Religion, Literature, and Scholarship: The Sumerian Composition Nanse and the Birds, with a Catalogue of Sumerian Birds Names (Cuneiform Monographs, 22)

This book uses insights from religious studies, literary theory, and the history of science for understanding the Sumerian composition Nanse and the Birds in the context of the Old Babylonian scribal school. The discussions of Babylonian religion, literature, and scholarship focus on the usefulness and relevance of these modern concepts for categorizing the ancient text. The volume presents the first critical edition of Nanse and the Birds , as well as editions of the hymn Nanse B and all third millennium and Old Babylonian lexical lists of birds. It includes 37 plates with photographs and line drawings, including many previously unpublished tablets. The final chapter discusses the identity and orthography of all Sumerian bird names in literary, administrative and lexical texts. Preface......Page 11 I. Introduction......Page 13 1.1. Summary of Nanše and the Birds......Page 16 1.2. Sumerian and Cuneiform......Page 18 1.3. Sumerian Literature......Page 19 1.4. On the Text and Translation of Nanše and the Birds......Page 20 II. Religion......Page 23 2.1. Approaches to Mesopotamian Religion......Page 25 2.2. Nanše......Page 29 2.2.1. Nanše in Niĝin......Page 31 2.2.2. Nanše as a Marsh Goddess: Birds and Fish......Page 36 2.2.3. Nanše as Dream Interpreter......Page 38 2.3. Anzud......Page 41 2.3.1. Anzud as a Symbol of Power and Aggression......Page 42 2.3.2. Anzud as Enemy of Ninĝirsu/Ninurta......Page 45 2.3.3. Anzud as Helper......Page 47 2.3.5. Conclusion: Anzud's Role in Nanše and the Birds......Page 48 2.4. Discussion......Page 49 3.1. Approaches to Sumerian Literature......Page 51 3.2. Sumerian Literature: A Social-Functional Definition......Page 57 3.3. Poetic Language......Page 59 3.3.1. Layout and Line Division......Page 61 3.3.2. Parallelism and Repetition......Page 63 3.3.3. Imagery......Page 65 3.3.4. Literary Vocabulary......Page 67 3.3.5. General Structure......Page 68 3.4. Institutional Context: the School......Page 70 3.4.1. The Institution: Private or Official?......Page 72 3.4.2. The Scribal Curriculum and Nanše and The Birds......Page 74 3.4.4. Institutional Context: Conclusion......Page 77 3.5. History and the Creation of a Sumerian Heritage......Page 78 3.5.1. Hymns, Narratives, and Paradigmatic Texts......Page 79 3.5.2.1. Traditional Characters......Page 82 3.5.2.2. Fiction and History......Page 83 3.5.3. History and Sumerian Identity......Page 87 3.5.3.1. The Sumerian King List and the Idea of History......Page 88 3.5.3.2. Local versus National Literature......Page 89 3.6. Conclusion......Page 91 4.1. The Nature of Knowledge......Page 93 4.2.1. The Curricular List: Ur5-ra in Nippur......Page 98 4.2.2.1. Extra-Curricular Lexical Lists......Page 101 4.2.2.2. ED Birds in Old Babylonian Nippur......Page 104 4.2.3. Uses of Curricular and Extra-Curricular Lists in Nippur......Page 106 4.3. Correlations Between Bird Lists and Literary Vocabulary......Page 107 4.3.1. Birds in Proverbs......Page 108 4.3.2. Birds in the Literary Tradition......Page 110 4.4. Bird Lists and Nanše and the Birds......Page 114 4.5. Conclusion......Page 117 5.1. The Comparative Nature of Studying an Ancient Culture......Page 119 5.2. The Nature of Nanše and the Birds......Page 124 6.1. Structure......Page 127 6.2. Composite Text and Translation......Page 129 6.3. Score Edition......Page 134 6.3.3. Catalogue of Sources......Page 135 6.3.4. Score Edition......Page 136 6.4. Textual Commentary......Page 144 7.2. The Tablet......Page 155 7.3. Edition......Page 156 7.4. Commentary......Page 157 8.1.1. ED Fish: an Old Babylonian Copy from Nippur......Page 161 8.1.2. ED Birds......Page 163 8.2.1.1. Introduction......Page 176 8.2.1.2. List of Sources......Page 177 8.2.1.3. Score Transliteration......Page 182 8.2.2.1. CBS 3842 (+) N 3755 (+) UM 29-16-225......Page 200 8.2.2.2. CBS 4608 +......Page 202 8.3. List of Fish and Birds from Ur......Page 203 8.4. List of Fish and Birds from Uruk......Page 206 8.5. Lists of Birds from Šaduppum......Page 207 8.6. Lists of Fish and Birds from Ishchali......Page 210 8.7. List of Fish and Birds from Kiš......Page 211 8.8. List of Fish and Birds from Sippar(?)......Page 212 8.9. Lists of Fish and Birds from Unknown Places......Page 216 9.1. The Lexicography of Sumerian Bird Names......Page 221 9.2. How the CatalogueWorks......Page 223 9.3. Sumerian Bird Names......Page 225 Bibliography......Page 319 List of color illustrations......Page 343 Plates......Page 353 Index of SumerianWords......Page 393 Of Nanse and the Birds -- Sumerian and Cuneiform -- Sumerian Literature -- On the Text and Translation of Nanse and the Birds -- Religion -- Approaches to Mesopotamian Religion -- Nanse -- Nanse in Nigin -- Nanse as a Marsh Goddess: Birds and Fish -- Nanse as Dream Interpreter -- Nanse's Roles and Identities -- Anzud -- Anzud as a Symbol of Power and Aggression -- Anzud as Enemy of Ningirsu/Ninurta -- Anzud as Helper -- Anzud as Fate Determiner -- Conclusion: Anzud's Role in Nanse and the Birds -- Literature -- Approaches to Sumerian Literature -- Sumerian Literature: A Social-Functional Definition -- Poetic Language -- Layout and Line Division -- Parallelism and Repetition -- Imagery -- Literary Vocabulary -- General Structure -- Poetic Language in Nanse and the Birds -- Institutional Context: the School -- The Institution: Private or Official? -- The Scribal Curriculum and Nanse and The Birds -- Educational Practice -- Institutional Context: Conclusion -- History and the Creation of a Sumerian Heritage -- Hymns, Narratives, and Paradigmatic Texts -- History and Fiction: The Traditional Character -- Traditional Characters -- Fiction and History -- Nanse and the Birds as History -- History and Sumerian Identity -- The Sumerian King List and the Idea of History -- Local versus National Literature -- Knowledge and Scholarship -- The Nature of Knowledge -- Lists of Birds in Old Babylonian Nippur -- The Curricular List: Ur[subscript 5]-ra in Nippur -- Extra-Curricular List: The Early Dynastic List of Birds in Nippur -- Extra-Curricular Lexical Lists -- ED Birds in Old Babylonian Nippur -- Uses of Curricular and Extra-Curricular Lists in Nippur -- Correlations Between Bird Lists and Literary Vocabulary -- Birds in Proverbs -- Birds in the Literary Tradition -- Correlations: Conclusion -- Bird Lists and Nanse and the Birds -- The Comparative Nature of Studying an Ancient Culture -- The Nature of Nanse and the Birds -- Nanse and the Birds: Edition -- Structure -- Composite Text and Translation -- Score Edition -- Revision History -- Tablet Typology -- Catalogue of Sources -- Score Edition -- Textual Commentary -- Edition of Nanse B -- History of Research -- The Tablet -- Edition -- Early Dynastic and Old Babylonian Lists of Fish and Birds -- Early Dynastic Bird and Fish Lists -- ED Fish: an Old Babylonian Copy from Nippur -- ED Birds -- Lists from Nippur -- Curricular List of Fish and Birds from Nippur -- List of Sources -- Score Transliteration -- Non-Curricular Lists from Nippur -- CBS 3842 (+) N 3755 (+) UM 29-16-225 -- CBS 4608 + -- List of Fish and Birds from Ur -- List of Fish and Birds from Uruk -- Lists of Birds from Saduppum -- Lists of Fish and Birds from Ishchali -- List of Fish and Birds from Kis -- List of Fish and Birds from Sippar(?) -- Lists of Fish and Birds from Unknown Places -- Sumerian Bird Names -- The Lexicography of Sumerian Bird Names -- How the Catalogue Works -- Sumerian Bird Names

this Book Uses Insights From Religious Studies, Literary Theory, And The History Of Science For Understanding The Sumerian Composition nanše And The Birds In The Context Of The Old Babylonian Scribal School. The Discussions Of Babylonian Religion, Literature, And Scholarship Focus On The Usefulness And Relevance Of These Modern Concepts For Categorizing The Ancient Text.
the Volume Presents The First Critical Edition Of nanše And The Birds, As Well As Editions Of The Hymn Nanše B And All Third Millennium And Old Babylonian Lexical Lists Of Birds. It Includes 37 Plates With Photographs And Line Drawings, Including Many Previously Unpublished Tablets. The Final Chapter Discusses The Identity And Orthography Of All Sumerian Bird Names In Literary, Administrative And Lexical Texts.