Ancient silver goblet preserves oldest known image of cosmic creation

The discovery of a 4300-year-old silver goblet in the Palestinian West Bank has unveiled a remarkable depiction of the universe emerging from primordial chaos, making it the oldest known visual representation of a creation myth.

Described as an “ingenious design” by Eberhard Zangger of the Luwian Studies Foundation, the ˁAin Samiya goblet, measuring about 8 centimetres tall, was unearthed 55 years ago in an ancient tomb near Ramallah, at the western edge of the Fertile Crescent.

The goblet showcases two distinct scenes. The first scene portrays a large snake confronting a chimera with a human torso and animal legs, standing over a small flower-like circle. In the second scene, a serpent lies beneath a larger flower-like circle with a smiling face, held aloft by humanoid figures, signifying the separation of heavens and Earth.

While initial interpretations linked the scenes to the Babylonian creation myth of Enūma Eliš, Zangger and his team propose a different narrative. They suggest that the goblet illustrates the formation of the cosmos from chaos, drawing from an even older creation story predating Enūma Eliš.

In their analysis, the first scene represents chaos, with the chimera symbolizing a weak god fused with animals, and the small circle denoting a powerless sun. The second scene depicts the emergence of order, with powerful humanoid gods holding the sun in a celestial boat, separating the heavens from Earth and defeating the chaotic serpent.

Zangger highlights the presence of similar cuneiform texts in the Fertile Crescent region, indicating a shared belief in the separation of heavens and Earth. He emphasizes the significance of the goblet in providing a visual representation of ancient creation beliefs.

While some researchers remain skeptical of this interpretation, citing the possibility of the scenes depicting daily sun movements rather than cosmic origins, others like Silvia Schroer acknowledge the potential symbolic significance of the goblet in portraying the creation of the world.

Furthermore, Zangger’s team suggests a deeper connection among creation myths in the region, citing similarities with ancient cosmological stories and artifacts like the Göbekli Tepe pillar in Turkey, dating back 11,500 years. Despite differing opinions on the extent of these connections, the ˁAin Samiya goblet continues to intrigue scholars with its enigmatic portrayal of ancient beliefs.

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