THE EXALTATION OF INANNA in Sumerian
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- THE EXALTATION OF INANNA was written in Sumerian by the daughter of Sargon The Great, the High Priestess of Inanna in the city of Ur, a woman by the name of Enheduanna. What you hear in this video, are the first twelve lines of the EXALTATION, sung in Sumerian, and accompanied on a scale replica of the remarkable “Gold Lyre of Ur”, discovered in the 1920’s by British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley.
Enheduanna was born more than 4,000 years ago, and she is the first named author of a literary work that we know of. Her writings and her history are well documented on the internet, and if you are interested in learning more about her, I refer you to a wonderful website called “enheduana ‘dot’ net”.
The “Gold Lyre of Ur”, which I play in the video, is a drone instrument whose lowest note is the same as the lowest note on a concert piano keyboard (A-0 or 27.500 Hz). These large Sumerian lyres were not appropriate for playing melodies, and according to ancient Sumerian writers, the sound of them was like the “roaring of bulls”! The instrument is highly resonant, and there are overtones that exist within it that add unusual effects to the timbre. I tried to get rid of some of these overtones, but they seem to be a built-in part of the instrument.
There are 153 lines in the EXALTATION OF INANNA. I sang only the first 12 lines in this video (with no repetition) and that took me six minutes. At that rate, it would probably take about one and a half hours, give or take, to sing the entire work. By comparison, Handel’s MESSIAH is about two and a half hours, and much of the text is repeated.
The smaller “Silver Lyre” which you see next to me in the video, is the cow-headed “mate” of the bull-headed “Gold Lyre”, and the two instruments were found together during the excavations at Ur. Sumerians liked to juxtapose opposites: sun/moon, male/female, gold/silver, bull/cow, etc. It is probable that the much larger “Gold Lyre” was played by a man, while the smaller “Silver Lyre” was played by a woman. In fact, the remains of what are thought to be those of a female musician were found clutching the “Silver Lyre” in the “royal death pit” at Ur.
There are some words and concepts that Enheduanna used in her EXALTATION that are not well understood by modern scholars. Most notably, the word “mé” which seems to refer to something we know nothing about. The goddess INANNA is described as holding the “mé”, and the word is mentioned several times in the first lines of the work, always referring to some kind of mysterious power or force that the goddess possesses.
At 3:21 into the video, I have included a photo of the three cuneiform Sumerian clay tablets on which the entire EXALTATION was written, and at 1:24 there is a Sumerian cylinder seal impression of the goddess Inanna herself. The final image at the end of the video is ISHTAR GATE in the reconstructed city of Babylon, which sits not far from the city of Baghdad, in modern Iraq. The Sumerian goddess INANNA was adopted by the later Babylonians and Akkadians and given the name “Ishtar”.
When your taste in music cannot get more old school
once i told a dude i like early music, meaning medieval and renaissance european music. this is a normal phrase....
he said "oh, you mean, like elvis and buddy holly?"...
now THIS re-calibrates what "early music" is...
I was born in the wrong generation
@@AlexCat_Videos I genuinely would rather eat bread and work the fields than live in this modern world
@@lazercat7725 dont forget about beeing paid in beer !
Literally!
Each Peter Pringle's work is a gift to mankind
It's even better than that, he's gifting to modern humankind with the works of past humankind, connecting us with those from thousands of years ago.
It is and he is a gift too. These are songs and beliefs once thought lost to humanity. May we never forget our old stories.
Mankind*
@@MoloIongo Thanks, let me correct it
@@TheCellarGuardian Np
Wake up babe, Sumeria just dropped another banger
Inanna had "No rival between heaven and earth". She terrified the gods of heaven, beat up a mountain when it would not bow to her and turned the lands' water to blood when she was assaulted in her sleep. Gilgamesh being so disrespectful to her in his rejection was kind of a sick move.
The Chad Gilgamesh
outstanding, but this is true only to Enheduanna and her most devout adepts. research has it that she kind of started a cult of Inanna as an only goddess or, at least, as the supreme god. not many shared this view, although her chants were used as prayers for quite some time after her death (that's why we know them, and their context, so well)
Gilgamesh's balls were too big for Inanna anyways, clearly.
thank you pilk lady
@@almishti 99 problems but a bitch aint one if you got goddess problems i feel bad for you son
Peter's back at it again spitting pure ancient Mesopotamian fire🔥🔥🔥
I feel extremely guilty to be allowed to listen to this for free.
The level of dedication and respect put into this is almost beyond comprehension.
Ziusudra alone lives forever ⏳
Beyond comprehension is a little dramatic but yes a lot of work went into this
Beyond comprehension is a little dramatic but yes a lot of work went into this
@HotlikeSauce666 Oh what's life without a little.....Flair? 😁
Beautiful song, it’s crazy that this was written by a woman who lived around 5000 years ago.
Enheduanna definitely needs more recognition❤
LYRICS BELOW:
The following is my transliteration of the lines sung by Mr. Pringle. I have chosen to write them phonetically (as opposed to the more common syllabic spelling which can be misleading). As noted in the description, they are taken from the composition “Exaltation to Inana (B).”
Also, I have chosen to translate the word “me” as “powers” for convenience, since, as he states, the exact meaning of the term remains elusive.
1: nin me šara, ud dalla e’a
~ _lady of the many “powers,” [of] incoming shining daylight_
2: munus zid melem guru ki aĝ An, Uraša,
~ _right/true splendid woman bearing the love of An, of Uraš_
3: nugig ana, suḫgir gal-gal’a
~ _high-class lady of heaven, [with] the greatest diadem_
4: aga zide ki aĝ namena tum’a
~ _[who] loves the true fitting headdress of the priesthood_
5: me umin-bi šu sa dug’a
~ _[who] its seven “powers” seized_
6: nin-ĝu, me gal-gal’a saĝ kešed-bi zē-mēn
~ _my lady, [the one who] the greatest “powers” binding (guarding) you are_
7: me mue’il, me šu-zu-še muela’
~ _the “powers” you have raised, the “powers” you have hung from your hand_
8: me mue’ur, me gaba-za bitab
~ _the “powers” you have collected, the “powers” on your chest they are laid across_
9: ušumgal-gen kure uš baešum
~ _like a dragon, upon the foreign lands venom you have bestowed_
10: iškur-gen ki šeg gi’a-za ezina labaešiĝal
~ _like Iškur roaring at the earth, plant-life you cause to not exist_
11: amaru kur-bi-ta ed-ed
~ _a flood from its foreign lands descending_
12: saĝkal an kia, Inana-bi-mēn
~ _preeminent of heaven and earth, their Inana you are_
Thank you. It's interesting how certain words bring certain images.
In my opinion all the words you have chosen to add in brackets and the quotation marks diminish the value of the script. It is as if you are telling the reader how they should interpret instead of letting them do so for themselves.
@Nicholas Louw That’s a fair point. Although in this case the reason for their inclusion is because they’re represented either morphologically or syntactically, and to exclude them would be to give a grammatically incomplete translation. (I always like to try and provide as literal a translation as possible, but to be fair there will always be choices made at the discretion of the translator).
For example, Sumerian lacks a discrete coordinating conjunction like English “and,” instead making frequent use of nominalized clauses juxtaposed to one another to impart the same connotation. This is why Sumerian phrasings often look like lists of separate clauses (because they essentially are).
For instance: lines 3 and 5: (abbreviation key at bottom)
3: nu-gig an-na suḫ-gir11 gal-gal-la
>> nugig an-a[k], suḫgir gal-gal-‘a
>> “designation of an esteemed woman” heaven/sky-GEN, diadem/crownjewels great-great-NOM
~ _high-class lady of heaven, [with] the greatest diadem_
5: me 7-bi šu sa2 dug4-ga
>> me umin-bi šu sa dug-ø-‘a
>> “powers” seven-3rdPrsn.Sg.NH.POSS hand advice speak-3rdPrsn.Sg.S.-NOM
~ _[who] its seven “powers” seized_
These in isolation would appear to be simple statements, but they are part of a syntactically larger phrase, wherein they are nominalized clauses preceding the copular main clause in line 6. If we were to use English syntax, it would be ordered like: “you are she who did X and X and X…”
and so on. Translating the sequence into English requires the addition of auxiliary words which in Sumerian are built into the language’s morphology.
The only bracketed word which is admittedly _partially_ my interpretation is [guarded] in line 6. The literal words used are “saĝ” (head) and “kešed” (to bind), but together form a phrasal verb generally interpretable as something similar to English “guard, attend to, protect.”
---
Abbreviation Key:
GEN= genitive case
NOM= Nominalizing Affix
POSS= enclitic possessive pronoun
3rdPrsn.= third person
Sg.= Singular
NH.= non-human gender
S.= Subject (Intransitive verb)
@@mr.flibblessumeriantransla5417 You clearly know what you are talking about, thanks for the info. I would only say to your statement of giving a literal translation that to me it seems a lot of the language can be seen as symbolic with various interpretations. Symbolic language has been used throughout time to give hidden meaning to apparent mundane text. Of course I am no scholar of Sumerian history and am sure you know more than I. I guess it's just one of my personal preferences. Cheers
@Nicholas Louw Very true about the symbolic nature of many of the words. By “literal” I just meant a mostly literal rendering of the constituent morphemes.
The overall meaning however is, as you said, still open to individual interpretation (both because it’s a poetic composition and because of the potential subtleties of the language which might elude us). For example, what is meant by “venom onto the foreign lands you bestow”? Is it literally that she gives poison to foreign lands? Probably not, and more likely is saying something like “you who poison the foreign lands”; for whatever reason and however you want to interpret it.
The same is true of line 11, which is probably the most enigmatic (at least to me) of the 12 listed above. The morphemes suggest a reading like “a flood, from foreign lands descending,” but this meaning seems strange in this setting.
amaru = flood
kur = mountain, foreign land, underworld (they are homophones all written “kur”)
-bi = 3rd Person non-human enclitic possessive pronoun
-ta = Ablative case (“from, coming from, by way of, using”)
ed = “to go up or down, to destroy” (reduplicated in Imperfective Aspect)
Several things in this line are perplexing. Why is “kur-bi” in the Ablative case when it would make more sense to be in the Terminative (kur-bi-še = “toward/unto the foreign lands”)?
Is “ed” meant to be “ascending,” “descending,” or possibly the paraphrastic “destroy?” It’s hard to be sure. I went with the most straightforward of the options, but there are potentially other ways to interpret this, as evidenced by the word choice of the translation Mr. Pringle uses in the subtitles.
Anyway, sorry for rambling. Cheers to you as well my dude! :)
Wonderful sounds
Thanks from all Sumerian lovers🙏
We liked flat bread because nature hadn't invented yeast we're that old school.
Are you Iraqi?
Listening to music must have been a mystical experience. It feels like a mystical experience when I listen to Peter preform these ancient songs on ancient instruments.
Peter so truly Gifted ,brings us much joy
I hope this man lives forever and continues to bless us with these performances.
We need an album of these works, or at least a Spotify upload 👌
Agreed. I searched Amazon for a CD of Peter's in vain, some time ago. I guess it wouldn't sell like hot cakes, but it's part of the world cultural patrimony.
yes and a concert please
I would buy an album of Peter's ancient works in a hot minute.
Was searching too. No playlist or CD available.
I was searching for it as well! Would buy instantly, no matter what format!
There are idiots on the internet making a fortune singing with autotune and then there is this absolute chad who is playing a 4000 year old composition with the replica of a 5000 year old instrument.
Mad respect!
What you mean by that? And what is the problem with that? And what is your problem with that?
@@Nooneishereonlyme
You can't possibly expect me to teach you how to read, I'm sure there are special schools for such needs.
All the best!
@@Drarjunmenon hahahaha crying and raging because I asked you and I said why but a crying raging like you saying that I need school I am better at school and you go rage and cry about it
@@Nooneishereonlyme no internet allowed past 10 pm kid go back to sleep
@@Drarjunmenondude don’t be ableist please
I clicked the like button even before listening. Peter is such an amazing artist
Same here
Same
Same
agreed now all we need is a world tour. please make it happen
@@amandam480 I wonder what reaction he'd get if he started playing this stuff in the center of Baghdad.
I'm glad to hear the Golden Lyre of Ur again, that instrument rocks
I always get the chills with every song possibly because my soul remembers somewhere in a distant past these days. Then I remember the past present and future are happening simultaneously
My exact anemoia, my friend.
Yes
I must admit my reaction was more than guttural. I am connected to this perhaps through parallel lives. We are kindred we four....
Working with these dieties has been such a gift.
Our bloodlines are beautiful
God that thing makes such a wild sound.
Ah I remember that summer of love 1969BC I was at Bronzestock when I first heard this song
I am so impressed by your passion for our culture
Million thanks 🙏🏿 for your endeavors to bring back the voice of my ancestors back into the world
Sumer is absolutely fascinating! Do you recognize the original religion?
There's Historically Informed Performance Practice, and then there's this
Hi Peter! The Mé, as described refers to the "Destiny Tablets" the Goddess stole them from Her Uncle Enki, in those tablets ALL the Destiny of humankind is writen. You find the reference to this in the book "Inanna : Queen of Heaven and Hearth"
That is one of the potential concepts subsumed under the term “me.” As far as I’m aware, that specific usage comes from later Akkadian-language compositions such as the Enuma Elish. The term is applied to a variety of objects throughout various mythological texts. All that can be said with certainty is that it represents some kind of divine power or ordinance, part of the cosmological makeup of Sumero-Akkadian religious beliefs. There are some fragmentary tablets which list many distinct “me”’s, which further cements that while ambiguous as to its exact meaning, it generally represents an element of the gods’ power and rule over creation.
She won the Me fair and square in a drinking game. Pretty sure that Ninhursag coached her, as she did Utta, in managing her 'funny' pedo grandfather Enki.
This is the kind of music I imagine they have in Dune
Our Lady 𒀭𒈹 is pleased with you, Sir
what an unexpected sound of an instrument!
Such an eerie and otherworldly sound...
Every time one of these videos drops it’s like a spiritual bomb, all of your performances hit so hard 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Voice as smooth as honey and just as rich, that falsetto at the end caught me off guard and gave me goosebumps, fr
I was just thinking of that haunting sounding lyre, and I see now you just uploaded this.
Awesome video, and thanks for the upload! Inanna (a.k.a Ishtar in Akkadian) represents my favorite divine entity of the Sumero-Akkadian pantheon. Not surprisingly, the Exaltation of Inanna was composed by the High Priestess of Ur, Enheduanna - an Akkadian princess, daughter of Sargon of Akkad.
What is the name of the gentlemen performing this masterpiece? I genuinely hope he is "coaching" somebody younger with the knowledge of Sumerian and the art of Lyre-playing... The world cannot afford any additional loss of priceless pieces of Antiquity.
babe wake up Peter Pringle just uploaded another mesopotamian classic
This is a hymn written by Enheduanna, High Priestess of Inanna and daughter of Sargon, right? Wish we had more Sumarian poetry and songs. Thanks for this one and others by Mr. Pringle.
Wake up babe, new gold headed bull lyre song just dropped
10 seconds in and already off to a fantastic start
Thank you, Professor Peter, for your singing in the Sumerian language. Greetings to you and to all commentators from the city of Ur, the capital of the Sumerians.
That instrument has such an unexpected sound
I knew there was a reason I awoke early and couldn't back to sleep. I am moved beyond belief.
Thank you! It is always amazing to hear those oldest songs!
Peter, this is divinely inspired! Please on day do record the entire piece!
Let's go it's always a joy when Peter uploads
babe wake up, peter pringle just dropped new ancient song
This man is the last Sumerian. When he's gone I'm going to cry
I LOVE the sounds of this instrument so much. And your voice on top of that is just... mmh *chef kiss*.
You built another lyre? That's incredible Peter! Thank you for keeping history alive in such a beautiful way!
Ur, the City of Abraham and of such wonderful poetry and music....♥️🎶🎵🏙️
Awesome, amazing as always! So looking forward to more of your works!
Man I would love to see these works performed live. Some intimate setting with special lighting; incense burning in the background. It would be magical.
I think the Gold Lyre of Ur has a bovine sound to it. Like water buffaloes but with a more mystical tone.
Mr. Pringle, you give us the most beautiful gifts, time and time again
This is the most haunting and beautiful thing I've heard.
Thanks again for this interpretation. Its refreshing to hear this ancient melodies
Awe and Respect!
Wonderful gift! Thank you Peter.
Awesome surprise to wake up to. Thanks for the upload!
Brilliant work. I have read the tablets 2 times now and am ready for a 3rd time around.
>Anon what kind of music are you into
Me: It's complicated..
I am moved to tears. Thank you for this extraordinary piece of historic art coming back to life.
This is absolutely beautiful and incredibly powerful
So intriguing, profound, mystical, and moving! The sound from this instrument unites the listener to the past, and far beyond that perhaps to the hum of the universe. Your composition is stunning and brilliant. Thank you.
Your art is greatly appreciated, Mr. Pringle. 🌺💐🌸
Yay! Another epic from the Master! 1st comment BTW
🤗🥰😇💖🙏🙏🙏thank you sooo much for share your beautiful work of our sumerian culture and about me my dear brother..very apprechiate your service ❤
Beautiful! I'm so happy you're uploading again!
Wow its so magic !! I love the ancients civilisations since i am children
finally something to make my day better
this is incredible all of it
my respect, admiration and joy from listening are great gifts
i just found Peter yesterday
when can we see and hear you live in America?
thank you!
your life's work is truly awesome to behold
The sound of that lyre is incredible.
Mr. Peter Pringle You're a legend livin' among us 💯
This New Song Of Yours Will Make My Day!
So Unique the Sound from the Lyre ,very high notes to so Low, So grateful to you for Sharing this special Song Peter💠
Every video is a delight. Ty so much Mr. Pringle!!
Thank you. Beautiful, inspiring, moving. Adore your work and your continued devotion to the 're-creation' of ancient sounds.
i would *really* be interested in a making-of video. details of this beast of a lyre. what we really know about the lyrics and how much interpretation when in the melody. and so on. great work btw.
Amazing. Gave me goosebumps.
LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Speechless... beautifully done friend 🕊
Just stumbled upon this. I may have to listen to this a few hundred more times, at least.
Another great ancient classic from Peter. I look forward to these videos and appreciate your dedication. Love this one, and looking forward to the next one. Keep it up, man!
I will surely listen to this many times as I do with all your historical reproductions. I have been fascinated by this mysterious culture. While there is much we know, there's plenty we don't. In the description the sound reverberations you spoke about. I think they had a purpose. We know sound waves have certain emotional and even physiological effects. It's about a revered goddess. As it echoed through the temple, halls or even streets; it would produce a vibrational sensation for the audience. As for the me' that they couldn't figure out, she was one of the deities that could end a life, Destiny. A powerful energy indeed. Thanks for feeding my obsession
I've found mr Pringle thanks to That One Song used in Bronze Age shitpost memes, and I had no idea how beautiful it would turn out to be. And then I found out there were many more songs in Sumerian that are no less fantastic!
Thank you and Much Love from the Philippines.
Thank you Peter 😘 much love from Fiji for your work!
thanks for retelling us those old stories
I recognize this tune, I've heard it in another life.
please do the full version!
Maravillosa su interpretación y sentir😍amor a mi señora innana ⭐❤️⭐
I'm listening and singing even though I don't know the exact words in Sumerian. being driven by this feelings ❤
Your work is amazing, thank you. Hail the bard, hail the master musician!
this sent such shivers down my spine. I wish I could see this live.
Thank you! I’m speechless❤️
Inmersive, glorious, beautifull window to the spirit's fire of a lost time that refuses to the oblivion
This amazing person is Earth's intangible cultural treasure!🙏🙇♂️Hey UNESCO please take notice!
I don't know if this is exactly how it would have sounded, or if we even know for sure, but man, if it did, it's amazing, and as always Peter did an awsome job! I always come back and rewatch his stuff, many times.
Superb - keep up the great work.
I have long played and built sitar and tambura, and i made a light small drone with 4 strings that also "roars like a bull" - and has odd whistling overtones {most of which went away as the bridge wore in}
Our Goddess Queen hears this and us most pleased, it has been 5000+ years after all
We thank you, thankyouverymuch.
These are always a magnificent piece of art. Peter Pringle is truly a master of the arts, bringing the ancients back to life before our eyes.
Peter, love your music. can you maybe put your music on spotify? I would love to listen there. thanks, much love.
Good to see you again!
Beautiful Peter .I have been listening your music since 3 years .
I love this Lyre!
It's always exciting when there is a new song to listen to, this is stunning. Thank you!
fascinating window into an ancient language and sound
The uploads dont come every day but every time they do its christmas day with high quality ancient music :D
Much love
Wonderfull History 💥Wounderfull Music 💥Thank You Peter 💥