Image Credit: Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society

Ancient Goblet May Show Early Cosmic Creation Story

A new study suggests that the imagery on the 4,000-year-old Ain Samiya goblet—an 8-centimeter silver vessel from the Intermediate Bronze Age—may not depict the Babylonian Enuma Elish myth as long believed. Instead, researchers argue the scenes more likely illustrate a peaceful cosmological process describing the ordering of the universe.
The goblet, discovered 55 years ago in a tomb in the Judean Hills, is one of the few genuine artistic pieces from this period in the Levant. Its surface bears a complex sequence of scenes, though part of the vessel is missing, complicating interpretation.
The first scene shows a chimera-like figure—part human, part animal—holding plants, with a small rosette beneath it interpreted as a newly born sun. Its legs appear to transform into two bulls, and a large serpent stands upright beside it. In the next scene, two human figures hold a crescent containing a sun with a face, while the serpent lies subdued beneath it.
Earlier scholars proposed that the goblet depicted a prototype of Enuma Elish, in which the god Marduk defeats the chaos goddess Tiamat. However, critics note that the goblet shows no violence, and the Enuma Elish myth emerged about a millennium later.
The new interpretation argues that the two scenes portray the transition from primordial chaos to cosmic order. The sun deity grows in size and prominence, while the gods appear dressed in more elaborate garments and carry signs of aging—suggesting the passage of time. The once-dominant serpent appears weakened in the orderly world.
Researchers point to parallels with cosmological imagery across Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia, noting similarities to the crescent-boat motif and hybrid bull-human figures. They believe the goblet was designed by an artist trained in southern Mesopotamia and made in northern Mesopotamia or northern Syria, where silver was more accessible.
Despite these findings, uncertainty remains. The goblet’s original state was poorly documented, and the interpretation relies on visual comparison rather than written sources. Some scholars argue the imagery may reflect other myths entirely.

Published on: 15-11-2025

Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie

Source: Phys.org