An ancient goblet from the Levant may be an early illustration of cosmic creation myths

This conclusion was reached by the authors of a new study published in the Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society "Ex Oriente Lux". This is reported by the portal Phys.org.

The cup was discovered 55 years ago in an ancient tomb in the Judean Mountains. It is considered a unique object: it is probably the only authentic example of highly artistic art of this period found in the Levant. The exterior of the vessel is decorated with a sequence of scenes, but some of the depiction is damaged and lost, making interpretation very difficult.

Among the surviving elements is the figure of a chimera, half human, half animal, holding plant parts in her hands. Between her legs is placed a rosette, which researchers interpret as a celestial symbol. The lower part looks like two diverging bull's legs, as if two bulls are growing out of the upper part of the creature at once. A large snake rises next to it.

The next scene, which is considered later in meaning, shows two human figures holding the ends of a crescent moon. Inside this crescent is placed the face of the sun en face - frontal, with facial features. The serpent here is already "pacified" and lies under the crescent.

Early researchers, first of all the Israeli archaeologist Igal Yadin, assumed that the cup represents an early version of the Babylonian creation myth "Enuma Elish", where the god Marduk fights the goddess of chaos Tiamat and then creates heaven, earth and people from her body. However, critics have pointed out that the vessel shows no battle or scenes of violence. Another key argument against it is that the Enuma Elish text itself appeared about a thousand years later than the goblet was made.

The authors of the new study offer a different interpretation. In their view, it is not about a specific myth like "Enuma Elish" but about a more general, peaceful process of ordering the cosmos. The first scene symbolises a time of chaos, while the second symbolises the establishment of order. The solar deity is the centre of attention: the small rosette at the bottom of the first scene is interpreted as the newly "born" sun, which by the next episode "grows up", rises higher and acquires a pronounced en face image.

Scholars note that the artist conveyed the passage of time through simple stylistic devices. The sun at the beginning of the cycle is small and only appears, and then becomes larger and "stronger". The gods, being immortal, remain approximately the same height, but the details change: in the second scene they are already dressed in elegant tunics and wear more "modern" headdresses and jewellery. The slight creases in the neck may even hint at the "ageing" of the deities.

The serpent that dominates the first scene is also "aging". When it "ruled the cosmos," it is depicted as tall and menacing. After the cosmic order is established, the serpent is shown crouched, stretched out beneath the celestial crescent, a symbol of its subjugation and subduing.

Researchers compare the images on the cup with other cosmological subjects of the ancient Near East - in Egypt, Mesopotamia and Anatolia. Particular attention is paid to the motif of a celestial half-moon rook, which carries the luminaries across the sky - it is found in a number of cultures in the region and fits well with Bronze Age representations. Man-bull hybrids are also known from other monuments.

Among the closest analogies, the authors name the final scene on the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Seti I (1279 BC) and a relief with "human-bulls" from the Hittite sanctuary of Yazılıkaya (c. 1230 BC) in Central Anatolia. In their opinion, the goblet from Ain Samia reflects an early stage in the formation of this iconography originating in Mesopotamia. Based on style and material, the researchers suggest that the vessel was designed by a craftsman from southern Mesopotamia and made in northern Mesopotamia or northern Syria, where silver was easier to obtain.

Nevertheless, as the authors themselves recognise, uncertainty remains. The original condition of the find has been carelessly documented, and interpretation relies on iconographic parallels rather than direct textual sources.

Some scholars remain sceptical. For example, biblical scholar Mark Smith of Princeton Theological Seminary suggested in a commentary in Smithsonian magazine that the scenes may reflect other myths, such as the Ugaritic cycle of Baal. He thinks it is fair to refuse to automatically equate the story with the Babylonian account of the creation of the world, but doubts that we are dealing with a cosmogonic myth at all.