The Legend of Etana
The Legend of Etana is an ancient Mesopotamian myth that originates from Sumerian and Akkadian cultures.
The Legend of Etana is preserved in various versions on cuneiform tablets discovered in the ruins of ancient Mesopotamian cities like Nineveh and Ashur.
The Legend of Etana tells the story of Etana, a king of Kish, a city in ancient Mesopotamia.
Etana is portrayed as a just ruler, but his kingdom suffers from a serious problem: the goddess Ishtar has withheld the power of fertility, preventing crops from growing and women from bearing children.
Desperate to save his kingdom, Etana prays to the gods for help.
In response to his prayers, the god Shamash directs Etana to seek out an eagle that has been trapped in a pit by a serpent.
Etana rescues the eagle, who, in gratitude, agrees to help him find the "plant of birth," which will allow his wife to conceive a child.
The eagle carries Etana on a journey into the heavens, ascending higher and higher into the sky.
As they rise, Etana gazes down and sees the earth shrinking below him, eventually reaching the heavens of the gods.
However, in some versions of the myth, Etana becomes frightened by the height and asks the eagle to return him to the ground.
The Legend of Etana has been partially reconstructed from several fragmentary cuneiform tablets.
Etana: "To the sky, take me, my friend, To the dwelling of Anu, where we can find the plant of birth."
Bloodlines of Noah, Lake Van & the Anunnaki.
The conversation then turned to the Legend of Etana, a set of tablets that describe the rebuilding of civilization after a great flood.
LaCroix explained that according to this legend, Etana was a king who founded the city of Kish after the catastrophe, and this city became a center of learning and culture in the new world.
Dynasties of Kish
Etana is a legendary figure in Sumerian mythology and is best known for his adventure where he flies to heaven on the back of an eagle.
According to the myth, Etana, the 13th king of Kish, was chosen by the gods to bring stability to his city.
Etana's reign marks an important cultural legend, linking the human and divine realms.
Sumerian King List
e-ta-na sipa lu2 an-sze3 en: Etana, shepherd, who to heaven65.
dumu e-ta-na-ke4 en: son of Etana,70.