The Chaldean Account of Genesis, by George Smith, [1876], at sacred-texts.com THE CHALDEAN ACCOUNT OF GENESIS. CONTAINING THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CREATION, THE FALL OF MAN, THE DELUGE, THE TOWER OF BABEL, THE TIMES OF THE PATRIARCHS, AND NIMROD; BABYLONIAN FABLES, AND LEGENDS OF THE GODS; FROM THE CUNEIFORM INSCRIPTIONS. BY GEORGE SMITH, OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ORIENTAL ANTIQUITIES, BRITISH MUSEUM, AUTHOR OF "HISTORY OF ASSURBANIPAL," "ASSYRIAN DISCOVERIES,"

ETC. ETC. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. London: Thomas Scott [1876]Scanned, proofed and formatted at sacred-texts.com, by John Bruno Hare, December2009. This text is in the public domain in the US because it was published priorto 1923.Click to enlargeFIGHT BETWEEN MERODACH (BEL) AND THE DRAGON.Click to enlargeFrontispieceClick to enlargeTitle pageClick to enlargeEAGLE-HEADED MAN. FROM NIMROUD SCULPTURE.Click to enlargeIZDUBAR STRANGLING A LION. FROM KHORSABAD SCULPTURE.The Chaldean Account of Genesis, by George Smith, [1876], at sacred-texts.com[p. vii] INTRODUCTION.SOME explanation is necessary in introducing my present work. Little time haselapsed since I discovered the most important of these inscriptions, and in theintervening period I have had, amidst other work, to collect the various fragmentsof the legends, copy, compare, and translate, altering my matter from time totime, as new fragments turned up. Even now I have gone to press with one of thefragments of the last tablet of the Izdubar series omitted.The present condition of the legends and their recent discovery alike forbid me tocall this anything more than a provisional work; but there was so general a desireto see the translations that I have published them, hoping my readers will takethem with the same reserve with which I have given them.I have avoided some of the most important comparisons and conclusions with respectto Genesis, as my desire was first to obtain the recognition of the evidencewithout prejudice.[p. viii]

The chronological notes in the book are one of its weak points, but I may safelysay that I have placed the various dates as low as I fairly could, considering theevidence, and I have aimed to do this rather than to establish any system ofchronology.I believe that time will show the Babylonian traditions of Genesis to beinvaluable for the light they will throw on the Pentateuch, but at present thereare so many blanks in the evidence that positive conclusions on several points areimpossible. I may add in conclusion that my present work is intended as a popularaccount, and I have introduced only so much explanation as seems necessary for theproper understanding of the subject. I have added translations of some parts ofthe legends which I avoided in my last work, desiring here to satisfy the wish tosee them as perfect as possible; there still remain however some passages which Ihave omitted, but these are of small extent and obscure.October 26, 1875.The Chaldean Account of Genesis, by George Smith, [1876], at sacred-texts.com[p. ix] CONTENTS.CHAPTER I.--THE DISCOVERY OF THE GENESIS LEGENDS. Cosmogony of Berosus.--Discovery of Cuneiform Inscriptions.--HistoricalTexts.--Babylonian origin of Assyrian literature.--Mythological tablets.--Discovery of Deluge texts.--Izdubar, his exploits.--Mutilated condition oftablets.--Lecture on Deluge tablets.--"Daily Telegraph" offer.--Expedition toAssyria.--Fragments of Creation tablets.--Solar Myth.--Second journey toAssyria.--Tower of Babel.--Clay records.--Account of creation in"Telegraph."--"Daily Telegraph" collection.--Interest of Creation legends.--TheFall.--New fragments.--List of textspage <page 1> CHAPTER II.--BABYLONIAN AND ASSYRIAN LITERATURE. Babylonian literature.--Kouyunjik library.--Fragmentary condition.--Arrangement of tablets.--Subjects.--Dates.--Babylonian source of literature.--Literary period.--Babylonian Chronology.--Akkad.--Sumir.--Urukh, king of Ur.--Hammurabi.--Babylonian astrology.--War of Gods.--Izdubar legends.--Creation andfall.--Syllabaries and bilingual tablets.--Assyrian copies.--Difficulties as to