Part 1 of 2

Several groups in Mesopotamia have long been neglected, including women, children, the elderly, and the disabled. Gender studies has been gathering interest, but a great deal of work remains to be done on childhood in Mesopotamia.

Several genres of texts discuss childbirth, of which omen texts and rituals are the most important. People in Mesopotamia believed that the gods sent messages through omens, so virtually anything unusual was noted and recorded. These omen series were organized by types of omens, such as Enūma Anu Enlil (celestial omens) and Šumma alu (terrestrial omens). One of the omen series, Šumma izbu, deals with births. The series consists of 24 tablets, of which the first four deal specifically with human births ("if a woman is pregnant"). An example from Tablet I §63, courtesy of Leichty's The Omen Series Šumma Izbu:

If a woman gives birth to a deaf child -- that house will prosper outside of its city.

And from Tablet I §83:

If a woman gives birth to two boys -- there will be hard times in the land; the land will experience unhappiness; there will be bad times for the house of their father.

Some of the other omen series refer to children and conception as well, such as omens 23 and 24 of Šumma alu.

If a man approaches on waste ground, his wife will bear girls. If a man approaches in the middle of a field or a garden, his wife will bear boys.

Demons and angered gods were responsible for disease in Mesopotamia, and pregnant women and children were particularly vulnerable. An Old Babylonian incantation in the Yale Babylonian Collection ensured the successful delivery of a child (YBC 4603).

In the waters of intercourse, the bone was created.

In the flesh of muscles, the baby was created.

In the ocean waters, fearsome, raging,

in the far-off waters of the sea

where the little one is -- his arms are bound!

Inside which the eye of the sun does not bring light.

Asalluḫi, the son of Enki, saw him.

He loosed his tight-bound bonds,

he made him a path, he opened him a way.

"Opened are the paths for you! The ways are... for you.

The ... is sitting for you,

She who creates... she who creates us all.

She has spoken to the doorbolt: You are released!

Removed are the locks, the doors are thrown aside.

Let him strike... like a fish, bring yourself out!

The Hittites in particular had a large variety of birth rituals, some of which included mythological elements, that shed light on the birthing procedures. Ritual CTH 767.7 is attested on tablets KUB 44.4 and KBo 13.241, translation courtesy of Mary Bachvarova:

[Thus says] Pittei when (a woman) gives birth to a child. “Heaven was clothed in darkness. duwiš was clothed. And, the Moon-god was clothed in blood. He girded himself with skins of blood. He took his arrow(s) of death. He took his bow of death. In one hand he held blazing fire; in the other hand he held drawn swords. He proceeded inside quickly. Mighty one, s/he ... the gates [ ... ] the girl. He was born before him/her, the zammantiš child. IŠTAR of the field form[erly]. She was filled with fear, she was afraid. Her mouth went sideways. Her eyes likewise. Her nine limbs likewise. She (the midwife) treated her, her head, (while) she was pressing her from above. The mother (of) the son cried aloud. The Storm-god looked down from heaven. 'What is that? How is there nothing?’ He (the Storm-god) recounts it all afterwards in the same way.” “Here we are taking from somebody. Let the Great Goddesses come.” Before her let the midwives take the karšikarši-ointment, the haršānin. Let them take the kuwari (dust?) of the road. Let them take the dust of ... Let them [take] the stone of the assembly, let them take the fruit of the rock, ... [ ... ] let them take. Let them take the living rock. Let them grind it. [Let them mix] it wit[h] butter. Let them apply to the son, in his ears. And, [let them] cl[ean] the mother below. “Go away! You are zunnumiš (and) mannaimiš. But, this [ ... ]. It was good. Let it come as a good thing.

Once the child was born, (s)he was typically referred to as a šerru, an infant. Sadly, infant mortality was high, and most children died before their first birthdays. Infant burials were typically in jars, primarily regular household vessels not made specifically for burials, and infants were often interred beneath the floor of the house.

People in the ancient Near East delighted in children, and pampered children were kunnû, “cherished.” Young children were carried about in a sling by their mothers or nurses; there is a good depiction of this at Carchemish. Wealthy families hired wetnurses (tarîtu), and contracts reveal that these nurses were provided food, clothing, wool, and oil for three years.

Mothers sang to their children, and there is a delightful Sumerian lullaby attributed to a wife of Šulgi of the Ur III period.

Ah, ah, may he grow sturdy through my crooning, may he flourish through my crooning! May he put down strong foundations as roots, may he spread branches wide like a šakir plant!

Lord, from this you know our whereabouts; among those resplendent apple trees overhanging the river, may someone who passes by (?) reach out his hand, may someone lying there raise his hand. My son, sleep will overtake you, sleep will settle on you.

Sleep come, sleep come, sleep come to my son, sleep hasten (?) to my son! Put to sleep his open eyes, settle your hand upon his sparkling eyes -- as for his murmuring tongue, let the murmuring not spoil his sleep.

May he fill your lap with emmer while I sweeten miniature cheeses for you, those cheeses that are the healer of mankind, that are the healer of mankind, and of the lord's son, the son of Lord Šulgi.

In my garden, it is the lettuces that I have watered, and among the lettuces it is the gakkul lettuce that I have chopped. Let the lord eat this lettuce! Through my crooning let me give him a wife, let me give him a wife, let me give him a son! May a happy nursemaid chatter with him, may a happy nursemaid suckle him!

Let me …… a wife for my son, and may she bear him a son so sweet. May his wife lie in his warm embrace, and may his son lie in his outstretched arms. May his wife be happy with him, and may his son be happy with him. May his young wife be happy in his embrace, and may his son grow vigorously on his gentle knees.

You are restless -- I am troubled, I am quite silent (?), gazing at the stars, as the crescent moon shines on my face. Your bones might be arrayed on the wall! The man of the wall might shed tears for you! The mongoose might beat the balaĝ drums for you! The gecko might gouge its cheeks for you! The fly might gash its lips for you! The lizard might tear out (?) its tongue for you!

May the lullaby make us flourish! May the lullaby make us thrive!