Posted on 04/29/2003 6:57:56 PM PDT by vannrox
Archaeologists in Iraq believe they may have found the lost tomb of King Gilgamesh - the subject of the oldest "book" in history.
The Epic Of Gilgamesh - written by a Middle Eastern scholar 2,500 years before the birth of Christ - commemorated the life of the ruler of the city of Uruk, from which Iraq gets its name.
Now, a German-led expedition has discovered what is thought to be the entire city of Uruk - including, where the Euphrates once flowed, the last resting place of its famous King.
"I don't want to say definitely it was the grave of King Gilgamesh, but it looks very similar to that described in the epic," Jorg Fassbinder, of the Bavarian department of Historical Monuments in Munich, told the BBC World Service's Science in Action programme.
Magnetic
In the book - actually a set of inscribed clay tablets - Gilgamesh was described as having been buried under the Euphrates, in a tomb apparently constructed when the waters of the ancient river parted following his death.
"We found just outside the city an area in the middle of the former Euphrates river¿ the remains of such a building which could be interpreted as a burial," Mr Fassbinder said.
Who can compare with him in kingliness? Who can say, like Gilgamesh, I am king?
The Epic Of Gilgamesh
He said the amazing discovery of the ancient city under the Iraqi desert had been made possible by modern technology.
"By differences in magnetisation in the soil, you can look into the ground," Mr Fassbinder added.
"The difference between mudbricks and sediments in the Euphrates river gives a very detailed structure."
This creates a magnetogram, which is then digitally mapped, effectively giving a town plan of Uruk.
'Venice in the desert'
"The most surprising thing was that we found structures already described by Gilgamesh," Mr Fassbinder stated.
"We covered more than 100 hectares. We have found garden structures and field structures as described in the epic, and we found Babylonian houses."
But he said the most astonishing find was an incredibly sophisticated system of canals.
"Very clearly, we can see in the canals some structures showing that flooding destroyed some houses, which means it was a highly developed system.
"[It was] like Venice in the desert."
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This is a find of epoch proportions.
(/bad humor attempt off)
There was a Noah but his name wasn't Noah and he lived before Adam and Eve. He also didn't take any animals onto his ark but seeds only. Read your Sumerian history.
Did he say that?
I would have a spaze attack as a history major.
This isn't some small find....this is big stuff.
In related news: Jesus' tomb is STILL empty.
Hannity is far from being well educated.
BTW, according to a units converter I have here, the walls of the boat as described are 194 feet tall. ... its walls were each 10 times 12 cubits in height, ... 1 SumerianCubit = 1.62 feet
I can't tell how long the thing was supposed to be because the text looks garbled. ...the sides of its top were of equal length, 10 times It cubits each....
Yep, thats an epic.
Can't wait till they get further into the dig.
So we found the underground entrance to the Abyss?? We can shoot at the Lizard People, but will they die?
kewl!
I agree! The Epic of Gilgamiesh and the Enuma Elish are two of my favorite stories.
I got Punk'd by Thread Necromancy.
Dammit.
That'a what I call a real Encki Doodle Dandy of a find!
Isn't this a repeat?
We often have to change the category of a story from myth to history.
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