Buch, Englisch, Band 2, 78 Seiten, Gewicht: 191 g
Reihe: Library of Oriental Texts
Buch, Englisch, Band 2, 78 Seiten, Gewicht: 191 g
Reihe: Library of Oriental Texts
ISBN: 978-90-72371-28-7
Verlag: Brill
'A Cow of Sîn' is an Akkadian incantation for a woman in childbirth. It contains a small mythological narrative (about 20 lines) about the moongod and his beloved cow, Geme-Sîn. Sîn falls in love with his cow and impregantes her. When at the end of her pregnancy the birth-pangs begin, Sîn hears her cries in heaven. Two helping spirits descend to earth and perform a ritual to ease the birth. The incantation ends with a supplication: may this woman give birth as easily as Geme-Sîn. Veldhuis presents the various versions of the text and offers a literary analysis which takes into account the poetic and pragmatic aspects of the incantation. This study is meant both for the Assyriologist and for anyone interested in Akkadian literature.