"They kissed Her feet, saying
'The Creatress of mankind we call Thee;
The Mistress of all the Gods, be Thy Name!'
They went to the House of Fate,
Ninigiku-Ea and the wise Mama.
Fourteen mother-wombs were assembled
to tread upon the clay before Her.
Ea says, as he recites the incantation.
Sitting before Her,
Mama recited the incantation;
When She completed Her incantation,
She drew upon Her clay.
Fourteen pieces She pinched off;
Seven pieces She placed on the right,
seven pieces She placed on the left,
between them She placed a brick.
Ea was kneeling on the matting;
He opened its navel;
He called the wise wives.
Of the seven and seven mother-wombs.
Seven brought forth males,
seven brought forth females.
The Mother-Womb, the Creatress of Destiny,
In pairs She completed them,
In pairs She completed before Her,
The forms of the people Mami forms.
In the house of the bearing woman in childbirth,
Seven days shall the brick lie,
from the house of Mah, the wise Mami.
As the Bearing One gives birth,
May the mother of the child bring forth by herself."
Ancient Babylonian text from "The Great Mother" by Erich Neumann, trans. R. Manheim.
Photo of female figure, Khafajah, Nintu Temple VII, Early Dynastic period, 2600-2500 B.C. Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago.
In Her Name ~ Temple of Learning
