Myths from Mesopotamia Quotes

“It is probable that these ancient Near Eastern flood stories are versions of a tale which originated in lower Mesopotamia, though not necessarily in a single devastation. The variety of detail found in them illustrates the kaleidoscopic character of the folk tale, in which certain basic elements are widely used in new combinations and are adapted to national interests and different literary settings. For instance, in Genesis the dove brings back to Noah an olive leaf, which belongs to the flora of Palestine; olive trees do not grow in Mesopotamia.”
― Stephanie Dalley, Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others

“[...] both in Greece and Mesopotamia deities associated with birth and fertility are also patrons of mining, smelting, and coppersmith's craft, because they create new forms from basic materials.”
― Stephanie Dalley, Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others