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ME (Sumerian: ME β€” "Divine Decree / Blueprint")

Sumerian name: ME

The ME (Sumerian: ME, plural MEΕ ) were the divine decrees or principles of civilization in Sumerian mythology. In Zecharia Sitchin's interpretation, the ME were a collection of knowledge, technology, and cultural templates β€” essentially a "civilization package" that the Anunnaki transmitted to humanity.

The ME in Sumerian Texts

The ME are described as: - The fundamental principles of civilization - The powers and offices of gods and humans - The skills and crafts of culture - The sacred rituals and offices - The knowledge of the universe

According to the text "Inanna and Enki: The Transfer of the ME," there were over 100 distinct ME, including: - Lordship, divinity, kingship - The shepherd's staff and royal scepter - The art of music and song - Carpentry, metalworking, and writing - Truth, justice, and wisdom - Sexual intercourse and prostitution - The holy purification rituals

The Acquisition of the ME by Inanna

The most famous story involving the ME is Inanna's acquisition of them from Enki:

  1. Inanna visits Enki in Eridu
  2. Enki, drunk, offers her the ME
  3. Inanna takes the ME and loads them onto her "boat" (a spaceship, in Sitchin's reading)
  4. Enki sobers up and realizes what he has done
  5. He sends monsters to retrieve the ME, but Inanna escapes
  6. Inanna brings the ME to Uruk, establishing civilization there

Sitchin's Interpretation

"The ME were not abstract principles. They were the knowledge templates and technologies of the Anunnaki β€” the complete package of civilization that they transmitted to humanity."

Sitchin saw the ME as: 1. Scientific Knowledge β€” Astronomy, mathematics, medicine 2. Technology β€” Construction methods, metalworking, agriculture 3. Social Organization β€” Kingship, law, priesthood, crafts 4. Cultural Practices β€” Music, art, ritual, writing 5. The Blueprint of Civilization β€” Everything needed to create a functioning society

The ME as "Divine DNA"

Sitchin further argued that the ME were analogous to DNA β€” they contained the "code" for civilization, just as DNA contains the code for life. The Cosmic Code was the idea that this same pattern of encoded knowledge appears throughout ancient texts.

Cuneiform Evidence

The term ME (π’ˆ¨, "Divine Decree / Blueprint") appears in Sumerian literary and administrative texts as a fundamental concept of divine authority and civilization. The ME were the powers and offices that governed all aspects of Sumerian society.

  • CDLI Corpus: ME β€” Browse tablets mentioning the ME
  • Key tablet: The Inanna and Enki: The Transfer of the ME composition (CDLI P346267) describes how Inanna acquired over 100 ME from Enki at Eridu and brought them to Uruk. This is the primary textual source detailing the nature of the ME.
  • Inanna and Enki tablet Sumerian literary tablet describing Inanna's acquisition of the ME from Enki. (CDLI P346267)

See Also

Sources

  • Sitchin, Z. (1976). The 12th Planet.
  • Sitchin, Z. (1998). The Cosmic Code.
  • Wolkstein, D. & Kramer, S. N. (1983). Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth.
  • Farber-FlΓΌgge, G. (1973). Der Mythos 'Inanna und Enki'.