How would the Epic of Gilgamesh have been told in Bronze Age Mesopotamia?

by [deleted]
  • A lot of verses and lines are repeated so would have it been told in song or with accompanying music?

  • Would there have been accompanying theatrics?

  • Or would people just have their own tablets and read it like a book?

dontfearme22

The tradition of many Mesopotamian societies, especially the Sumerians, was towards a hymn-like form of singing. Now, since the Epic of Gilgamesh is a highly religious text and is at its core highly mythological in formal situations, palaces, temples etc. it would have been recited in a rhythmic monologue, much like modern poetry. Informally it would have most likely been read in a similar manner, almost like a campfire story.

Even the names of Sumerian poetry attest to this form of delivery, like the poem by the priestess Enheduanna In-nin sag gur-ra. This translates to "a hymn to Inana" a Sumerian goddess. You can read it translated here: http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=t.4.07.3#

Hymns by their very definition imply a rhythmic element to the recital so I think a more poetic and rhythmic delivery is certainly very likely.

I do not think there would be theatrics to go along with it, just a plain delivery by a designated singer, known as the nāru is female and the zammeru if male(Bottéro, Jean (2001). Religion in Ancient Mesopotamia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.)