Deciphered new myth about fox that saved the god of the storm in 4400 year old Sumer

The discovery was made on a board that was initially excavated in the 19th century, but had been ignored by scientists.

A 4400 -year -old board of ancient Mesopotamia revealed a hitherto unknown Sumerian myth involving a bold rescue mission by a fox Cunning.

The narrative, recently deciphered by Jana Matuszak, a Sumerologist at the University of Chicago, gives new clues about the mythology and narrative traditions of primitive mesopotamia. The was published in Iraq magazine.

The board, known as Ni 12501, dates from about 2400 BC and originates from the city of Nippur, an important Sumerian religious center in what is today southern Iraq. Although it was excavated in the nineteenth century, its deteriorated state made it be widely ignored Through scholars, despite a brief mention by the renowned ati -samuel Noah Kramer in 1956.

Now, after decades of neglect, Matuszak analyzed the fragmentary text, revealing a myth centered on the god of the storm ishkur (Later known as Adad), which is captured and imprisoned in the underworld (Kur). Their absence causes the death of children, possibly symbolizing drought or hunger due to the absence of the divinity of the storm, traditionally associated with rain and agricultural vitality, says.

The story takes a dramatic course when Enlil, the main deity of the Sumerian pantheon, brings together the gods, called Anunnaki, to ask who will try the rescue. None offers, except a foxwho uses gimmicks to enter the underworld. The animal accepts bread and water offerings, traditional rituals of passage, but stores them cunningly instead of consuming them.

Unfortunately, the narrative is interrupted Due to damage to the plateleaving the result of the mission of the open fox. Still, Matuszak removes significant interpretations from the conserved section. The myth is aligned with common mesopotamian motifs, such as The vulnerable god who needs rescue and the heroic animal cheater. Ishkur’s disappearance may reflect the seasonal deaths and rebirth, explaining natural phenomena such as drought.

The study highlights the adaptability of mythological motives in ancient literature and emphasizes the importance of continue to explore neglected artifacts. “The plate adds significantly to our knowledge of Mesopotamian mythology,” writes Matuszak. “The reasons were freely adaptable to different contexts, weaving a web of associative connections between the stories.”