This pathbreaking work uncovers new translations of the main myths and epics written in Akkadian, including the Creation myths and the epic of Gilgamesh. The deities and heroes which figure in these stories are all of ancient Mesopotamia, and many of the original clay tablets, on which the stories were first inscribed, were discovered there. A striking collection of accurate and up-to-date renderings of the best-preserved cuneiform texts in current, readable English and discoveries of both new tablets and points of grammar and lexicography during the last twenty-five years, these translations will inevitably replace all previous versions. The book provides introductions to each item--giving insight into the sources and datings of the texts; notes to guide the reader through difficulties; an up-to-date glossary of deities, place-names and key terms; a chronological chart and map; and illustrations of some of the mythical monsters that are mentioned in the stories.