{{Short description|Clay tablet in Mesopotamian mythology}}In Mesopotamian mythology, the '''Tablet of Destinies'''{{efn| Commonly in general writing, the object's name is wrongly given as the ''Tablets of Destiny''; the correct translation is ''Tablet of Destinies''. }} ({{langx|sux|{{cuneiform|𒁾𒉆𒋻𒊏}}}} {{Transliteration|sux|''dub namtarra''}};<ref name=OI-c163>{{cite web |title=c163 |page=B.1 |department=The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature |series=Oriental Institute |publisher=Oxford University |place=Oxford, UK |via=etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk |url=http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.1.6.3&display=Crit&charenc=gcirc&lineid=c163.B.1#c163.B.1 |access-date=2017-08-28 }}</ref> {{langx|akk-Latn|ṭup šīmātu, ṭuppi šīmāti}}) was envisaged as a clay tablet inscribed with cuneiform writing, also impressed with cylinder seals, which, as a permanent legal document, conferred upon the god Enlil his supreme authority as ruler of the universe.<ref name=George-1986>{{cite journal |last=George |first=Andrew |year=1986 |title=Sennacherib and the Tablet of Destinies |journal=Iraq |volume=48 |pages=133–146 |doi=10.2307/4200258 |jstor=4200258 }}</ref> His aptitude as the greatest god gives him power over the other gods; only he has the ability to transform present circumstances back into their original state – redefining the course of fate. It is a major literary motif in ancient Sumerian myths including ''Ninurta and the Turtle'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Ninurta and the Turtle |id=t.1.6.3 |department=The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian ierature |series=Oriental Institute |publisher=Oxford University |place=Oxford, UK |via=etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk |url=https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=t.1.6.3 }}</ref> and in Akkadian myths including ''Enuma Elish''.<ref name=Sonik-2008/>
== Other mentions == In the Sumerian poem ''Ninurta and the Turtle'' it is the god Enki, rather than Enlil, who holds the Tablet; it therefore resides with Enki in the Abzu (the primeval sea below the void space of the underworld (Kur) and the earth (Ma) above).<ref>{{cite web |title=Oxford t.1.6.3 |department=The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian ierature |series=Oriental Institute |publisher=Oxford University |place=Oxford, UK |via=etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk |url = http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=t.1.6.3 }}</ref> Both this poem and the Akkadian Anzû poem concern the theft of the tablet by the bird Imdugud (Sumerian) or Anzû (Akkadian) from its original owner (Enki or Enlil).<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |first1=Jeremy A. |last1=Black |first2=Anthony |last2=Green |year = 1992 |title = Tablet of Destinies |encyclopedia = Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An illustrated dictionary |place = London, UK |publisher = British Museum Press }}</ref> In the end, the Tablet is recovered by the god Ninurta and returned to Enlil.<ref name=OI-c163/>
The Tablet of Destinies is an important device in the Babylonian epic ''Enuma Elish'',<ref name=Sonik-2008>{{cite conference |last=Sonik |first=Karen |date=20–25 July 2008 |publication-date=2012 |title=The Tablet of Destinies and the transmission of power in 'Enūma eliš' |conference=Organization, Representation, and Symbols of Power in the Ancient Near East: Proceedings of the 54th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale |place=Würzburg, DE |editor-first=Gernot |editor-last=Wilhelm |publication-place=Winona Lake |publisher=Eisenbrauns |pages=387–396 |jstor=10.5325/j.ctv1bxgx80.34 }}</ref> in which Tiamat bestows this tablet on Kingu when she takes him as her consort and gives him command of her army. The tablet is seized by the god Marduk after his defeat of Qingu.
The Tablet of Destinies is referenced in Text B (a copy of an inscription of Sennacherib in Neo-Babylonian script) on the tablet K 6177 + 8869, now in the British Museum.<ref name=George-1986/>
==In popular culture== {{in popular culture|section |date=April 2025}} * In the novel ''Fury of the Dragon Goddess'' under the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, Qingu attempts to reclaim the tablet in modern times in order to resurrect Tiamat and bring an end to all of existence. * The Tablet of Destinies is an offensive, defensive, and utility item in ''Smite'', a third player multiplayer online battle arena game first released in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title=Smite |url=https://www.smitegame.com |type=home page |via=smitegame.com }}</ref>
== Footnotes == {{notelist}}
== See also == * Anzu * Enūma Eliš * List of mythological objects
== References == {{reflist|25em}}
==Bibliography== * {{cite encyclopedia |first1=Jeremy A. |last1=Black |first2=Anthony |last2=Green |year = 1992 |title = Tablet of Destinies |encyclopedia = Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An illustrated dictionary |place = London, UK | publisher = British Museum Press }} * {{cite journal |last=George |first=Andrew R. |year=1986 |title=Sennacherib and the Tablet of Destinies |journal=Iraq |volume=48 |pages=133–146 |doi=10.2307/4200258 |jstor=4200258 }} * {{cite conference |last=Sonik |first=Karen |date=20–25 July 2008 |publication-date=2012 |title=The Tablet of Destinies and the transmission of power in 'Enūma eliš' |conference=Organization, Representation, and Symbols of Power in the Ancient Near East: Proceedings of the 54th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale |place=Würzburg, DE |editor-first=Gernot |editor-last=Wilhelm |publication-place=Winona Lake |publisher=Eisenbrauns |pages=387–396 |jstor=10.5325/j.ctv1bxgx80.34 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tablets Of Destiny}} Category:Mesopotamian mythology Category:Enūma Eliš Category:Tiamat Category:Mythological objects Category:Clay tablets