Who wrote the instructions of Shuruppak?

The Instructions of Shuruppak is an ancient Sumerian text that contains wise advice and instructions on how to live a good and fulfilling life. The text is believed to have been written by a wise man named Shuruppak, who lived in ancient Mesopotamia during the third millennium BCE. However, the true authorship of the text is a matter of debate among scholars. In this blog post, we will explore the possible authors of the Instructions of Shuruppak and the evidence supporting their claims.

The Instructions of Shuruppak is a collection of proverbs and aphorisms that offer guidance on various aspects of life, such as how to treat family members, how to behave in society, and how to cultivate virtue and wisdom. The text is written in the Sumerian language, which was the language of ancient Mesopotamia, and has been preserved on cuneiform tablets.

One of the most prominent candidates for the authorship of the Instructions of Shuruppak is Shuruppak himself. According to the Sumerian King List, Shuruppak was a legendary king who ruled over the city of Shuruppak and was renowned for his wisdom. Some scholars believe that Shuruppak may have written the text himself, drawing on his own experiences and insights to offer guidance to his people.

However, there are also other possible authors of the Instructions of Shuruppak. For example, some scholars have suggested that the text may have been written by a group of sages or wise men who lived in ancient Mesopotamia. This theory is based on the fact that the text contains a variety of different perspectives and voices, suggesting that it may have been composed by multiple authors.

Another possible author of the text is the god Enki, who was revered as the god of wisdom and knowledge in ancient Mesopotamia. According to some interpretations of the text, Enki is portrayed as the ultimate source of wisdom and the one who inspired the Instructions of Shuruppak. This theory is supported by the fact that Enki was a central figure in Mesopotamian mythology and was often associated with wisdom and knowledge.