King Alulim, known today as Adam, founded a dynasty of the first civilisation living in what is now called Iraq. It lasted throughout the fourth millennium BC and into the third. Seventh king in line from this royal family, seventh generation descendant of Alulim, was Enmenduranki, known in our day as Enoch. Alulim, most ancient records tell us, ruled from the great city of Eridu which became one of the longest lasting cities of the time and is known well to modern day archaeologists for the long period it shows of successive habitation and glorious temple buildings. Seventh successor of Alulim, Enmenduranki (also called in ancient records Enmendurana), ruled from Sippur but his family lived for generations after him in a city of Shurappak known today because of its ancient writings and libraries of books, a few even dating from those times and one including writings of the last members of this dynastic family. These last members must have written and preserved the Book of Enoch writings we have today. Shortly after the last great worldwide king of this dynasty died, Ubara-Tutu, who we know as the long-lived Methuselah, the records say a flood swept over the land. So a new dynasty had to rule as only one family survived, that of Ubara-Tutu’s grandson Ziusudra who we call Noah. The ancient records tell us that although Ubara-Tutu was last overall king in that first dynasty of civilistation, Ziusudra did rule as a more local king before that Flood. The last capital city before the Flood, family home of the last members of the dynasty, was Shurappak, whose ruins are known today as Tell Fara. It became a city of learning and writing after the Flood and many books have been found and translated from its post-Flood times and from neighbouring cities, including records mentioned here, and so archaeologists and historians call that period of learning and writing the Fara Period after this city. Enmenduranki’s city Sippur too is known for a heritage left behind as a centre of learning and writing whose later books from its revival after the Flood have been some of them translated in our times. So it is feasible that from those times comes to us today the glorious Book of Enoch. Thanks be to God.
