- Scorpion man
Scorpion men are featured in several
Akkadian language myths, including the "Enûma Elish " and the Babylonian version of the Epic of "Gilgamesh ". They were also known as aqrabuamelu or girtablilu. They were first created by theTiamat in order to wage war against the younger gods for the betrayal of her mateApsu . In theEpic of Gilgamesh , they stand guard outside the gates of the sun godShamash at the mountains ofMashu . These give entrance toKurnugi , the land of darkness. The scorpion men open the doors for Shamash as he travels out each day, and close the doors after him when he returns to the underworld at night. They also warn travellers of the danger that lies beyond their post. Their heads touch the sky, their "terror is awesome" and their "glance is death". This meeting of Gilgameš, on his way to Ūta-napišti, with the Scorpion-folk guarding the entrance to the tunnel is decribed in "Iškār Gilgāmeš", tablet IX, lines 47-81. [A. R. George : "The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic". Oxford University Press, 2003. p. 493]One famous image found on a
relief carving pictures a scorpion man aiming with a bow and arrow. This relief was the basis for the Scorpion Man figurine that is #55 in theMonster in My Pocket series.Comparative religion
The scorpion is likewise a magical guard to an entrance among, e.g., the Mekeo of Papua -- "a scorpion charm is used to protect ... your house." [Michele Stephen : "A'isa's Gifts". University of California Press, 1995. p. 259]
Games
Scorpion men feature as powerful myth units for the Egyptians in the game
Age of Mythology .Notes
External links
* [http://www.matrifocus.com/IMB06/images/Boundary_stone-3rd-drawing.jpgGraphic of Scorpion man] (From boundary stone:
Kudurru ). Pictured in register IV-(row IV). [http://www.matrifocus.com/IMB06/spotlight.htm (Article with Detail-graphic)]
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