Enki, the god of wisdom, magic and creativity, is one of the most revered deities in Sumerian mythology. Known as the “God of Water and Earth,” he emerged as one of the gods who shaped both the physical and spiritual realms. Unlike his brother Enlil, who was known for his severity, Enki was a deceptively charismatic god, but he was also loyal, wise, and a master of knowledge. He used his innate intelligence to guide humanity, build civilization, and even defy the will of the gods themselves. The source of his power was inextricably linked to the life-giving waters of Apsu, where he ruled with divine insight and profound wisdom. How did Enki change the fate of humans and gods alike? In this article, we will explore the legends and achievements of Enki, a god who defied convention and influenced the fate of the Sumerians.
Creator Gods and the Four Elements
The third god in the group of creator gods (the gods of the four elements) is the god Enki, the god of water. Then he became the god of water and earth due to the link between water and earth.
As a continuation to the dominance of the male revolution over the goddess mother (the earth), the goddess (Ki) was the mother of Enki then she turned into (and maybe gave birth to)
the goddess Ninki (Lady of the Earth), one of his wife's titles, and he came to dominate and became due to the water and his deep origins in creation and his ability to maneuver if he faced a stone
Enki became the god of wisdom, trickery, intelligence, and knowledge. then the god of magic and medicine. And thus, this god became the lord of all life.
although he disappears behind the authority of his brother Enlil or the authority of Anu his father, but he has the authority of vibrant life and creation and formation as if he inherited inwardly all the powers of the gods.
As for his titles, they are (the creator, lord of the bundle of reeds, the god with the big, open ear, the shiny water eye, the lord of wisdom, the lord of spells. Enki fathered four types of divine lineages which are the lineages of plant gods, animal gods, human (the weak god), and gods of civilization and construction.
As a continuation to the dominance of the male revolution over the goddess mother (the earth), the goddess (Ki) was the mother of Enki then she turned into (and maybe gave birth to)
the goddess Ninki (Lady of the Earth), one of his wife's titles, and he came to dominate and became due to the water and his deep origins in creation and his ability to maneuver if he faced a stone
Enki became the god of wisdom, trickery, intelligence, and knowledge. then the god of magic and medicine. And thus, this god became the lord of all life.
although he disappears behind the authority of his brother Enlil or the authority of Anu his father, but he has the authority of vibrant life and creation and formation as if he inherited inwardly all the powers of the gods.
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| Enki God of Wisdom |
Eridu: The Oldest Sumerian City
His city (Eridu) was the oldest of the Sumerian cities in its antiquity and was located on the Arabian Gulf coast. It seemed as if the rain god was in northern Iraq (Samarra – Halaf) so this god took the personality of the father god, and once civilization moved south, the personality of the son god appeared in the water god (Enki) in Eridu which is the second culture Kalkulit after Halaf.
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| Eridu-remains |
Enki and Apsu
And if Enki's relationship with the god Apsu in Babylonian legends is clear where he is the son of Apsu the god of deep water, this does not appear in this way in Sumerian legends because (Apsu) does not appear as a god but appears as a place because the name of Enki's temple (E-apsu) means temple of the depths.
But there seems to be a direct relationship between Tammuz and Apsu where the god (Tammuz - Apsu) the obedient son of deep water appears, although he is the direct son of the god Enki. As for his wife, her maiden name Damgalnuna (Makina) is the wife of the Earth and Heaven and she is in Sumerian (Makh), and she is actually his partner or the accompanying permanent beloved woman to him (Ninhursag) is Ninki, heir to (Ki) and holder of thirteen titles.
Enki lives in the (Apsu) deep water under the crust of the earth and is visited by his mother who is (Namo) and she is the first Sumerian goddess ..and this matter puzzles us because the actual mother of Enki is (Ki) but as soon as we know that the goddess Namo is the mother of all gods she is necessarily the mother of Enki, but she is the closest to him because they are water gods. The image of the god Enki appears in deep water as if in a room like a submarine. Enki's secret number was (40) and it is a number that has its sanctity in life, death, and prophecy.
But there seems to be a direct relationship between Tammuz and Apsu where the god (Tammuz - Apsu) the obedient son of deep water appears, although he is the direct son of the god Enki. As for his wife, her maiden name Damgalnuna (Makina) is the wife of the Earth and Heaven and she is in Sumerian (Makh), and she is actually his partner or the accompanying permanent beloved woman to him (Ninhursag) is Ninki, heir to (Ki) and holder of thirteen titles.
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| Ninhursag |
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| Enki in Eridu |
Symbols and Human Connection of Enki
And Enki had a minister named (Isimo) or (Eismod) and he is called in Akkadian (Osmo) or (Osumo) and he is a god with a human head and has two faces and his picture appears like that.
As for the symbols of the god Enki in the Sumerian era, he had one symbol which is the gushing pot from which five lines of water flow from both the right and left sides, and several symbols of the Semitic correspondent (Ea) appeared, including creatures such as fish, goat, and lamb, and a horned temple platform, and a turtle, and a lamb's leg .
And the fish was an old animal indicating him, and most of his sacrifices were from fish and therefore his priestly attire (especially in the Babylonian and Assyrian eras) was a long cloak from the head to the feet which is a fish body with all its details.
And the god Enki, unlike Anu and Enlil, is a friend of humans and their creator and savior, as he saved the human race from the flood that the council of great gods decided. Enki entrusted Ziudsudra, the wise human, with the making of the Ark.
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| Enki and Isimud |
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| god Enki |
And the fish was an old animal indicating him, and most of his sacrifices were from fish and therefore his priestly attire (especially in the Babylonian and Assyrian eras) was a long cloak from the head to the feet which is a fish body with all its details.
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| Ninhursag-Enki |
And the god Enki, unlike Anu and Enlil, is a friend of humans and their creator and savior, as he saved the human race from the flood that the council of great gods decided. Enki entrusted Ziudsudra, the wise human, with the making of the Ark.
Enki's Role in Daily Life and Exorcising Demons
Enki's most important role in daily life is to expel demons, as the Ashibo priests in particular relied on him in the spells of exorcising demons and they consider him the god of white magic who assists them in such matters.As for his titles, they are (the creator, lord of the bundle of reeds, the god with the big, open ear, the shiny water eye, the lord of wisdom, the lord of spells. Enki fathered four types of divine lineages which are the lineages of plant gods, animal gods, human (the weak god), and gods of civilization and construction.
For those who prefer visual content, you can watch the video below that covers the same topic in detail.