Could this be Gilgamesh's Flower with thorns?

So Utanapishtim revealed to Gilgamesh another secret of the gods. Under the sea there is a wondrous plant, like a flower with thorns, that will return a man to his youth. Gilgamesh then opened the conduit, tied stones to his feet, plunged into the deep (Apsu), and retrieved the plant.

There is a plant resembling buckthorn; its thorn stings like that of a bramble. When thy hands can reach that plant, then thy hands will hold that which gives life everlasting.”

Crown of Thorns


Can't seem to find that anyone actually eats these , I know in China they do eat start fish, This one also regenerates, The Thorns are the toxic part and I believe the flash can be eaten. I can believe that back then it could have been called a plant or flower. Interesting .

a reply to: Gargoyle91

Honestly i would not have even guessed that was a starfish. I would have guessed it was some kind of weird deep sea flora..... It certainly looks like a flower with thorns.

Maybe!

-Alee

That is an astonishing iradecent starfish, spectacular find

I'm continually amazed at the hidden beauty our world holds.

I can't answer your question, but it would be a brave soul who first tries to eat that! Or, the second brave soul who watches the first one die from the toxins! Who knows, maybe that's the cure for aging. Or cancer. Or any number of diseases. Someone just has to be the first to try.

This is really interesting. Within the past couple years, there has been research into certain starfish for their potential uses for anti-aging. We've lost so much knowledge from long ago. It could very well be that people were collecting starfish and somehow concocting some sort of primitive anti-aging drug from them.

a reply to: trollz

Buckthorn ..

a reply to: Gargoyle91
Do you know what type of tree it is? The formation of fruit on the branches, is off the heazzy! Lol. Did not see the name on top.

a reply to: aliensanonymous

That one is Sea Buckthorn .


Nevermind it's not the plant it's like.... "There is a plant, Its thorn is like the buckthorn ," So the Starfish could very well be.

originally posted by: trollz
This is really interesting. Within the past couple years, there has been research into certain starfish for their potential uses for anti-aging. We've lost so much knowledge from long ago. It could very well be that people were collecting starfish and somehow concocting some sort of primitive anti-aging drug from them.

Well I'm actually In A position to get a hold of a few of these in the next couple of weeks, I import and export marine life for a living. Going to do some lab testing.

Its a common underwater plant found down under....just look for odd Aussie laws about vegetation and growth and export of such...look for something being soundly suppressed and eradicated.

a reply to: one4all

Yep its a pest for you guys , I have 2 Aussie shipments due in next week.

a reply to: Gargoyle91
That's a really cool theory man, but Utnapishtim was giving Gilgamesh an "impossible task" implying that their whole conversation was trying to teach a lesson - that immortality is non-existent.

Archetypally speaking, Gilgamesh was tasked with inhuman feats, and even when he succeeds, he is robbed of his desire. That's because the task was impossible from the get-go. The main moral of the Epic is that no man is immortal, save by his deeds (hence Gilgamesh had his journey inscribed in stone).

You forget the part that the flower gets eaten by a snake, no snake could eat this!

a reply to: Gargoyle91

The association of the sea serpent and plant of life in the myth relates to a far more involved tradition seen on Gulf seals were the hybrid serpent/plant is the basis for the creation of organic life by Enki, it's not about finding a magic plant it's about understanding DNA coding.



Dilmun and the Secret of Immortality

You're right though about the creature-plant connection, and these versions include similar to what you suggest;

a reply to: Ridhya

Utnapishtim’s wife softens her husband toward Gilgamesh, persuading him to disclose the secret of the magic plant called How-the-Old-Man-Once-Again-Becomes-a-Young-Man.


Don't think it's Immortality, Just a way to buy more time - I sure hope there is a way to extend life, cure disease and social distress for Humanity's sake. It's a task that takes more than our 80 year life span.

The Sumerian king list states much longer life spans.

Ishtar's symbols were the lion and the six or eight pointed star within a circle (which did not look like the star of David but more like a spiny starfish)

This is from ------ Not sure how creditable this is but I thought it was interesting
Thoth Tarot & comparisons

Starfish represents the blood (DNA) of the Ancient Ones that is the Seed- Life force of this Earth.



Just doing some Due diligence

originally posted by: Gargoyle91
a reply to: one4all

Yep its a pest for you guys , I have 2 Aussie shipments due in next week.

Strictly enforced export laws.Congratulations for finding a way to import .

originally posted by: Gargoyle91
a reply to: Ridhya

Utnapishtim’s wife softens her husband toward Gilgamesh, persuading him to disclose the secret of the magic plant called How-the-Old-Man-Once-Again-Becomes-a-Young-Man.


Don't think it's Immortality, Just a way to buy more time - I sure hope there is a way to extend life, cure disease and social distress for Humanity's sake. It's a task that takes more than our 80 year life span.

The Sumerian king list states much longer life spans.

I interpreted it as an immortality elixer,basiclly as long as you take it your telomeres will either regenerate or not be consumed.

My short research led me to define the "abzu" as a body or source of fresh water.

I was tweaked the first time I read about him being sent into the abzu to retrieve this plant.

I would like to see a list of different versions of this story......or more references to the "abzu" to micro-focus contextually .... I am not 100% sold that we have defined everything as accurately as we may be able to with more consideration.

a reply to: Gargoyle91



or maybe Utnapishtim was just pulling a prank on Gilgamesh.

a reply to: Gargoyle91


Here are some more Sumerian texts regarding 'holy plants':

Inana's descent to the nether world

"Father Enki, the lord of great wisdom, knows about the life-giving plant and the life-giving water. He is the one who will restore me to life."

Then father Enki spoke out to the gala-tura and the kur-jara: "One of you sprinkle the life-giving plant over her, and the other the life-giving water."

(Then she asked) "Who are you? if you are gods, I will talk with you; if you are mortals, may a destiny be decreed for you."

They said to her: "Give us the corpse hanging on the hook." Holy Erec-ki-gala answered the gala-tura and the kur-jara: "The corpse is that of your queen." They said to her: "Whether it is that of our king or that of our queen, give it to us." They were given the corpse hanging on the hook. One of them sprinkled on it the life-giving plant and the other the life-giving water. And thus Inana arose."

Enki and Ninḫursaĝa: c.1.1.1

"His minister Isimud had the answer for him." My master, the 'tree' plant," he said to him, cut it off for him and Enki ate it." My master, the 'honey' plant," he said to him, pulled it up for him and Enki ate it." My master, the 'vegetable' plant," he said to him, cut it off for him and Enki ate it." My master, the alfalfa grass (?)," he said to him, pulled it up for him and Enki ate it."

Ninurta and the turtle: c.1.6.3

"You my plant-eater Enki, who shall I send to you?"

A hymn to Nisaba (Nisaba A): c.4.16.1

"Lady coloured as the stars, holding a lapis-lazuli tablet! Nisaba, born by Uraš in the great sheepfold (?), …… nourished on good milk among holy alkaline plants,"

A šir-namšub to Ninisina (Ninisina B): c.4.22.2

"Softened with the finest oils, softened with the finest oils -- for her let the finest oils be brought!wafting up into the heart of heaven like aromatic resins, and ligidba plant oil and white cedar oil -- let them all glisten on her!"

A hymn to Ninisina (Ninisina D): c.4.22.4

"Your medical skills heal a man.....Lady, the plant of life ……. The dying man ……. Nintilmud"

Proverbs: collection 15: c.6.1.15

"The high priest rejected fish, he rejected leeks, and he should also reject the zagḫili plant."

It seems most of the plants mentioned were used for healing/medical purposes. I couldn't find anything regarding immortality.

a reply to: Gargoyle91

It's a metaphor, a riddle... Not an actual plant.