Sumerian Constallations

Just a question that occured to me as I am reading the Epic of
Gilgamesh. Does anyone know if the Sumerians viewed Taurus and Orion
as "The Bull of Heaven" and "Gilgamesh?"

Erik
socalsw

Erik wrote:

Just a question that occured to me as I am reading the Epic of
Gilgamesh. Does anyone know if the Sumerians viewed Taurus and Orion
as "The Bull of Heaven" and "Gilgamesh?"

The Babylonian work Mul Apin describes a "bull"
constellation at the same location as the modern
Taurus. It seems extremely likely that it dates
back to Sumerian times, and it's nice to think
that it was identified with the Bull from the
Gilgamesh epic, but there's no way to know for
sure.

Identification of Orion with Gilgamesh has less
evidence to support it, but many people have
suggested it.

- Tony Flanders