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I hit the jackpot with a book I purchased from Amazon called Desire, Discord and Death: Approaches to Ancient Near Eastern Myth. Given that my focus is on the Goddess of the Underworld, it seemed like a safe bet for ten dollars. I was delighted to discover that one third of the book is devoted to a scholarly discussion of "Ereshkigal and Nergal" -- the story of how Ereshkigal and Nergal came to be married.
It's a problematic story, steeped in the gender politics of the Ancient Near East, but it's also fascinating, and a story I've rarely seen discussed. The author, Neal Walls, does a nice job of discussing the textual ambiguities, how it fits into the broader patterns of ANE mythology ("myth" = "sacred stories"), and etc.
I spent my lunch hour happily wading through the lengthy essay, making notes on the author's points and my own insights. It was only later that I realized this is the first serious studying I've done since withdrawing from seminary a couple of years ago -- and the first serious academic work I've done for myself alone -- not because I had an assignment from a professor. (Having an assignment from a patron goddess is an entirely different situation!)
In short, I was in my element and having a good time.
It's a problematic story, steeped in the gender politics of the Ancient Near East, but it's also fascinating, and a story I've rarely seen discussed. The author, Neal Walls, does a nice job of discussing the textual ambiguities, how it fits into the broader patterns of ANE mythology ("myth" = "sacred stories"), and etc.
I spent my lunch hour happily wading through the lengthy essay, making notes on the author's points and my own insights. It was only later that I realized this is the first serious studying I've done since withdrawing from seminary a couple of years ago -- and the first serious academic work I've done for myself alone -- not because I had an assignment from a professor. (Having an assignment from a patron goddess is an entirely different situation!)
In short, I was in my element and having a good time.
