From the ziggurats of Sumer to the temples of Eridu, the ancient Mesopotamians believed they lived in a universe alive with order, law, and divine presence. This book takes readers deep into that sacred vision, exploring the cosmology of An, Ki, and Kur — Heaven, Earth, and the Netherworld — and the Anunnaki gods who shaped the destinies of kings and civilizations.
Drawing on hymns, myths, temple inscriptions, and archaeology, it reveals how the Sumerians and their successors conceived of the universe as a layered, living architecture. From Enlil’s separation of Heaven and Earth to Enki’s mysteries of the Abzu, from the cosmic mountain embodied in the ziggurat to the celestial decrees of Anu, the chapters unfold a worldview where space, time, and ritual were seamlessly interwoven. Sacred geography, festivals, and the movements of stars were not abstractions — they were the very machinery of the cosmos, keeping divine order aligned with human life.
Blending myth, history, and comparative insights, this work uncovers the foundations of Near Eastern cosmology and its enduring influence on later traditions, from Babylonian creation myths to the Hebrew Bible. For readers fascinated by the Anunnaki, ancient temples, and the hidden structures of the heavens, it offers both scholarship and story — a journey into the heart of the world’s first great cosmological imagination.
Ishmael Ningishzida is a well-known Middle Eastern expert on the Anunnaki or ancient gods. He often conducts seminars on the topic and has led several trips to Israel, Egypt, and Gobekli Tepe in Turkey to educate and further investigate the history of the Anunnaki.