Moreover, the references to mythological
beings, such as the seven heroes, the dragon of the deep, and the god
who slew the dragon, confirm the opinion that the creation legends and
other mythological compositions of the Babylonians were derived by them
from Sumerian sources. But there are two incidents in the narrative
which are on a rather different plane and are more startling in their
novelty. One is the story of Gudea's dream, and the other the sign
which he sought from his god. The former is distinctly apocalyptic in
character, and both may be parallelled in what is regarded as purely
Semitic literature. That such conceptions existed among the Sumerians is
a most interesting fact, and although the theory of independent origin
is possible, their existence may well have influenced later Semitic
beliefs.
CHAPTER V--ELAM AND BABYLON, THE COUNTRY OF THE SEA AND THE KASSITES
Up to five years ago our knowledge of Elam and of the part she played in
the ancient world was derived, in the main, from a few allusions to the
country to be found in the records of Babylonian and Assyrian kings. It
is true that a few inscriptions of the native rulers had been found in
Persia, but they belonged to the late periods of her history, and the
majority consisted of short dedicatory formulae and did not supply us
with much historical information.
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