An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic

"An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic" by Morris Jastrow Jr. and Albert T. Clay is a work that examines the ancient Mesopotamian story focusing on newly found Old Babylonian texts and their importance to recognizing the plot, ideas, and historical environment of the story. It shares the experiences of Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu, who face friendship problems, death, and the pursuit of living forever. The publication begins by giving information on the source material stating that the story is important in ancient Mesopotamian literature, but that only parts of the stories survive. The first part talks about how the epic is organized, specifically the friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and their fights against strong enemies while also touching on the deeper topics of life, death, and what it means to be human that are a focus throughout the story. The start also talks about how important the tablets are that make the foundation of the Babylonian version, which lets specialists follow how it changed and how it connects to broader historical and cultural ideas.