The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1873-03-20
Chaldean Account of the Deluge.

At meeting of the Biblical ArcheotogicS-
al Society, December Sd, Sir Henry Rain
son presiding, paper was read by Mr. Geo
Smith on "a Cuneiform IuscriI tion contain
ing Chaldean Account. of the Deluge." Ii
was stated by the president, in, introducing
Mr.. Smith, that when the EXCAVATIONS were
made. some fifteen years ago, on the site OF
the ancient place of Nincyah, a large num-
bes, some twenty thousand, Of inscribed clay
tablets we're found, in perfect state Of pre-
servation. These were removed to the Brl-
tish Museum, where they now are, and serve
as mine of research to Assyrian SCHOLARS,
of whom Mr.. Smith was undoubtedly the
first
Mr. Smith, after giving an account of his
arrangement of the tablets, said that OF the
inscription concerning the food there are CO.
pies in fragmentary condition containingdu du-
plicate texts, belonging to period about
600 years B. C. The original text belonged
to the city Of Ouch, and was transported to
Ninevah, copied, and placed in the Royal
Library there. The narrative is from the
lips ofSisit, the Noah Of the Chaldeans.-
The earlier part is very defective. many lines
being entirely lost. After the ark was built
the account goes on:
"All I possessed collected it, all possess
ed I collected of silver, all I possessed l col.
lected of gold, all I possessed 1 collected OF
the seed Of life, the whole I caused to 60 up
into the ship, oil my male and female ser.
wants, the beasts of the field, the animals OF
tho field, and the sons of the army all OF
them. I caused to go up. A food Shamas
made, and he spake, saying in the night. i
will cause it to rain from heaven heavily /;
enter to the midst of the ship, and shut thy
door A food be raised, and he spake saying in,
the night, Il will cause it to rain from heaven
heavily Tn the day that celebrate his fcs-
tival the day which he had appointed; fear |
had; entered to the midst ofthe ship, and
shut my door; to guide the ship, to Buzursar5
dirabi the pilot, tho place / gave to his
hand The raging Of storm in the morn
Ing arose, from the horizon of heaven extend
ing and wide. Vul in tho midst of it thun-
dered, and Nebo and Saru went in 'front.' the
throne bearers went over the mountains and
plains; the destroyer Nergel overturned;
Ninip went in front and cast down; the
spirits carried destruction, in their glory
they sweptth earth; ofVulthe food, reached
to heaven; tho bright earth to waste was
turned; the surface Of the earth like *%* 1t
swept; it destroyed all fife from the face Of
the earth *** the strong tempest over the
people, reach to heaven Brother saw nsss
his brother, it did not spare the people. In
heaven the gods feared the tempest, and
sought refuge; they ascended to the heaven
of Anu. The gods like dogs with tails hid
den crouehed down. Spake Ishtar q dis
course, uttered the great goddess her speech.
"The world to sin has turned" and [ in the
presence of the gods prophesied evil; when
prophesied in the presence Of the gods
evil, to evil were devoted all my people, and
I prophesied thus: L have begotten man
and let him not like the sons Of the fishes
fill the sea- The gods concerning the spirits,
were weeping with her; the goods in seats
seated in lamentation; covered their lips for
the coming evil Six days and nights pass
cd, the wind tempest and storm. ovcrwhelm-
ed, on the seventh day in its course. was
calmcd the storm, and all the tempest which
had destroyed like an earthquake, quieted.
The sea He caused TO dry, and the wind and
tempest ended. l was carried through the
sea. The doer of evil, and the whole Of man
kind who turned to sin, like reeds their
corpses foated. l open the window and the
light broke in, over my refuge it passed, |
sat still and over my refuge came peace. l
was carried over the shore, at the boundary
of the sea, for twelve measures it assembled
over the land. To the country of Mir,
went the ship; the mountain of Mir stop
ped the ship, and to pass over it, it was not
able. The first day and the second day, the
mountain of Mir the same. The third and
the fourth day, the mountain of Mir the
same. The fifth and sixth day the noun
tain of Mir the same. On the seventh day
in the course of it I sent forth dove and it
left. The dove went and searched and
resting place it did not find, and it returned.
sent forth swallow, and it left. The
swallow went and searched and resting
place it did not find, and it returned. / sent
forth raven, and it left. The raven went,
and the corpscs on the waters it saw, and
it did eat, it swami and wandered away, and
did not return. / sent the animals forth to
the four winds, poured out lbation. l
built an altar on the peak of the mountain
by seven herbs cut at the bottom of them
/ placed reeds, pines, and simgar. The gods
collected at its burning, the gods collected
at its good burning When his Judgment
was accomplished, Bel went up to the midst
of the ship, he took my hand, and brought
me out, he caused to bring my wife to my
side, he purified the country, he established
in a covenant and took the people in the
presence Of Sisit and the people; when Sisit
and his wife and the people to be like the
gods were carried away, then dwelt Sisit in
a remote place at the mouth of the rivers;
they took me and in remote place at the
mouth of the rivers they seated me-"