Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

creation from water and clay

creation_from_water_and_clay

A motif of the Cosmic Origin and Creation family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

2 occurrences

2 traditions

egyptian (1) · mesopotamian (1)


egyptian

  • The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia CONTENTS / PREFACE. / PART I. THE RELIGION OF ANCIENT EGYPT. / PART II. THE RELIGION OF THE BABYLONIANS.; lines 9834-9916 confidence: high

    A creator-god, compared with Khnum, is called the potter; he molds mankind from clay formed by his waters, and the created world rises from the sea, with the deep encircling it like a serpent.

    The passage states that mankind is molded from clay formed by waters and that the world of created things rises from the sea.

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mesopotamian

  • Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament THE SIXTH TABLET / THE SIXTH TABLET / THE SEVENTH TABLET / THE 8EVENTH TABLET; lines 3692-3880 confidence: medium

    “When Anu created the heavens ... Nudimmud created the ocean, his dwelling, / Ea, in the ocean, broke off the clay.”

    The ritual says Nudimmud creates the ocean as dwelling and Ea breaks off clay in the ocean; a note adds that Ea is here creator of men formed from clay.

    read in the book