Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an "epic," or

Epic poetry

• "epic" is a heroic narrative, or story, usually in poetic verse
  • from Greek epikos, for "heroic poetry", from epos for a word, story, prophecy
    • from PIE *wekw- for "to speak"
• epics generally address questions of human origins, mortality and gods
  • and focus on a "hero" protaganist who must overcome challenges with feats of strength or wit
• ancient epics, such as Gilgamesh or those of the Greek Homer, were transmitted orally long before they were put in written form
  • oral story-telling frequently uses verse and rhymes in order to assist memorization

Sumer / Mesopotamia historical background

Persian Gulf formation

• from 12,000 to about 6,000 BC, the oceans rose 400+ feet during the various stages of the ice melt.
  • according to "Fall of Civiliizaitons Podcast Ep. 8: Sumer", the ocean rise consumed 328 feet of shorelIne per year
    • or an advance of the encroaching water rise of almost a foot a day
• as the ice melt rose the oceans, it also fed the rivers which flowed into and expanded the Black Sea, Caspian Sea
  • as well as to feed
    • and helping create enormous pro