Who was Ea?

Ea, the god of water and wisdom, is the Babylonian version of the much more ancient Enki a god in the Sumerian pantheon of gods. Sumer predated the first dynasty of Egypt by 1,000 years or so and is considered by most Archaeologists to be the seat of the first civilization. The city of Jerico, for instance, dates to around 7,000 BC. Babylon inherited the Sumerian pantheon of gods from the Akkadians who inherited them from Sumeria. Ea created the first man whom he called Adapa. According to the Babylonian version of the Flood, Ea warned the Sumerian Noah, Utna Pishtim (Ziusudra in the Sumerian), of the approaching flood and gave instructions for the building of a ship which would save the human race. Enlil, Ea's brother was very angry with Ea for exposing the plans of the gods to the man. Enlil had complained to their father Anu about the continual din coming from the earth which was made by the coming and going of the humans. It was Enlil's plan, blessed by Anu, to destroy man by means of a great flood.

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