Creation of life from clay explained

The creation of life from clay can be seen as a miraculous birth theme that appears throughout world religions and mythologies. It can also be seen as one of gods who craft humans out of earthly materials. As such, this class of story falls within a larger set of divine or cosmogonic origin stories about creation, whether through divine emergence or divine craft.

Religion, mythology, and folklore

Sumerian & Babylonian

• The Epic of Gilgamesh states that the goddess Aruru created humans out of clay.^{[1] [2]} The epic goes on to narrate how Aruru also creates Enkidu out of clay^[3] as an equal partner in strength for Gilgamesh, "mighty in strength".
• The Sumerian myth of Enki and Ninmah (Ninhursag) states that humans were fashioned from clay to serve the gods (see Enki and the Making of Man). Of note, the creation of humans is portrayed as a contest between Enki and Ninhursag, who take turns finding correct places in society for the newly created humans.^{[4] [5]} Note further that creation follows a period of gestation lasting nine days, the poet being careful to note that each day corresponds to a month in the human period of gestation.^[6]
• The Babylonian Epic of Atrahasis states that humans were created by Nintu (Ninhursag) from mixing clay with the blood of a sacrificed god.^{[7] [8]} In context, the elder gods forced the younger gods to do all the hard labor so the younger gods devised a plan to create humans to do their bidding instead. The sacrificed god Ilawela (also written as Geshtu-(E), Geshtu, Gestu, or We-ila) is a minor god of intelligence (the text states this quite clearly: "Ilawela ...had intelligence").^[9]
• Contrary to what is commonly claimed, the Babylonian creation epic Enuma Elish does not state that humans are created from clay nor are they created by Ninhursag in this particular version. Rather, they are created from blood and bone.^[10] The first tablets uncovered suggested the blood was Marduk's^[11] but later tablets state the blood comes from Tiamat's fallen consort, Kingu. Similarly, it is oft claimed that Enki (Ea) creates humans from this blood but it is only because he received instructions to do so from the supreme deity, Marduk (in other words, this was Marudk's will or plan). Regardless, Tablet 6 of the Enuma Elish does not reference Ninhursag, Ninma or Aruru at all, and there is no reference in it to humans being created from clay.

Egyptian

• The Egyptian god Khnum is said to create human children from clay^[12] before placing them into their mother's womb.^[13] In context, though, Egyptians more generally believed in a cyclical view of time and rebirth. This meant humans were seen as part of a continuous cycle of creation and destruction, not necessarily originating from a single pair. Just as often, for example, the god Ptah was said to have created the world, including humans, from an act of speech.^[14]

Middle Eastern

• The Book of Genesis 2:7 states, "Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being"^[15]

Notes and References

1. Book: Kovacs . Maureen Gallery . The Epic of Gilgamesh . 1998 . 2 .
2. Book: George . Andrew . The Epic of Gilgamesh . 1999 . Penguin Classics .
3. Book: Kovacs . Maureen Gallery . The Epic of Gilgamesh . 1998 . 3 .
4. Book: Lambert . W.G. . Babylonian creation myths . 2013 . Winona Lake, Indiana. . 9781575068619 . 330 .
5. http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section1/tr112.htm The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature
6. Kramer . Noah . Sumerian Mythology . Nature . 1944 . 154 . 3905 . 309 . 10.1038/154309a0 . 1944Natur.154..309B .
7. Book: Dalley . Stephanie . Myths from Mesopotamia: creation, the flood, Gilgamesh, and others . 1989 . 4 & 15 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-283589-5 .
8. Book: Foster . Atrahasis Epic .
9. Book: Dalley . Stephanie . Myths from Mesopotamia : creation, the flood, Gilgamesh, and others . 1989 . 15 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-283589-5 .
10. Book: Luckenbill . D.D. . The Ashur Version of the Seven Tablets of Creation . October 1921 . 21 . The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures .
11. Book: King . L.W. . Enuma Elish The Epic of Creation . 1902 .
12. Book: Leeming . David Adams . The Oxford companion to world mythology . 2005 . 116 .
13. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/316758/Khnum Encyclopedia Britannica
14. Book: Leeming . David Adams . The Oxford companion to world mythology . 2005 . 114 .
15. Web site: Book of Genesis,Book of Genesis .