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Concepts and names in the Epic of Gilgamesh is an article on the subject of conceptual factors and names from within the ancient text the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Concepts
The Epic pf Gilgamesh is over and above everything, a story of a person on a quest for immortality, who subsequently learns of the all encompassing truth of human mortality, and there-after the value of life on earth. As such the work concerns elements of the human condition.

As is indicated by the inclusion of the word epic in the title, the work is primarily a story of heroism and heroics. In the context of Gilgamesh, it is in the least, his learning of death and the reality of it. His courage to face the fact of death stemmed from his desire to know of the reality of the life he desired, which is of immortality on earth. The eponomous Gilgamesh is, as a hero, described by Jastrow in the analysis he makes of the Sumerian of the name Gilgamesh,which is transliterated from Sumerian as Gish-gì(n)-mash, as something or someone who is more than simply a hero. The name itself conveys the actual idea of one who is a father hero (father of all hero's), an original hero, and more-over the apotheosis of a hero, a hero par excellence. Additionally the story of Gilgamesh is thought an example of an individual experience of rite de passage, according to one source. (ref. - p. 9). As a continuation of the idea of the work fulfilling an exploration of a rites of passage experience, there is also the recurring theme within the work of journeys. Gilgamesh himself is journeying from one place to another and also he is learning about the fate of himself, to die like all mortals. His physical journey is a mirror of the concept of life being a kind of journey, to which death is the inevitable destination. To understand therefore his life is to find then a renewed purpose in his life, which is to fulfil his role as king to the utmost that exists within his own ability.

The central concepts of the epic are (according to one source) the quest for eternal life, the existence of friendship and relationships, and, occurences of abuse of power.

For N.K.Sandars the story is one of morality coupled with tragedy.

A key concept is Allegory, and another is thought to be the concept of Euhemerism. In the context of the manner to which the text might be interpreted, aitiology i.e. etiology, is a concept within the work.

Names
The individual entries below number eighty nine in total, although some entries might represent a duplication of the same god, person or thing under a different name. Additionally there may be more names present in any rendering of the work, not currently present in those shown in this article.


 * (Prologue) thirteen names are introduced into the prologue of the story.
 * Tablet 1 - seven names in tablet one
 * Tablet 2 - one name (Ninsun) in tablet 2
 * Tablet 3 - six names in tablet three
 * there are no new names introduced into the text within Tablet 4.
 * Tablet 5 - fourteen names in tablet five
 * Tablet 6 - eight names
 * Tablet 7 - seven names
 * Tablet 8 - four names
 * Tablet 9 - six names
 * Tablet 10 - thirteen names
 * Tablet 11 - nine names

The names below are shown in the order to which they appear to the reader from the beginning to finish of the text.

All primary factual information (names) shown here were taken from the source Robert K. G. Temple, published by Rider 1991, unless otherwise indicated.

Prologue

 * Uruk (city) - is the first primary city in history, settlement begun around 5300 B.C., located by the Euphrates river (see below : Tablet 5).
 * Eanna (temple) - was located within the boundaries of Uruk.
 * An (is a sky god in the Prologue, Sky Father, and is described as God of Firmament within Tablet 1)
 * Inanna (Goddess of Love and Battle)
 * the Seven sages
 * Gilgamesh (hero)
 * Lugalbanda (parent of Gilgamesh, is additionally described as the Pure within Tablet 6)
 * the revered Cow (parent to Gilgamesh)
 * Rimat-Ninsun (woman)
 * Ziusudra
 * Aruru (the Great Goddess)
 * Shamash (the Sun)
 * Adad (the Storm)

Tablet 1

 * Enkidu (is stated to be of the Steppes within Tablet 2, and that he is the son of a fish within Tablet 5)
 * Ninurta (the God of War, and hunting - Tablet 11)
 * Nisaba (goddess, corn)
 * Samugan (god, cattle)
 * hierodule
 * Enlil (son of An)
 * Enki (son of An, God, is stated to be the son of Enlil within Tablet 7)

Tablet 2

 * Ninsun (the Wise, the Great Queen)

Tablet 3

 * Cedar Forest
 * Humbaba
 * The Great Flood
 * Akitu Festival
 * Anshan
 * Aya

Tablet 5

 * Imini (Goddess of Love)
 * duks
 * Shaparziqqu (a wind)
 * Sihurra (a wind)
 * Namtar (awful Fate)
 * melammus
 * Mount Herman
 * Saria
 * Lebanon
 * Anunnaki
 * urmazili
 * Nippur
 * River Euphrates
 * River Tigris

Tablet 6

 * lapis-Lazuli
 * Tammuz
 * Kappi
 * Silili
 * Ishullanu (palm-gardener)
 * Antum (mother of Inanna)
 * Bull of Heaven
 * gur

Tablet 7

 * Zu (bird god from the Underworld)
 * Irkalla (god of the Dead)
 * Etana (once king of Kish)
 * Kish
 * Sumugan (perhaps same as Samugan, because god of cattle)
 * Ereshkigal (Queen of the Underworld)
 * Belit-Seri (scribe to Ereshkigal)

Tablet 8

 * Enkidu (mother of Gilgamesh, gazelle)
 * various animals - bear, hyena, panther, tiger, stag, leopard, lion, ox, deer, ibex
 * River Ulla
 * Eridu
 * various materials - copper, gold, lapis lazuli, red ochre, gaz-stones, jasper
 * Babylon

Tablet 9

 * Ziusudra (Survivor of the Flood)
 * Ubara-Tutu (parent of Ziusudra)
 * Ut-Napishtim
 * Mashu (mountain)
 * Un
 * Scorpion man

Tablet 10

 * Siduru (the Refresher)
 * tvem
 * Piraddarak
 * Shutijas
 * Zigi (brother of Benunu)
 * Benunu
 * Waters of Death
 * Urshanabi (boatman of Ziusudra)
 * umu-snakes
 * Tahhu-flour
 * kakkushu-flour
 * nibhu-garment
 * Mammetum

Tablet 11

 * Shurrupak (city)
 * Ennugi (inspector of canals)
 * Ninigiku (that is, Enki)
 * Puzur-Amum (boatman)
 * Shullat (storm herald)
 * Hanish (storm herald)
 * Mount Nisir
 * Erra (god of Pestilence)
 * Ashurbanipal (king of the world)