Enki and Nin-khursag

New - 17 December 2009

The Mother of All Family Trees

Generation 5

Enki and Nin-khursag (Anunnaki)

Before we progress further down the generations, it might be worthwhile to check out the Anunnaki Family Tree Chart in a bit more detail. Like... trying to explain the colors, lines, twists, turns, and highlights. In Figure 1, for example, we can note that the first four generations are comparatively straight forward (and linked in blue... seemingly an appropriate color to show the blue bloods, sea, and sky they represented).

Figure 1. The Anunnaki Family Tree (reprise)

Admittedly, Figure 1 deviates slightly from standard family trees charts where one person had two parents, four grandparents, eight great grandparents, and so forth and so on -- thus making the tree somewhat top heavy. However, in the Anunnaki Family Tree... and those involving most royalty down through the ages... the "family tree" is much less of a tree than a telephone pole with appendages. This is because of family intra marriages. The Anunnaki and royalty down through the ages had in particular a real thing about marriages between siblings or half-siblings. This gives a whole new meaning to brotherly love, both from the sister's point of view and the half-sister's. Curiously, a marriage between a man and his half-sister is considered more important than one between the same man and a sister. Nevertheless, this became extremely important in the Enki and Enlil competition for Best Genes. Abraham and his wife Sarai are another relatively well known example of this strong tendency toward an early form of "family values", and "the family that propagates the bloodline together... pretty much stays together."

Now... let's assume that the reader has reached the level of the first highlighted boxes. Among other things, this brings us down to notably more history... conflicts, vivid personalities, and such.

The rather more notorious big three in Figure 1 include Enki, Nin-Khursag, and to a lesser extent, Enlil. The "Senior" bloodline (shown in blue) will be assumed to flow through Enki and Nin-khursag (the premier Lady of Life). Enki, by the way, can be seen in the family tree more than once, often showing up in charts with yet another female. This god is a player. In Figure 1, Enki is shown cooperating with Lilith and Sirdur to generate offspring -- Enki is in fact a god known for his "repeated incantations". Equally, or even possibly more important is Nin-khursag (the True Lady of Life), whose magenta, matriarchal bloodline keeps encountering critically important females. The matriarchal bloodlines are typically much harder to document than the patriarchal ones, but they often carry far more importance. Meanwhile, the bloodline of Enlil (think of him as Jehovah) is shown in red (and may be considered to be the junior, royal line). Other bloodlines (brown or black) are shown in order to highlight certain important individuals (and who will be really pissed if they're not adequately represented -- these guys, after all, are gods and goddesses).

Note in particular the magenta and brown bloodlines show, among other things, that Eresh-Kigal and Inanna as sisters. Also, Inanna's paternal grandfather is Enlil (via Nanna), while her maternal grandfather is Enki (via Ningal). These relationships are in fact critical to understanding the story of Inanna's Descent into the Underworld... and its happy ending. Inanna's two grandmoms are thus Nin-khursag and Ninlil... and of course her great granddad is Anu. (Much is made of the fact that Inanna is Anu's favorite.) Inanna is also a prime player in many of the earliest, ancient tales. Unfortunately, genealogically, she does not readily fit into our tree. (Or else, we just don't have a clue as to precisely how her genes are being cast forth into the population of blue bloods. Hopefully, she might drop us a line and provide us with some such clues.)

Oh... by the way. The Anunnaki are very long lived. I probably should have mentioned that earlier.

Note also that the maternal bloodline flows from Nin-khursag via Ningal, via Eresh-kigal, to Lilith... the latter whose title box is highlighted for exceptionally good reasons. One is shown in a separate article on Lilith. (For me, that particular reason is about all one should need. However...) Another reason for making note of Lilith is that she produced with Enki the two daughters that would reinforce the Anunnaki genes by marrying and having offspring with none other than Cain and Seth. (Able was apparently unavailable... even... perhaps... unable to perform). It will be left to the student to determine what Lilith's relationship to Enki is... other than sex partner and parents of two lovely daughters, Luluwa and Kalimath. [*]

Generation No. 5 (Anunnaki)

1. EN.KI., Lord of Earth and Waters, Prince of Eridu, The Great Shepherd, The God of Wisdom. aka Ea, Nudimmud, and (the Egyptian) Ptah [5] Anu and Antu [4] Anshar and Kishar [3] Lahmu and Lahamu [2] Tiamat and Absu [1]

From Wikipedia [and heavily edited by moi]:

Enki was a god in Sumerian mythology, also known as Ea. He was originally chief god of the city of Eridu, but later his influence spread throughout Mesopotamia. He was the god of wisdom, water (seawater and lakewater), intelligence (literally "ear") and creation (Nudimmud: nu, likeness, dim mud). He was the keeper of the divine powers called Me, the gifts of civilization. His image is a double-helix snake [i.e., the same symbol as used in the medical profession... and yes there is a definite connection.]

Technically, “Enki” means "Lord of Earth": the Sumerian “En” being translated as a title equivalent to "lord" -- a title originally given to the High Priest-- while “Ki” means "earth". The name Ea in Sumerian means "the house of water".

Considered the master shaper of the world, god of wisdom and of all magic, Enki was characterized as the Lord of the Abzu (Apsu in Akkadian, perhaps equivalent of Greek abýssos, English "abyss"), the freshwater sea or groundwater located within the earth. In the later Babylonian epic Enûma Elišh, Abzu, the "begetter of the gods", is inert and sleepy but finds his peace disturbed by the younger gods [and] so sets out to destroy them. His grandson Enki, chosen to represent the younger gods, puts a spell on Abzu "casting him into a deep sleep", thereby confining him deep underground. Enki subsequently sets up his home "in the depths of the Abzu." Enki thus takes on all of the functions of the Abzu, including his fertilizing powers as lord of the waters and lord of semen. His symbols included a goat and a fish, which later combined into a single beast, the goat Capricorn, recognized as the Zodiacal constellation Capricornus. [Later, the biblical Ham will take on the same symbolism.]

"Enki was not perfect, as god of water he had a penchant for beer and as god of semen he had a string of incestuous affairs." [So what’s not perfect about that? This is my kind of god!] In the epic Enki and Ninhursag, he and his consort Ninhursag had a daughter Ninsar. When Ninhursag left him he came upon Ninsar (Lady Greenery) and then had intercourse with her. Ninhursag then gave birth to Ninkurra (Lady Fruitfulness or Lady Pasture). Eventfully, Enki had intercourse with Ninkurra, who gave birth to Uttu (weaver or spider). Now something of a family tradition, Enki attempts seduction of Uttu. Upset about Enki's reputation [gossips already being a pain in those ancient days], Uttu consults Ninhursag, who, upset at the promiscuous nature of her spouse advises Uttu to avoid the riverbanks.

In another version of this myth Ninhursag takes Enki's semen from Uttu's womb and plants it in the earth where seven plants rapidly germinate. With his two-faced servant and steward Isimud, Enki finds the plants and immediately starts consuming their fruit. Consuming his own semen he falls pregnant (ill with swellings) in his jaw, his teeth, his mouth, his throat, his limbs and his rib. The gods are at a loss to know what to do, as Enki lacks a womb with which to give birth. But then Ninhursag's sacred fox fetches the goddess. Ninhursag relents and takes Enki's Ab (water, or semen) into her body, and gives birth to gods of healing of each part of the body. The last one, Ninti (Lady Rib), is also a pun on Lady Life, a title of Ninhursag herself. [There is also a similarity in this story with the Greek myth of Zeus being pregnant and giving birth to Athena... which is a bit strange in that Enki has an obvious association with Neptune, and Enlil with Zeus. However, Enki might also be akin to Hades... if not all three of the prime Greek gods.]

In the Sumerian epic entitled Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta, there is an interesting speech by Enmerkar. Kramer's translation of part of the speech is:

Once upon a time there was no snake, there was no scorpion,
There was no hyena, there was no lion,
There was no wild dog, no wolf,
There was no fear, no terror,
Man had no rival.

In those days, the lands of Subur (and) Hamazi,
Harmony-tongued Sumer, the great land of the decrees of princeship,
Uri, the land having all that is appropriate,
The land Martu, resting in security,
The whole universe, the people in unison
To Enlil in one tongue [spoke].

(Then) Enki, the lord of abundance (whose) commands are trustworthy,
The lord of wisdom, who understands the land,
The leader of the gods,
Endowed with wisdom, the lord of Eridu
Changed the speech in their mouths, [brought] contention into it,
Into the speech of man that (until then) had been one.

[NOTE: While the last two lines suggest the traditional interpretation of the Tower of Babel, it should also be noted in the speech, Enki is being strongly praised, while Enlil is mentioned only as the audience of various monologues. Enki is not, for example, doing something against the humans... but is providing wise, trustworthy commands. It is possible, for example, that Enki in his wisdom, knew that contention (questioning authority) would be essential to humans in their... negotiations with Enlil. Therefore, Enki added "contention" to human abilities. For example...]

Champion of humankind

According to Sumerian mythology, Enki assisted humanity in surviving the Deluge designed to kill the humans. In the Legend of Atrahasis, Enlil, the [acting] king of the gods, sets out to eliminate humanity, the noise of whose mating is offensive to his ears. [Enlil] successively sends drought, famine and plague to eliminate humanity, but Enki thwarts his half-brother's plans by teaching Atrahasis, in order, about irrigation, granaries and medicine.

[This losing sleep is clearly an Anunnaki bugaboo. Wars, plagues, and famines result from one of them having their naps disturbed. However, it should be noted that quite possibly, a side effect of living extraordinarily long lives is that the Anunnaki also take very long naps. For example, one sufficient to miss WWII. Accordingly, disturbances to their sleep might be singularly important.]

Meanwhile, humans again proliferate a fourth time. Enraged, Enlil [i.e., a vengeful god] convenes a Council of Deities and gets them to promise not to tell humankind that he plans their total annihilation. [In order to keep his begrudging promise] Enki does not tell Atrahasis, but instead describes Enlil’s plan to the reed hut walls of Atrahasis' (aka, Ziusudra, Utnapishtim, and/or Noah), thus covertly rescuing Atrahasis by either instructing him to build some kind of a boat for his family, or by bringing him into the heavens in a magic boat. [The boat building seminar appears to be the most likely possibility.]

After the seven day Deluge, the flood hero frees a swallow, a raven and a dove in an effort to find if the flood waters have receded. On the boat landing, a sacrifice is organized to the gods. Enlil is angry that his will has been thwarted yet again, and that Enki is apparently the culprit. As the god of what we would call ecology, Enki explains that Enlil is unfair to punish the guiltless Atrahasis for the sins of his fellows, and secures a promise that the gods will not eliminate humankind if they practice birth control and live within the means of the natural world. The threat is made, however, that if humans do not honor their side of the covenant the gods will be free to wreak havoc once again. This is apparently the oldest surviving Middle Eastern Deluge myths. [It is also something that might constitute “a mighty disturbing thought” in that there has not been a lot of success in mankind living within the means of the natural world.]

[It is also noteworthy that while Enki is advocating the practice of human population control and living within the means of the natural world -- something a god of wisdom might very well advocate -- Enlil's contribution to this debate is his command to the humans to "be fruitful and multiply, and subdue the earth." The battle between environmentalists and religious conservatives had begun.]

[For extra credit, the student may want to review the Georgia Guidestones (at Wikipedia and/or Wired), and then write a five page essay on the possible association by the authors of the guidelines with the likes of Enki... or his wisdom.]

In another arena of human existence, (Laurence Gardner, Genesis of the Grail Kings (pages 92-95), notes that "From the earliest times, the serpent was identified with wisdom and healing. It was a sacred symbol of the Egyptian pharaohs, a symbol of the Essene Therapeutate (the ascetic healing community) of Qumran, and has become identified with today’s medical institutions. The serpent has never had any dark or sinister connotation except for that imposed on the Genesis text by latter-day Church doctrines.” In fact...

“The serpent who conversed at length with Eve was clearly not a lowly, dumb creature, but a guardian of the sacred knowledge, and we know from the Mesopotamian story of Adapa [Adam] that it was Enki who created him and Enki who imparted to him wisdom and knowledge.

"With wide understanding, he [Enki] had perfected him to expound the decrees of the land. He had given him wisdom, but he had not given him eternal life."

Enki (Ea) was traditionally depicted as the Serpent-Lord of the Euphrates. Meanwhile, Enlil (aka Jehovah) was very much against humans... as is shown in the Garden of Eden story where the ongoing feud between the Anunnaki half-brothers is recounted in part. Enlil was insistent that humankind should be kept in ignorance, and should be maintained solely to toil and to bear the yoke of the Anunnaki (a task the Roman Catholic Church has zealously endeavored to accomplish). But Enki was insistent that the black-headed people should be educated.

Enlil/Jehovah then endeavored to prevent Adam and Eve from gaining any wisdom beyond their perceived ‘servant’ status, and he warned them away from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, claiming that they would die if they took of its fruit. Enki (the wise serpent) claimed that this was untrue and they they should partake of the knowledge: ‘Ye shall not surely die... for God [Enlil] doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.’ (Genesis 3:3-4)”

Keep in mind that when Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden by Enlil, that it was Enki who clothed them. The newly instituted dress code was in fact very important. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, for example, there is an account of the importance of clothing to the enlightened race, as opposed to the nakedness of the standard domesticated earthlings. The key is that “Enki had specifically created the earthlings [Adam and Eve] as ‘a leader among mankind’ from his own seed, whereas others of the earthly race had been created from the blood of Kingu [Tiamat’s son and lover].”

In other words, the earthly race of humans had evolved from the earliest development of the earth... while Enki’s (and Nin-khursag’s) intervention of placing their imprint upon some selected humans (in order to prepare them for kingship) created what might be considered a separate species... quite possibly the difference between Homo and Homo sapiens (where ‘sapiens’ means ‘wise’).

Thus genealogically, it makes a difference if one is descended from Eve/Enki... or from Kingu/Enlil.

Curiously, it might be possible... without actually researching the genealogy (which can be very difficult to do)... to determine which family or species of Homo that one is most representative of. The trick would be to check on the ability and willingness of one to question authority. The sheep can be considered Homo, while the seekers of wisdom and answers, are Homo sapiens. (There is also, undoubtedly, a lot of gray area (matter) between the two sub-species.)

Another point to be made in the Enki/Enlil follies, is that the:

“muddled and unparalleled concept of Jehovah (Enlil) being right (omniscience) when he was wrong, honest when [he was being] dishonest... was born out of an inherent fear of his vengeful power and unbounded wrath. It was Jehovah who had instigated the Semitic invasions which led to the ‘confusion of tongues’ and the fall of Sumer [aka the Tower of Babel]. It was Jehovah who had brought about the devastating Flood, and it was he who had leveled the cites of Sodom and Gomorrah -- not because of their wickedness, as related in Genesis (18-19), but because of the wisdom and insight of their inhabitants, as depicted in the Coptic Paraphrase of Shem. It was Jehovah who had [later] removed the Israelites from their homeland, sending them into seventy years of captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar II and his five Babylonian successors down to King Belshazzar (545-539 BC).

“But why had Jehovah treated the Jews so badly, condemning them to bondage in a foreign land? Because, as explained in the book of 2 Kings (21:3), ex-King Manasseh of Judah had erected altars to Jehovah’s son Baal. It mattered not that Manasseh’s grandson, King Josiah, had destroyed these altars with the people’s blessing (2 Kings 12:12-15). Jehovah decided to take revenge in any event.” It turns out Jehovah had been ticked off since the Israelites had come “forth out of Egypt”. [Talking about carrying a grudge!] Fortunately, for the good guys, in 539 BC, “King Cyrus II of Persia (Iran) had overthrown Babylon and seized the kingdom. He then married the Jewish Princess Meshar, and her brother Zerubbabel was allowed to lead the Israelite captives to freedom in 536 BC.”

Of course, “upon their return to Jerusalem and Judaea the [Jews] had every reason to fear the retribution of Jehovah, but they turned this fear into outright veneration and absolute obedience -- a veneration which set the scene for all that was to follow in the Jewish and Christian religions, whose disciples became classified as ‘God-fearing’.” (Gardner, pg 118-119) [Such fear does not lend itself to questioning authority... but absolute discipline does lead to Nazi Germany.]

Enki and Inanna

It is in his connections with Inanna, that Enki shows other aspects of his non-Patriarchal nature. The myth of Enki and Inanna tells the story of the young goddess of the É-anna temple of Uruk, who visits the senior god of Eridu, and is entertained by him in a feast. The seductive god plies her with beer, but the young goddess maintains her virtue... whilst Enki proceeds to get drunk. In generosity he gives her all the gifts of his Me, the gifts of civilized life. Next morning, with a hangover, he asks his servant Isimud for his Me, only to be informed that he has given them to Inanna. Upset at his actions, he sends Galla demons to recover them. Inanna, however, escapes her pursuers and arrives safely back at the quay at Uruk. Enki realizes that he has been tricked in his hubris and accepts a peace treaty forever with Uruk. Politically, this myth would seem to indicate events of an early period when political authority passed from Enki's city of Eridu to Inanna's city of Uruk.

The assumption, however, of Enki being tricked is just not all that plausible... particularly when Enki becomes the rescuer of last resort when Inanna gets into real trouble. This myth can be far more accurately interpreted as a subtle means of Enki greatly aiding Inanna, but still maintaining "plausible deniability" for going against a proliferation of the weapons of mass civilization.

For example, in the myth of Inanna's Descent into the Netherworld [aka a descent into Hades], Inanna, decides to console her grieving sister Ereshkigal, who is mourning the death of her husband Gugalana (gu, bull, gal, big, ana, sky/heaven), slain by Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Inanna sets out to visit her sister, but tells her servant Ninshubur (Lady Evening) [a reference to Inanna's role as the evening star], that if she does not return in three days, to get help from her grandfathers Anu, Enlil, and/or Enki. When she does not return, Ninshubur approaches Anu only to be told that he understands that his daughter is strong and can take care of herself. Enlil tells Ninshubur he is much too busy running the cosmos. Enki immediately expresses concern and dispatches his Galla demons, Galaturra or Kurgarra, sexless beings created from the dirt from beneath the god's finger-nails, to recover the young goddess. Enki thus rescues Inanna when her other father figures would not.

In another story Shukaletuda, the gardener, set by Enki to care for the date palm he had created, finds Inanna sleeping under the palm tree and the gardener rapes the goddess in her sleep. Awaking, she discovers that she has been violated and seeks to punish the miscreant. [Curiously, Inanna had not awakened while she was being raped.] Shukaletuda seeks protection from Enki, who may or may not be his father. In classic Enkian fashion, the father advises Shukaletuda to hide in the city where Inanna will not be able to find him. Enki, as the protector of whomever comes to seek his help, and as the empowerer of Inanna, then challenges the young impetuous goddess to control her anger so as to be better able to function as a great judge. Eventually, after cooling her anger, she too seeks the help of Enki, as spokesperson of the "assembly of the gods", the Igigi and the Anunnaki. After she presents her case, Enki sees that justice needs to be done and promises help, delivering knowledge of where the miscreant is hiding.

Enki was considered a god of life and replenishment, and was often depicted with two streams of water emanating from his shoulders, one the Tigris, the other the Euphrates. Alongside him were trees symbolizing the male and female aspects of nature, each holding the male and female aspects of the 'Life Essence', which he, as apparent alchemist of the gods, would masterfully mix to create several beings that would live upon the face of the earth.

In character Enki is not a jester or trickster god, he is never a cheat, and although [allegedly] fooled, he is not a fool. Enki uses his magic for the good of others when called upon to help either a god, a goddess or a human. Enki is always true to his own essence as a masculine nurturer. He is fundamentally a trouble-shooter god, and avoids or disarms those who bring conflict and death to the world. He is the mediator whose compassion and sense of humor breaks and disarms the wrath of his stern half-brother, Enlil, supposedly the king of the gods. He is the Challenger who tests the limits of Inanna in the myth Enki and Inanna and the Me and then concedes graciously his defeat by the young goddess of Love and War, by strengthening the bonds between Eridu and her city of Uruk. Thereby he becomes the Empowerer of Inanna. Enki is in all respects “the gallant, impetuous, energetic Lord of Wisdom, the Seeker after truth, and Master Adept in sorcery, enchantment and seduction." The essay on "Enki: the Fresh Waters Lord, Master of all Crafts, Magick and Wisdom" states of Enki that he is:

"The most complete and modern mirror of masculine wholeness in Mesopotamia and world religion. His values and attributes are timeless, and it is not surprising to see that He is one of the most beloved gods of Mesopotamia. How can He be so whole? Because in Him the passionate and joyous Lover, the Mystic, the Strategist, the Sorcerer, the Divine Manager, the Keeper of World Order and Rescuer of Humankind and Gods alike are all One.

All of which looks pretty darn good on a resume.

Enki (and later by the name, Ea) were sometimes depicted... like Adapa... as a man covered with the skin of a fish, and this representation, as likewise the name of his temple E-apsu, "house of the watery deep", points decidedly to his original character as a god of the waters (see Oannes). Of his practices at Eridu, which goes back to the oldest period of Mesopotamian history, nothing definite is known except that his temple was also associated with Ninhursag's temple which was called Esaggila, "the lofty head house". There is evidence that their ceremonial rites included water as a sacred element in the worship of Enki.

Enki/Ea is essentially a god of civilization, wisdom, and culture. He was also the creator and protector of man, and of the world in general. Traces of this view appear in the Marduk epic celebrating the achievements of this god and the close connection between the Ea cult at Eridu and that of Marduk. The correlation between the two rise from two other important connections: (1) that the name of Marduk's sanctuary at Babylon bears the same name, Esaggila, as that of a temple in Eridu, and (2) that Marduk is generally termed the son of Ea, who derives his powers from the voluntary abdication of the father in favor of his son. Accordingly, the incantations originally composed for the Ea cult were re-edited by the priests of Babylon and adapted to the worship of Marduk, and, similarly, the hymns to Marduk betray traces of the transfer of attributes to Marduk which originally belonged to Ea. A second son, Ningishzidda, is also held in high regard [even from Enlil’s side of the family!].

It is, however, as the third figure in the triad (the two other members of which were Anu and Enlil) that Ea acquires his permanent place in the pantheon. To him was assigned the control of the watery element, and in this capacity he becomes the shar apsi; i.e. king of the Apsu or "the deep". The Apsu was figured as the abyss of water beneath the earth, and since the gathering place of the dead, known as Aralu, was situated near the confines of the Apsu. He was also designated as En-Ki; i.e. "lord of that which is below", in contrast to Anu, who was the lord of the "above" or the heavens. The worship of Ea extended throughout Babylonia and Assyria. We find temples and shrines erected in his honor, e.g. at Nippur, Girsu, Ur, Babylon, Sippar, and Nineveh, and the numerous epithets given to him, as well as the various forms under which the god appears, alike bear witness to the popularity which he enjoyed from the earliest to the latest period of Babylonian-Assyrian history.

The consorts of Ea, known as Ninhursag, Ki, Uriash Damkina, "lady of that which is below", or Damgalnunna, "big lady of the waters", originally was fully equal with Ea but in more patriarchal Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian times, the women play a part merely in association with their lord. Generally, however, Enki seems to be a reflection of pre-patriarchal times, in which relations between the sexes were characterized by a situation of greater gender equality. In his character, he prefers persuasion to conflict, which he seeks to avoid if possible.

Further note from Laurence Gardner, Genesis of the Grail Kings, include Enki's genealogy.

Children by Damkina:

Marduk, The Avenger
Ningishzidda

Children by Nin-Khursag:

Ningal

Ningal ("Great Lady"), in Sumerian mythology was a goddess of reeds, daughter of Enki and Nin-Khursag and the consort of the moon god Nanna by whom she bore Utu the son god, Inanna, and in some texts, the god Ishkur. She is chiefly recognized at Ur, and was probably first worshipped by cow-herders in the marsh lands of southern Mesopotamia.

Adama (by artificial insemination
Eve of Elda (by artificial insemination)

Obviously, Enki had numerous sexual liaisons with a host of goddesses and women -- but this was in the context that sex was not evil, nor related purely to procreation. This was a god of wisdom!

Enki was Lord of the Earth and Waters, Prince of Eridu, The Great Shepherd, aka Nudimmud, Masda, Ea, Mazdoz, and/or Samael. He was the second son of Anu, but had a prior claim, i.e., Enki was younger than his half-brother, Enlil... however, Enki was born of his father, Anu, and Anu’s half-sister, Ki (which therefore gave precedence to Enki). (This is effectively the same as Abraham giving Isaac precedence over Ishmael, and is in fact the source of the half-sister rule followed by Abraham and generations to follow.)

Enki Education

And just to bring us up to date, there is “Enki Education”: “a unique and innovative approach to holistic education, for both the classroom and home school. [They] offer a multicultural, arts integrated education for the children, as well as conferences, discussion groups, and training programs for parents and teachers. Enki is an independent program that weaves together many rich and diverse elements, nurturing the integration of body, heart, and mind. This is key to cultivating educational excellence, confidence, and competence.”

And when asked as to why they called their school and educational system, “Enki”, they answered:

What’s in a name? A name can be a reminder of where or who we are - Hill Street School, Montessori Education, or the like. It might remind us of our origins, like Waldorf Education. Or - as in our case - it may be a reminder of what the particular approach to education holds central. In choosing a name for this independent and unique education, we sought one that would remind us all of what is most essential: the teacher’s ability to meet and nurture the child wherever she may be. Even the best designed curriculum and the most inspired methodology are only as good as the teacher’s ability to do this.

With this in mind - and because all aspects of our curriculum are enlivened with storytelling - we turned to the oldest written stories to find a name that would be both independent and would bring forth the essence of our approach. We wanted a name that would call on the teacher, again and again, to support the children’s highest potential. We found just such a name in the oldest recorded myths of humankind, carved into the cuneiform tablets of ancient Sumer over 5000 years ago. Here we found Enki, an ancient symbol of flexible wisdom. His characteristics, we believe, capture the essence of what it is to educate.

These ancient myths come to us from the land where, surrounded by desert, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers make the earth rich and green. Here, Enki, the ruler of the waters, flows into every corner and crevice, changing his shape to explore each detail and provide whatever is needed. By his very nature, he reflects whatever he meets - lighting up the natural wisdom and vitality of all he comes upon.

Nothing is too foreboding, small, or dark for Enki. According to mythology, when Inanna, the Queen of Heaven, was trapped in the underworld, all the gods and goddesses turned from her. Only Enki sought to free her. He fashioned small creatures and sent them into the underworld, where they set Inanna free.

Like Enki, the teacher - whether at home or in the classroom - is challenged to continually perceive, nurture, and celebrate the brilliance and possibility in all the children. His challenge is to meet everything fully, whatever it may be. His commitment is to support every child and help her go as far as she can, whatever her particular strengths and challenges. Enki himself can serve as a model and a reminder of this approach to teaching and living.

For more information, see Enki Education.

Finally, Enki is also identified as the ancient, creator God of Egypt, Ptah. And thus one has the obvious clue as to why the author herein changed his name to: Daniel Sewell DocPtah Ward. If you’re going to have a mentor, he might as well be one worth having... even emulating.

Just one thing... Enki, please call home. There’s been an emergence... of all sorts of things that you might find entertaining... or at at least faintly humorous. I could probably get you a date as well... assuming you haven’t already spied some one in the area.

2. NIN-KHURSAG, Lady of the Mountain, The Nin-ti (Lady of Life), Lady Earth (aka Nin-mah, Nin-ki) [5] Anu and Ki [4] Anshar and Kishar [3] Lahmu and Lahamu [2] Tiamat and Absu [1]

Enki, together with his half-sister, Nin-Khursag, and using genetic manipulation -- wherein Enki was the father, a mortal human the mother, and Nin-Khursag, the surrogate mother -- created The Adama. Later they used the same techniques to create Eve of Elda (Ava/Hawah). Not surprisingly, when appraised of the Anunnaki decision to Flood the earth and destroy mankind, Nin-khursag, the Lady of Life, deplored the idea.

According to Laurence Gardner, Genesis of the Grail Kings (pages 77-81): “The fundamental difference between the Sumerian Records and the Genesis version of the creation of modern humankind was that the new men and women did not emerge in ready-made adult form. [Which, by the way, makes a whole lot more sense!] They were scientifically induced, with human ova fertilized by the Anunnaki, to be placed as cultured embryos into the wombs of surrogate mothers. As a result, they were born quite naturally as babies:

Nin-khursag, being uniquely great, makes the womb contract.
Nin-khursag, being a great mother, sets the birth-giving going.

Mother Nintur [Nin=khursag], the lady of form giving,
Working in a dark place, the womb,
To give birth to kings, to tie on the rightful tiera; to give birth to lords;
To place the crown on [their] heads. It is in her hands.

The main purpose of Nin-khursag’s (and Enki’s) activities was to create a workforce to toil in the fields, to build new cities and to work the mines. But Enki and Nin-khursag had a more advanced plan to conceive of a prototype for a race of superior earthly leaders. To accomplish this grander goal, it was decided to place a cultured embryo into Nin-khursag’s own womb instead of into a mortal woman’s womb, so that [the ‘royal embryo’] was fed with Anunnaki blood. [This is an incredibly important point... the nurturing with Anunnaki blood.] The outcome of the successful experiment was The Adama (a superior breed of Earthlings). Enki called the man Adapa, and the latter was placed in charge of Enki’s temple in the Sumerian Eden, and he became the world’s first ever priest. It is apparent that the great importance of Adapa (the biblical Adam) was not that he was the first man, but that Adam was the first human of the Royal Seed -- the first priest-king of the Enki bloodline.

From Wikipedia: Ninhursag (NIN.?URSAG) was the earth and mother-goddess, one of the seven great deities of Sumer. She is principally a fertility goddess. Temple hymn sources identify her as the 'true and great lady of heaven' and kings of Sumer were 'nourished by Ninhursag's milk'. [Originally by her blood... and possibly her blood was the preferred "mother's milk".] She is typically depicted wearing a horned head-dress and tiered skirt, often with bow cases at her shoulders, and not infrequently carries a mace or baton surmounted by an omega [womb] motif or a derivation, sometimes accompanied by a lion cub on a leash [possibly a precursor of the Strength card in the Major Arcana of the Tarot]. She is the tutelary deity to several Sumerian leaders.

Nin-hursag means "lady of the mountain" (from Sumerian NIN "lady" and ?UR.SAG "foothill"). She had many names including Ninmah ("Great Queen"); Nintu ("Lady of Birth"); Mama or Mami (mother); Nin-ki ("Lady Earth"); Aruru (sister of Enlil); Belet-Ili (lady of the gods, Akkadian). Minor synonyms include Ninzinak (lady of the embryo); Nindim (lady fashioner); Nagarsagak (carpenter of insides); Ninbahar (lady pottery); Ninmag (lady vulva); Ninsigsig (lady of silence); Mudkesda (blood-stauncher); Amadugbad (mother spreading the knees); Amaududa (mother who has given birth); Sagzudingirenak (midwife of the gods); Ninmenna (lady of the diadem).

In the text 'Creator of the Hoe' she completed the birth of mankind after the heads had been uncovered by Enki's hoe. In creation texts, Ninmah (another name for Ninhursag) acts as a midwife whilst the mother goddess Nammu makes different kinds of human individuals from lumps of clay at a feast given by Enki to celebrate the creation of humankind. [These, apparently, are faint references to the creation of Adam and Eve, wherein Nin-khursag acted as the surrogate mother... making her my (roughly) 160th-great grandmother.]

Her symbol the omega (Ω) has been depicted in art from around 3000 BC, though more generally from the early second millennium. It appears on some boundary stones -- on the upper tier, which indicates her importance. The Omega is in turn the symbol of fertility, the womb.

3. EN.LIL., Lord of the Air, Lord of the Command, Guardian of the Table of Destiny [5] Anu and Ki [4] Anshar and Kishar [3] Lahmu and Lahamu [2] Tiamat and Absu [1]

The less said about Enlil, perhaps the better. He is, after all, Jehovah, and a very, very vengeful god. Besides, he’s pretty well described in stunning detail in the Bible... a book probably worth reading... if only because it will scare the hell out of you. Meanwhile, we can always assume that our genetic heritage is primarily that of Enki’s positive characteristics, the equally cool characteristics that came from the prime mother, Nin-khursag, and then when we’re in a really foul mood, blame Enlil. (Just don’t take his name in vein; he hates that. Maybe take an artery, instead.)

Admittedly, it will eventually become apparent that Enlil’s place in the Mother of All Family Trees does indeed place him in the bloodline, making even him a great (times ~160) grandfather. Unfortunately, we might recognize Enlil as that kind of grandfather who gives his grandchild a lovely box of chocolates... while explaining to her that due to his general ineptitude, government pension rip offs, and the fact he has been happily spending all of his grandchild’s inheritance, he has also been adding debt to the child’s future as a permanent fixture. To which his grandchild might have replied: “Gee, Granddad; you shouldn’t have.”

We might also note in passing that prior to the Babylonian invasion (and the subsequent carting off of the Jews to captivity in Babylon), the goddess Ashtoreth was as important a figure as Jehovah in the culture of the Hebrews. Also... according to Laurence Gardner, Genesis of the Grail Kings (page 85):

“What has occurred over the centuries is that, irrespective of the biblical texts, Jehovah has been sidestepped into a wholly singular identity, the thoroughly non-historical identity of the ‘One God’ which prevails today. In this context (outside the more traditional esoteric circles), Jehovah has been divested of his wife, his family and his fellow gods, to be left alone in a wilderness of enigma that no one has every truly understood.”[More... much more on Ashtoreth a bit later.]

Finally, we might note that Enlil married Ninlil (Sud), The Nurse. Their children included:

Nergal (Meslamtaea), King of the Netherworld (Metatron)
Nanna (Suen) The Bright One Lord of Ur (father of Dumu-zi and Geshtianna)
Ishkur (Adad) m. Shala (Nin-suna/Duttur) Priestess.

Enlil was also involved with Nin-Khursag, such that their most notable offspring was Ninurta (Ningirsu) The Mighty Hunter... who in turn married Bau (Gula) The Doctor

Other Descendents of Enlil include:

Eresh-kigal, Queen of the Netherworld, who married Nergal -- their offspring was Lilith, The Beautiful Queen, Consort of the Gods, Handmaiden to Inanna
Inanna (Ishtar/Astarte), Beloved of Anu, Great Lady of Love and War; (married Dumu-zi)
Utu (Shem-esh) The Shining One, Prince of Justice. (married Aya, a mortal)

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References:

[*] Okay, okay. The correct answer is that Enki is Lilith's maternal great grandfather (via Eresh-kigal and Ningal), as well as consort. You absolutely must admire this Enki... a god who really takes an interest in his family and his descendants. This is NOT some "hands-off" or "distant" great grand daddy. No, no. This is a god who makes great efforts to know his family... or at least the female members... and to become acquainted with them. [Hint: Look up etymology on acquaintance!]

Tiamat