Scott Creighton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> you refer to the inscription as
> relaying to us a "legend". Legend perhaps,
> perhaps not. I find it somewhat contradictory
> that the priests of Edfu would legitimise their
> temple on a mere "legend".

Why? It was a reference to a much older era; the antiquity of the supposed tradition served the later purposes of the priests of Edfu. (

This "legend" had to
> have had - at least to the temple priests - some
> basis in truth.

No, it didn't.

> Unlike your analogy whereby the goddess Nisaba
> visited Gudea in a dream,

On further reflection, that probably wasn't a very good analogy (and, what's more, there were a few errors in my account - see below). Gudea wasn't claiming to get his plan from a very old source, but from a divine source.

Imhotep was a real
> historical figure (albeit deified by the time of
> the construction of Edfu), an architect no less
> who constructed the first pyramid. This we know
> is fact. However, what is very peculiar about the
> Edfu inscription is that it does not seek
> "legitimisation" of the temple through the
> "inspired hand of Imhotep" - if I can put it like
> that. It tells us quite explicitly that Imhotep
> received his inspiration from a codex. Why would
> the priests even mention this? They are
> effectively saying that the design of their temple
> at Edfu WAS NOT from the "inspired hand of
> Imhotep" but that Imhotep (a god by then) received
> his inspired wisdom from a codex. Why would a god
> require such assitance (from a codex)? The mere
> mention of the codex actually serves to undermine
> Imhotep's divine reverance and indeed his ability
> to legitimise the Edfu temple in the manner you
> allude to.

Such motifs are frequently found in the ancient Near East, though. In Gudea's dream, the goddess Nisaba "was holding the tablet of good writing of heaven" - although it should be made clear that this "good writing" was not the actual temple plan: the god Ningirsu revealed that to Gudea later. (Another example of something - not a temple plan, admittedly, but an object connected with a city foundation - falling from the sky is that of the palladium of Athena at Troy )

> In short, it simply does not add up. Had the
> temple priests of Edfu wished to legitimse their
> temple through an association with the god,
> Imhotep, they would not - IMO - then undermine
> their legitimisation of their temple by telling
> everyone that the design of the temple was not by
> the hand of Imhotep but that it came to Imhotep
> already made. They would have done a better job
> of this legitimisation by telling us that Imhotep
> received his divine inspiration in a dream - just
> like Gudea.

I rather think that the suggestion that the codex fell from the sky is probably an indication of its divine origin ...

On Gudea's dream:

Quote

Gudea built - or rather rebuilt - at least fifteen temples in Lagash, but on none of them was he so lavish as on the E-ninnu, the temple of Ningirsu, the city-god. On two large clay cylinders and on some of his statue inscriptions, he explains at length why and how he built it, giving us incidentally, invaluable details on the complicated rites essential to the foundation of sanctuaries in ancient Mesopotamia. It is typical of Sumerian thinking that the decision to erect a temple is given, not as an act of will of the ruler, but as the fulfilment of a wish of the god expressed in the form of a mysterious dream:

"In the heart of a dream, here was a man: his height equalled the sky, his height equalled the earth ... To his right and to his left, lions were crouching ... He told me to build him a temple, but I did not understand his hear (= his desire) ...

"Here was a woman. Who was she not, who was she? ... She was holding in her hand a stylus of flaming metal; she was holding the tablet of good writing of heaven; she was immersed in her thoughts ... "

Troubled and perplexed, Gudea first sought comfort from his 'mother', the goddess Gatumdug, and then proceeded by boat to the temple of the goddess Nanshe 'interpreter of dreams'. Nanshe explained that the man was Ningirsu and the woman Nisaba, the goddess of science; she advised Gudea to offer Ningirsu a chariot 'adorned with shining metal and lapis lazuli'.

"Then, inscrutable as the sky, the wisdom of the Lord, of Ningirsu, the son of Enlil, will soothe thee. He will reveal to thee the plan of His temple, and the Warrior whose decrees are great will build it for thee."

Gudea obeyed. (Roux, G. (1964), "Ancient Iraq", George Allen & Unwin: 140-141)

My apologies: as already mentioned, it appears that I had some details incorrect in my previous post on this subject. The name of the temple was Eninnu; the name of the god, Ningirsu; and it was not the goddess Nisaba, but Ningirsu himelf, who revealed the plan of the temple to Gudea.

Hermione
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