Mesopotamian Mythology · primordial

Tiamat

also: Tiamat · Tiamtu

primordialthe primeval saltwaterthe salt seachaos (the primordial state)attested

The primeval saltwater, the 'salt sea', the embodiment of chaos; in the Enuma Elish she is the great adversary of Marduk, whose slain body is used to create the world.

Marduk's Battle with Tiamat (from the Enuma Elish) · Unknown (modern reconstruction) · modern · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The account

Who they are

'Tiamat' is the primeval saltwater, the 'salt sea', the embodiment of the primordial state [S1][S5]. In Sumerian cosmology, Tiamat (the salt water) and Apsu (the fresh water) are the two primeval waters [S3][S5]. In the Enuma Elish, Tiamat is the great adversary of Marduk: she raises an army of monsters (led by Kingu) to fight Marduk, and is slain by Marduk, who splits her body in two to make the sky (the upper half) and the earth (the lower half) [S1]. Tiamat is the embodiment of chaos, the 'salt sea', the primordial state from which the ordered world emerges [S1][S5].

Worth knowing

The primeval saltwater, the embodiment of chaos [S1][S5].
The great adversary of Marduk in the Enuma Elish [S1].
Her slain body is split to make the sky and the earth [S1].

Uncertainties & variants

Tiamat's 'chaos' role is a later (Babylonian) interpretation; in earlier (Sumerian) texts she is simply the salt-water principle [S5].

Relationships (4)

Connections

Partners

PARTNER_OFApsu (the primeval freshwater) — Apsu (the fresh water) and Tiamat (the salt water) are the two primeval waters (a 'pair').[S3] [S5]

PARTNER_OFKingu — Tiamat and Kingu are a 'pair' (Kingu is her general and consort).[S1]

Creation

CREATEDMarduk — Marduk splits Tiamat's body in two to make the sky (upper half) and the earth (lower half).[S1]

Conflict & enmity

KILLEDMarduk — Marduk slays Tiamat (in the Enuma Elish).[S1]

Local graph

Their corner of the divine world

View

hierarchical — generations top → bottom, partners side by side

Overlays

FocusTiamatMesopotamian

zoom 1.70× · medium

parentage
marriage ♥

far = primordials · medium = all · close = detail — scroll/pan, click a deity to focus

Myths featuring Tiamat

2 stories

The Enuma Elish (the Babylonian Creation Epic)

The Enuma Elish is the great Babylonian creation epic, the 'New Year' (Akitu) festival text. In it, the gods (the 'Apsu' and the 'Tiamat' generations) are in conflict; the young gods (led by Marduk) are chosen to fight Tiamat. Marduk slays Tiamat with his bow, net, and 'rakasu' winds, splits her body in two to make the sky (upper half) and the earth (lower half), and from Kingu's blood (Tiamat's general) creates humanity. Marduk takes the 'Tablet of Destinies' and becomes the king of the gods [S1].

READ THE STORY →

The Sumerian Creation (An and Ki)

In Sumerian cosmology, An (the sky) and Ki (the earth) are the first pair — the 'parents' of the world. From their union (or from the separation of heaven and earth), the gods and the world emerge [S5]. The 'Apsu' (the fresh water) and the 'Tiamat' (the salt water) are the two primeval waters [S5].

READ THE STORY →

Artworks

Depictions

← Mesopotamian Mythology All galleries