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Creating Collective Memory

Tiamat, goddess of saltwater and chaos

Item

Title

Tiamat, goddess of saltwater and chaos

Description

This engraving portrays the monumental battle described in the Babyloninian epic Enuma Elish between the goddess of chaos, Tiamat, and the patron god Marduk. The conflict ended with Tiamat's body being split in half, creating the Earth.

Date

Ninth - eighth century B.C

Medium

Glyptic

Item sets

Mythic Beings

Site pages

Water Dragons and Serpents
Left, horned serpent having long undulating coils extending across bottom of scene, head facing center, tongue extending from mouth; center, bearded running god, hair hanging at back of neck, wearing headdress, thrusting a sword into the mouth of the serpentSeal (cylinder; greenish-black serpentine; impression; ht. 17 mm., diam. 11 mm.).