Part 3 of the Gilgamesh epic—The Bull of Heaven

 
     
 

Ishtar, the goddess of Uruk, invites Gilgamesh, the city’s king, to marry her. He rejects her proposal. Ishtar feels insulted and angry. She brings the Bull of Heaven down from the sky to Uruk. Gilgamesh and Enkidu slaughter the Bull of Heaven. They offer its heart to the sun god Shamash. They throw its back leg at Ishtar on top of Uruk’s city wall. They party all night until everyone falls asleep.

 

Read a written retelling of Part 3—The Bull of Heaven.

View a storytelling performance of Part 3—The Bull of Heaven.

View a reading of Part 3—The Bull of Heaven, from the book which was a project learning resource (12m 17s).