This project seeks to investigate significant literary, historical and religious issues in this poem, including the diachronic nature of the cult of Erra/Nergal, his relationship to his vizier Ishum, the personality of the Seven/Sebetti, the status of Marduk (especially with regard to the problem of evil), representation of the divine, and the text’s function in apotropaic magic. Although my analysis will not be confined to the text itself, by situating the text in its intertextual context I hope finally to illuminate and construct coherence in this difficult mythological poem. [table “6” not found /]

Categories: PhD Research