HIST 150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Utnapishtim, Dowry, Enkidu
Document Summary
Society- they have different levels of workers and at the bottom of the chain has slaves. Women were allowed to own property, appear in court, and run businesses, in charge of their dowry. Epic of gilgamesh (2100-2000)-written in clay, believed to be handed down through generations (the story not the slab) lost until the 19th century, scholars brought it back. Nineveh- first found the epic- large library palace- set on fire, tablets were baked, out of a disaster came the saving of these stories (occasionally the tablets are rebaked to maintain them) Gilgamesh- king of uruk- warrior, beautiful to look at, interact with women a god. People complain about gilgamesh because he always takes the young men to war and sleeps with their women. Enkidu- created by a goddess to be gilgamesh"s enemy, communicates with animals. Becomes gilgamesh"s friend they go off and fight wars and civilize women. Utnapishtim- has discovered the secret of eternal life.
