The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1913-08-07
old TABLET found
Bible Account Of Noah and Flood
fOnnd on Stone.
Slab Oldest Ever Dug Up Gives
Duration of Rain as Seven
Days-Names Many Gods

Philadelphia = The Bible story of
Noah and the food is confirmed in
many details by hieroglyphics written
at least 1000 years ago by historian
who lived in ancient Babylon, accord
ing to announcement made by the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania
The writing on tablet-an epic of
great length purporting to reach back
to the creation of the world-has been
deciphered at the museum of the uni
versity by DR.. Arno Poebel, the an
nouncement says The tablet, said to
be the Oldest ever recovered from OBJ
livion, was dug up in Nippur several
years ago by museum expedition
In strange symbols so finely written
that the entire poem is contained on
seven inches square, the primitive his
torian hanks back to the beginning of
all things. Then there were several
gods, chief of which were Anu and
EMIL, and goddess, Nintu, the tablet
says. Nintu was the goddess who
created mankind, whom she called
my creations"
Like the first chapter of Genesis,
the Babylon poem opens with recital
of the creation. Nintu, godmother OF
humans, is lamenting that the other
gods seem bent on their destruction.
"At that time Nintu walled like q
woman in travail, f" reads the transla-
ton "The holy Ishtar walled on &C
count of the people Enki, god Of
wisdom, held counsel with Anu, Emil
and Nintu over the proposed destruc
ton of mankind Ziaguddia, higf
priest of Shuruppak, made obeisancs
to the gods and prayed, prostratinl
himself in humility"
The Ziaguddia of the Babylons, it il
believed, was the Noah of the He
brews. The tablet tells of Ziagud
dia's learning from the great god
Enki, that mankind was to be destroy
ed "by a rain storm" Then comes
description of terrific wind and rains.
"After seven days the rain storm
had passed over the land and carrie,
away the huge boat.
Then the sun god came forth, shed
} ding light over heaven and earth Zis
guddia opened the roof of his ship an
the light of the sun god was let in"
This version differs in respect to tn
} duration of the food described in Ger
esis- There it was said to have Taste
40 days.
When the water subsidized Ziaguddi
, prayed to the gods with a loud voics
the poem continues, and sacrificed a
OK, sheep and something with g
r great horn" Through the interce
| sion of Nintu the gods forgave IL
surviving human beings and gay
: them Immortality, which they did NJ
possess before the flood.
DIR. Poebel has announced that
/. will make public later literal tran
: lation of the epic. From other table
found by the expeditions, it would al
pear the announcement says, thi
n AGO, 900 years interviewed between Il
creation and the flood, although OF
epic writer asserts with painstakin
accuracy that the exact time was 80
: 223 years and some months (exa
4 number undecipherable) and Is day
The particular tablet from viii,
the story of the food was translate
n the announcement states, may be
!. old as 4, 400 years, and is reasonab
: certain to be no more recent than Il
q reign of Hamurabi, about 2100 B.
. 1t is regarded as the worlds most a
y cient historical writing and is in fail
. good state of preservation