Dilmun

Sacred eastern land in Sumerian mythology and Bronze Age maritime trade network (centered on Bahrain and the Persian Gulf coast), celebrated as a pure, primordial sanctuary associated with Enki and Ninhursag.

Core Themes

• Primordial paradise free of sickness and predation before being blessed with fresh water from the Abzu.
• Setting of the Sumerian creation myth Enki and Ninhursag and home assigned to the flood survivor in the Sumerian Flood story.

Related Concepts & Sources

Enki (lord of the Abzu), Ninhursag (mother goddess), Enki and Ninhursag (mythic narrative), Sumer (Mesopotamian heartland)