Enuma Elish and Egyptian Creation Myths Compared

Introduction

The course of human history and culture has produced a remarkable variety of creation theories and religious beliefs. Many people point to the Bible — and to Genesis or the Book of Job in particular — when discussing such theories. However, numerous other traditions exist, and two non-Biblical mythology arcs form the focus of this paper. While many creation myths share common threads, each stands on its own in important ways.

The Babylonian Enuma Elish

The first creation myth examined here is the Enuma Elish, which originated with the Babylonians and is also referred to as the Mesopotamian creation myth. Those familiar with the Epic of Gilgamesh will recognize elements of this tradition. Although the Babylonian account of creation is technically separate from the Christian Bible, scholars have acknowledged that the two share notable similarities and may have influenced one another. The relationship between Leviathan and the Book of Job reflects a parallel connection.

Within Babylonian mythology, each town had its own god. Not unlike the Christian account, the world begins in a formless state of nothingness. The "maker" within the Enuma Elish is known as Tiamat, while Apsu is described as the "begetter." Apsu is the male figure and represents the "sweet" or fresh waters, while Tiamat represents the salt waters. This pairing correlates naturally with the Tigris and Euphrates rivers — widely considered the cradle of civilization for several creation traditions, including the Enuma Elish. Notably, the Enuma Elish contains no explicit mention of a destroying force; the focus rests entirely on creation. There is a sustained emphasis on the earth, water, and natural elements, which are directly linked to the gods responsible for bringing them into being.

Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths

The ancient Egyptian creation myths differ from the Enuma Elish in that they encompass a considerably larger pantheon. Rather than being localized to a single god or a small group, the Egyptians recognized a great number of deities. Beyond that, different gods and belief systems appear to have predominated across different regions of the country, and different gods were credited with the act of creation. One prominent example is Amun; another is Atum. Ultimately, Atum and Khepri are the two figures most commonly cited as creators.

According to the account centered on Atum, the beginning of the world was described as a "watery chaos," and Atum supposedly rose out of those chaotic waters. Atum was strongly correlated with the sun god Ra, establishing clear links between the creator and the natural elements familiar to us today. The account of Khepri is similar in that it, too, draws a connection to Ra, reinforcing the centrality of solar symbolism within Egyptian cosmology (Deuer, 2016).

Conclusion

Even though many cultures have developed their own accounts of how the Earth came to be, those accounts are often similar in fundamental ways. Even where more modern iterations of these beliefs have become relatively homogenous — at least in the Western world — outliers remain. These traditions share characteristics with more dominant religions while retaining distinct features that are worth comparing and contrasting. Some scholars go so far as to suggest that various faiths are variations of a single overarching belief system and are more closely linked than is commonly acknowledged. Regardless of one's position on that question, the universality of creation mythology reflects a deep human desire to understand existence as something more than an evolutionary accident — to see life as purposeful, ordered, and meaningful.

References

Deuer. (2016). Egyptian creation myths. Egyptartsite.com. Retrieved October 3, 2016, from http://www.egyptartsite.com/crea.html

[University]. (2016). Enuma Elish: The Babylonian creation story. Faculty.[redacted].edu. Retrieved October 3, 2016, from http://faculty.[redacted].edu/websterm/enuma_elish.html