Gilgamesh

Revision History

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6/9/2023, 2:32 PM Mike C update #114
12/7/2022, 9:35 PM Mike C update #113
5/29/2020, 9:30 PM Mike C update #108
11/16/2019, 11:04 AM Mike C update #105
7/11/2018, 11:16 AM Mike C update #100
10/20/2016, 1:17 AM Mike C update #93
2/12/2007, 1:03 AM Mike C earliest recorded revision

Gender Masculine
Usage Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
Scripts 𒀭𒄑𒉈𒂵𒈩(Sumerian Cuneiform) 𒀭𒄑𒂆𒈦(Akkadian Cuneiform)
Pronounced Pron. /ˈɡɪl.ɡə.mɛʃ/(English)

Meaning & History

Possibly means "the ancestor is a hero", from Sumerian 𒉋𒂵 (bilga) meaning "ancestor" and 𒈩 (mes) meaning "hero, young man". This was the name of a Sumerian hero, later appearing in the Akkadian poem the Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, with his friend Enkidu, battled the giant Humbaba and stopped the rampage of the Bull of Heaven, besides other adventures. Gilgamesh was probably based on a real person: a king of Uruk who ruled around the 27th century BC.