows how it was pronounced because it has not been heard in 4000 years…which makes this video truly special.
The earliest written records we have of history and religion are actually found in mythology, in The EPIC OF GILGAMESH; the earliest great work of literature that we know of, first written down by the Sumerians around 2100 B.C. The narrative follows Gilgamesh, the semi-divine king of Uruk, and his companion Enkidu as they undertake various adventures and ultimately confront the reality of human limitations. In this text, Inanna/Ishtar, the world’s first great mother, appears prominently when she proposes marriage to Gilgamesh, who rejects her. In retaliation, she sends the Bull of Heaven to punish Gilgamesh and Enkidu. This act sets off a chain of events that leads to Enkidu’s death and Gilgamesh’s subsequent quest for immortality.
Inanna (Ishtar in the Akkadian versions) is a complex character in Mesopotamian mythology and is often associated with love, beauty, sex, war, justice, and political power. While she is not typically characterised as a “Dark Mother” in the traditional sense, she embodies many aspects of the duality of the divine feminine—creating life, nurturing it, and also possessing the capacity to destroy or alter it.
The concept of “sevenfoldedness,” or the symbolic use of the number seven, appears in both the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Revelation of John, though in different contexts and with different symbolic meanings. The number seven often represents completeness, perfection, or divine order in various cultural, religious, and mythological contexts. This is one of the key concepts in Templar symbolism too.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh:
The number seven appears several times in the Epic of Gilgamesh, emphasizing its mythical and symbolic importance. For example:
Enkidu’s Dream: Enkidu recounts a dream where he is seized by creatures and brought before the divine assembly, who sentence him to death. In his dream, he was held captive for seven days and nights before he was released.
The Flood Story: Utnapishtim, the character in the epic who parallels Noah in the Biblical flood narrative, tells Gilgamesh about the deluge. He built a boat with seven decks and also sent out a dove after seven days to check if the waters had receded.
In these instances, the number seven likely underscores the thematic elements of completion and divine intervention, mirroring its uses in other ancient Near Eastern texts.
In the Revelation of John:
The Book of Revelation, also known as the Book of John or Apocalypse (which comes from the Greek word, Apokálypsis, which means “lifting of the veil“, or finding out something secret) is rich with symbolic imagery, including the frequent use of the number seven, which signifies completeness and divine providence in the Christian tradition. Examples include:
Seven Churches: Revelation addresses the seven churches of Asia Minor, which are meant to symbolize the whole of the Christian church.
Seven Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls: These are judgments from God that are revealed in sequences of seven, each set unfolding a series of divine actions that affect the earth, showcasing the totality and completeness of God’s plan for the world.
Seven Spirits of God: Mentioned several times, these represent the fullness and perfection of the Holy Spirit.
We also see sevenfoldedness connected to Inanna and the duality of the divine feminine in the “Descent of Inanna,” which is part of Sumerian mythology:
Descent of Inanna: In the myth of the Descent of Inanna, the goddess decides to descend into the underworld, which is ruled by her sister Ereshkigal. As Inanna passes through each of the seven gates leading into the underworld, she is required to remove an article of clothing or a piece of her regalia. By the time she reaches the throne room of Ereshkigal, she is completely naked and powerless, symbolically stripped of her earthly powers and attributes. This story is rich in symbolism, often interpreted as a tale of death and rebirth, and reflects the cycles of nature and agriculture.
In Jungian and Depth psychology, especially through the lens of the shadow and the process of spiritual growth or enlightenment, the passage from the Epic of Gilgamesh involving Inanna’s journey through the seven gates into the underworld can be interpreted as a profound metaphor for the individuation process (becoming whole) and the encounter with the shadow (the parts of ourselves we are ashamed of or less accepting of).
In this interpretation, Inanna’s passage through the seven gates represents a spiritual initiation. Each gate marks a deeper step into the unconscious, with the shedding of clothing and regalia symbolizing the gradual dismantling of the ego. By confronting her vulnerability and the shadow (her unacknowledged parts), Inanna is undergoing the process of individuation, which ultimately leads to psychological wholeness and spiritual enlightenment.
In the larger context of depth psychology, this myth shows that to achieve true spiritual growth, one must descend into the underworld (the unconscious), shed the false aspects of self, confront the shadow, and emerge transformed. This is a universal pattern seen in many myths and psychological processes of transformation.
Myths while not true in themselves, contain some of the oldest truths of mankind and help us understand the past but also make sense of the world we live in today; understanding them and the symbolism within provides us with a deeper, fuller life-experience and help us reconnect with the deepest parts of ourselves.
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Elayne (Sophia Unveiled)
Elayne,
In my undergraduate studies I had the pleasure of studying Mesopotamian, Sumerian, and Egyptian texts, this was an amazing synthesis! Well done! I throughly enjoyed reading this.