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HUMBABA

Besides the well-known Greek mythology, Mesopotamia hides epics consisting of several myths. The Epic of Gılgamesh from Ancient Mesopotamia, is one of them which is written in Sumerian and Assyrian. As the first written language in the world, Sumerian has no reminiscence to any language in the world.

Apparently, the well known stories in the Bible, Torah or Quran are influenced by the ones in the Epic. Baby Moses drifting in the river is basically the story of Sargon, or Noah’s Ark is a part of the poem ‘When the Gods were men‘ by Atramhasis.

In the fragmental texts of Gılgamesh − still some tablets are missing − Humbaba (Assyrian) or Huwawa (Sumerian) is one of the most gripping characters. This freak is the guard of the Cedar Forest whose intestines are on the face.

“Humbaba’s roar is a flood, his mouth is death and his breath is fire! He can hear a hundred leagues away any [rustling?] in his forest! Who would go down into his forest!” (Epic of Gılgamesh, Tablet II)