Zecharia Sitchin sumerian literature translations are probably greatly embellished

Those familiar with Zecharia Sitchin's books know his story - that humans were genetically engineered by a race of people from another planet that settled on the Earth - the Annunaki or, that is, the Sumerians.

His information was supposedly derived directly from translations of Sumerian cuneiform tablets. He has his own version of the tablets, that is, his own translations. He called a set of these scriptures "The lost books of Enki".

I ran across a website that posted Sitchin's translations in some videos. (link below)

truthisscary.com...

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After viewing these, I wanted to find out for myself if the cuneiform tablets did indeed tell the story as explicitly as he had.

Later, I found a project online by the University of Oxford which translated several Sumerian cuneiform tablets.

I believe I have found the one that Sitchin used to determine that humans were genetically engineered.

Here it is below:
etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk...#

If you read the actual translation, and his version.. you can see how he created a great embellishment and really jumped sky high to conclusions to derive his own translations.

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From reading and viewing the actual direct translations, and also having actually seen real Sumerian artifacts from Ur, I suspect it is possible that Sitchin is really stretching his conclusions to satisfy a really great story that would sell a lot of books.

I think that it is likely that the Sumerian stories are a creation mythology to satisfy the absence of the real knowledge of their origins, and are not to be taken as real/actual events (That is, a god did not form these beings from clay). And while the Sumerians built impressive buildings and monuments like the temple in Ur, they may just have been a earthly and somewhat primitive culture. I would have to choose this as the actuality if I had to bet on it. However, it would be an uncertain bet, as the one cylinder he presented - which may have represented the sun with the planets orbiting it, here: (www.thelivingmoon.com...).. is impressive and is possibly presents unearthly knowledge.

Whatever the case, I thought it would be nice for anyone interested to have this library from Oxford available for their perusal.

etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk...#
etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk...

enjoy..

I like his books, I may not agree with everything he thought and wrote about but I love original ideas. I look at those tablets all the time, theres some weird stuff going on in there. If you havent, google image them and look at the details. I think he was on to something. Original ideas are usually ridiculed before they are accepted ..lots of people write about their theories,but people love to hate on Sitchin. Why dont people hate on the religious theorists who write books about snake handling and faith orspeaking in tongues.

reply to post by nOraKat


This is common knowledge and is easily verifiable, as you verified it yourself. Those who wish to believe wis to believe, facts are not as important.

I think quite a few people here already know that, or at least suspect it.

The main thing about Sumerian mythology that I'm interested in are the parallels between it and, say, the Old Testament (mainly Moses' writings or plagiarizing depending how you look at it). Now when I compare that to other stories of the region, like Enoch's, you get an interesting tale of something suspicious happening in the past.

Old "gods" and "angels" could very well be those "Annunaki." Billions of people believe in God(s) and angels, so why is the possibility of those gods and angels being an ET race that mated with humans (or engineered them) so far fetched? I'm not saying his translations are right, I'm just comparing the stories of the era and region.

Then of course... Greek mythology that has some similar stories of "gods" making children with humans and what not.

If anything, it's interesting.

reply to post by nOraKat


I've read other translations and they are still similar. I think he weaves a tale but the characters are there and even if embellished they are still telling an incredible tale that predates biblical stories and yet are the same stories somehow. The Sumerians are fascinating no matter who is translating.

I thought I should point out why this Sumerian tablet is clearly, without question the tablet that Zecharia Sitchin used to support the theory that the Sumerian 'Gods' created man to substitute in for, and do the work for the 'minor gods' who were complaining about their toil (mining gold on the Earth).

I will highlight the correlating passages in asterisks.

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From the Sumerian Tablet: Enki and Ninmaḫ (ETCSLtranslation : t.1.1.2)

1-11. In those days, in the days when heaven and earth were created; in those nights, in the nights when heaven and earth were created; in those years, in the years when the fates were determined; when the Anuna gods were born; when the goddesses were taken in marriage; when the goddesses were distributed in heaven and earth; when the goddesses …… became pregnant and gave birth; when the gods were obliged (?) …… their food …… dining halls;

* ...the senior gods oversaw the work, while the minor gods were bearing the toil. The gods were digging the canals and piling up the silt in Ḫarali. The gods, crushing the clay, began complaining about this life. *

12-23. At that time, the one of great wisdom, the creator of all the senior gods, Enki lay on his bed, not waking up from his sleep, in the deep engur, in the subterranean water, the place the inside of which no other god knows. The gods said, weeping: "He is the cause of the lamenting!" Namma, the primeval mother who gave birth to the senior gods, took the tears of the gods to the one who lay sleeping, to the one who did not wake up from his bed, to her son: "Are you really lying there asleep, and …… not awake? The gods, your creatures, are smashing their …….

* My son, wake up from your bed! Please apply the skill deriving from your wisdom and create a substitute (?) for the gods so that they can be freed from their toil!" *

24-37. At the word of his mother Namma, Enki rose up from his bed. In Ḫal-an-kug, his room for pondering, he slapped his thigh in annoyance. The wise and intelligent one, the prudent, …… of skills, the fashioner of the design of everything brought to life birth-goddesses (?). Enki reached out his arm over them and turned his attention to them.

* And after Enki, the fashioner of designs by himself, had pondered the matter, he said to his mother Namma: "My mother, the creature you planned will really come into existence. Impose on him the work of carrying baskets. You should knead clay from the top of the abzu; the birth-goddesses (?) will nip off the clay and you shall bring the form into existence. *

Let Ninmaḫ act as your assistant; and let Ninimma, Šu-zi-ana, Ninmada, Ninbarag, Ninmug, …… and Ninguna stand by as you give birth. My mother, after you have decreed his fate, let Ninmaḫ impose on him the work of carrying baskets." ...

Ninmaḫ took clay from the top of the abzu in her hand and she fashioned from it first a man who could not bend his outstretched weak hands.

etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk...#

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(My comments:

Below I present Sitchin's version of the above correlating story with his embellishments. To be fair he does not state anywhere in his book that his book is translations of actual Sumerian tablets (like the one above), however he does present them as so, misleading others as if these are actual translations of tablets that he discovered himself. Indeed, many people believe this is the case. He titles the sections with numbered tablets, like - "THE SIXTH TABLET" (below).

In his own words: " Sumerian and Akkadian clay tablets; Babylonian and Assyrian temple libraries; ... and the biblical narratives are the main body of written-down memories of the affairs of gods and men. For the first time ever, this dispersed and fragmented material has been assembled and used by Zecharia Sitchin to re-create the eyewitness account of Enki the autobiographical memoirs and insightful prophecies of an extraterrestrial god.

Presented as a text dictated by Enki to a chosen scribe, a Book of Witnessing to be unsealed at
an appropriate time, ..."

..oooooh )

From The Lost Book of Enki by Zecharia Sitchin:

THE SIXTH TABLET

"To create a Primitive Worker, by the mark of our essence to fashion him!
So was Enki to the leaders saying.
The Being that we need, it already exists!
Thus did Enki to them a secret of the Abzu reveal.
With astonishment did the other leaders Enki's words hear; by the words they were fascinated.
Creatures in the Abzu there are, Enki was saying, that walk erect on two legs,
Their forelegs they use as arms, with hands they are provided.
Among the animals of the steppe they live. They know not dressing in garments,
They eat plants with their mouths, they drink water from lake and ditch.
Shaggy with hair is their whole body, their head hair is like a lion's;..."

cont...

cont...

"When their with our life essence shall be combined, our mark upon them shall be,
A Primitive Worker shall be created! Our commands will he understand,
Our tools he will handle, the toil in the excavations he shall perform;
To the Anunnaki in the Abzu relief shall come!
So was Enki with enthusiasm saying, with excitement his words came forth.
Enlil at the words was hesitating: The matter is one of great importance!
On our planet, slavery has long ago been abolished, tools are the slaves, not other beings!
A new creature, beforehand nonexisting, you wish to bring into being;
Creation in the hands of the Father of All Beginning alone..."


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Where did all that come from?!

And the University translations are most likely "under-embellished", if there is such a word. The most accurate translation is most likely some where in between Sitchin's version and the mainstream version. Both sides have certain agendas they like to push.

reply to post by newcovenant

I think that's really the point -- the Sumerians are fascinating without the embellishments and fabrications added by Sitchin.

Originally posted by jazztrance
I like his books, I may not agree with everything he thought and wrote about but I love original ideas. I look at those tablets all the time, theres some weird stuff going on in there. If you havent, google image them and look at the details. I think he was on to something. Original ideas are usually ridiculed before they are accepted ..lots of people write about their theories,but people love to hate on Sitchin. Why dont people hate on the religious theorists who write books about snake handling and faith orspeaking in tongues.

edit on 22-11-2012 by jazztrance because: (no reason given)

I have a big fat book from Harvard.....the cylinder seal collection....photos and translations and yea there is some strange stuff. The art work. There is clear representation of long eared gray aliens in there.

It's no different than any other book on mythologies and the Bible. Everything is tilted towards what the author wants or the people in charge want you too believe.

reply to post by Ozymandias121


Not many like a randomly meandering book about nothing.

So because its University of Oxford I hope we are not assuming this and only this translation is correct?

So many theories and translations out there, we truly can't discredit any one person,Sitchin or Pye or anyone researching this civilization. In my eyes at least they are trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, that's a lot more then I can say about most that just sit back and call HOAX before they research a single piece of material.

Don't take me wrong here, my intention is not to criticize the OP at all, Imho we need more of these threads and discussions, everyone giving their bits and pieces of information help to solve a great mystery. There is so much we don't know about this civilization so S&F to the op for bringing yet another theory to the table.

The one thing I do know for sure is there is so much more to learn on this topic! Its a topic I love and am deeply involved in the study of the Samarians, Annunaki.

a reply to: nOraKat

Wow thanks, they have been tediously translating, it is good to see some diligence because these translations are not easy to come by, not many people did what Sitchin did - which was combine the tablets into a poetic story form. We don't know which he embellished and which he didn't.

And where are the tablets for the Lost Book Of Enki? That is the interesting story similar to the ancient Indian texts in which they were being attacked by rocketships from the air.

The Oxford site is still enough to provide that the mystery is still standing. I mean first whenever a verse gets interesting they just put a ? as if they couldn't translate it, I'd say 80 % of every verse has something undeciphered. At least Sitchin flowed way better. but the Oxford translations still point out to the 'Anuna gods' as being space visitors than whatever we think gods are in our present day culture.

originally posted by: greyer
a reply to: nOraKat

Wow thanks, they have been tediously translating, it is good to see some diligence because these translations are not easy to come by, not many people did what Sitchin did - which was combine the tablets into a poetic story form. We don't know which he embellished and which he didn't.


Translations of Sumerian on line since 2003

And where are the tablets for the Lost Book Of Enki? That is the interesting story similar to the ancient Indian texts in which they were being attacked by rocketships from the air.

He made them up or can you cite which accession numbers they were?

The Oxford site is still enough to provide that the mystery is still standing. I mean first whenever a verse gets interesting they just put a ? as if they couldn't translate it, I'd say 80 % of every verse has something undeciphered. At least Sitchin flowed way better. but the Oxford translations still point out to the 'Anuna gods' as being space visitors than whatever we think gods are in our present day culture.

Yes, Sitchin just made up stuff to fill in where academia had no data. Yep the translations point to Religious myth not history, most religious stories are a tad weak science wise and should not be considered history or factual.

a reply to: greyer

SitchinIsWrong.com

Just saying...

a reply to: nOraKat

i THINK he had the assignment to do just as you speculate . . . from the oligarchy. He pulled it off, with their propagandist help, for a lot of years.

Thanks for this thread.

I think Cris Putnam and Tom Horn also tracked down the inaccuracies of S.

a reply to: nOraKat

Really, with the honest appearance of those mysterious things called UFOs and our growing understanding about the possibilities of other life in the galaxy, we must rethink all forms of "official" history and documents and wonder what is a newer, better version of history while setting aside the old versions that give no quarter to any concept other than what already has been decided as the path of human history.

Sitchin is probably no more incorrect than the pillars of established history written to stoggy academics and historians. Our past history is largely a puzzle pieced together at this time by old theories, shreds of broken pottery and a few widely placed bones. We know noting!

a reply to: nOraKat

I have read and re-read many of his books,..I will admit he makes some far-reaching suppositions and his translations may be skewed to support his overall thesis,...
He was not doing anymore than any scholar does to give weight to his theories... You have to realize early on when he was deep into studying this stuff, there were not many people on the planet that claimed to be able to translates ancient sumerian...
It just so happens that he was studying a field that FEW other scholars were experts in ,... so he may have allowed some suppositions to be a little farther out there than usual...
THAT is why he wrote the books, imo, to stir the scholarly soup as it were...

And as far as him making money from his books,... well... I started reading them back in the 80's, when very few people were pulling his books off the shelf in book stores,... so if his intention was to hoodwink the populace and cash in... that was a BIG FAIL...

His books are now popular in a way that speaks of true scholarly integrity... He did not die a RICH man... at least in modern terms...

I went to one of his presentations at a Marriott room back in the 90's and was surprised to see Anthony Michael Hall sitting a few chairs down from me...

Zach took many questions and seemed very forthright ...

This guy was WAY ahead of his time and as far as I am concerned,... the NWO has co-opted his findings and is using them to forward their agenda in all forms of media...

Like Ridley Scott's PROMETHEUS...
Ridley "shoe-horned" the ancient aliens idea into his "Alien" movies to placate TPTB...IMO

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: nOraKat

Really, with the honest appearance of those mysterious things called UFOs and our growing understanding about the possibilities of other life in the galaxy, we must rethink all forms of "official" history and documents and wonder what is a newer, better version of history while setting aside the old versions that give no quarter to any concept other than what already has been decided as the path of human history.

Yes lets just throw out all our recorded, verifiable knowledge in favour of some feely good new age crystal hugging nonsense.

Sitchin is probably no more incorrect than the pillars of established history written to stoggy academics and historians. Our past history is largely a puzzle pieced together at this time by old theories, shreds of broken pottery and a few widely placed bones. We know noting!

What poppycock.

To equate his blatantly and demonstrably fraudulent writings with any academic, at all, of any kind, is a slight against that academic.