The Idea of “Eternal Return” in Sumerian Culture

Abstract

We know in Sumerian language two word-combinations, assigning idea of returning: ki-bi-љe3 gi4 “to return (something) on its place”, ama (-ra)-gi4 “to return to mother”. Texts show, that both of these terms are connected to idea of calendar returning of time. But the time is perceived only in connection with made action.
What is it possible to tell concerning idea of returning of time in Sumerian culture? Contrary to M. Eliade, Sumerians wished this returning neither for the sake of refusal of historical consciousness, nor for the sake of salutary familiarizing with religious archetypes, but owing to impossibility of existence of agricultural communities without spring floods of Tigris and Euphrates. Hopes of people for a new life have been connected to spring, therefore the political history has got in consciousness of Sumerians features of a calendar. Spring flood comes back to the coast after the long drought, the first month of year comes back to his house after the heavenly wandering, the captivated person comes back to mother after stay in the slavery, destroyed city is restored after the Flood. Between these events
the strong association was established. But the Sumerian culture did not know any alternative to such attitude. Therefore we deal not with traditionalism, but with natural inclusion of human activity and human consciousness in rhythms of the surrounding nature.
The situation with the concept of returning in the Akkadian literature is quite different. We know the equivalent ki-bi-љe3 gi4: ana ašrīšu tвru. However, this expression mostly meant “to restore (cult object)”. The category “returning to mother” has no Akkadian equivalent at all. But the most interesting fact is that the concept of “returning” had in Akkadian literature meaning of destruction. The certain whole could be destroyed through a reduction to its parts or to its initial basis. In particular, expression “to return to clay” was popular in epic texts.
Thus, we see an essential divergence of Sumerian and Akkadian texts concerning the concept of returning. In Sumerian texts “to return”, besides literal sense, means also “to revive, restore” or “to stop” (in sense “to put an end to any disaster”). That is, the perception of returning is extremely positive. In Akkadian literature and culture the idea of returning had absolutely other sense. Returning was understood in neutral key (as restoration of that already was in the past), or in a negative key (as killing of the whole by his transformation into an initial material). But Sumerian pathos of eternal renewal of a world order and revival of justess is here completely absent, because Babylonians had an idea of a course of time, and therefore the representation of irrevocable past.

Keywords:

Eternal Return, Sumerian literature, Akkadian literature