Gilgamesh Games link discovered by Assyriologist in 1999
The Gilgamesh Games website has recently been contacted by Dr. Vladimir V. Emelianov an Assyriologist who we are happy to see also noticed the similarity in the athletic events described in the Sumerian Death of Bilgames translation with the ancient Greek Olympic Games.
After successfully publishing this revelation in his The Nippur Calendar and the Early History of Zodiac in St Petersburg in 1999 he attempted to have it published in a “Western” journal and submitted it to NABU journal.
The NABU journal however chose to drop any mention of the link between the Gilgamesh Games and the Olympic Games and unfortunately it appears as though he discontinued further research on the Gilgamesh Games.
This inadvertent or perhaps even deliberate editorial decision highlights the all pervasive framework constructed by today's historians.
This very same Orientalism framework attributed all the sublime characteristics of human civilisation to the “West,” during the wave of nationalism that swept over Europe in the 18th century. The West defined itself as progressive, enlightened and democratic the opposite of its 'Other' the East which it viewed as regressive, backwards and despotic.
8th August, 2009
Dear Mr. Chibo,
I'd like to inform you, that ten years ago in my Russian book (with English Summary) I've offered the similarity of Gilgamesh Games and the Greek Olympic Games. Here are my words written in English:
V month NE.NE gar 'establishing of torches'. The fire of many torches helps mankind to drive away ghosts of the Netherworld. People at that time make sacrifices to their dead relatives who had not received food and drink from their children and came out from the Nether World to unbalance relations between the living and the dead.
In literature, it is the time of Inanna's descent to the Nether World and Gilgamesh's march to kur-lu2-ti-la of Huwawa. Athletic games played at this time in memory of Gilgamesh with the light of many torches seems to have been similar to the Greek Olympic Games (The Nippur Calendar and the Early History of Zodiac. St.-Petersburg, 1999. P. 265).
You also can look through the chapter about V-th month, pp. 83-91, with analysis of all the texts concerning Gilgamesh's Games.
At the second time all my results were summarized in my article in French N.A.B.U. journal (Nouvelles Assyriologiques Breves et Utilitaires 2 (1999), p. 40-41), but without mentioning Olympic Games itself.
I hope you want to quote all information on this question. My letter can help you in this case.
With kindest regards,
Dr. Vladimir V. Emelianov,
Assyriologist,
St.-Petersburg State University, Russia
Dr. Vladimir V. Emelianov can be contacted on Владимир Емельянов banshur69@gmail.com
