MS/150/40/007 [Video file]

Citation: Linder, Nadia. "The Legacy of The Golden Bough in the Interpretation of Early Sumerian Myth: The Case of Ninsumun and Lugalbanda." Paper presented at the Shaking the Tree, Breaking the Bough: Frazer's Golden Bough at 100, Melbourne, Australia, February 11, 2023. In New Age Movements, Occultism, and Spiritualism Research Library. Archives and Special Collections. Valdosta State University. Valdosta, GA. https://hdl.handle.net/10428/7058

• Author: Linder, Nadia
• Summary: Many tenets first formulated by Sir James Frazer in his magnum opus The Golden Bough still survive to this day in discussions of ancient Mesopotamian cult, myth, and religion. As a case study for the still pernicious influence of Frazer's work I will use the early Sumerian mythological fragment ‘Ninsumun and Lugalbanda' (dating to ca. 2,600 BCE). After a short introduction to the text I will highlight how concepts formulated in The Golden Bough have influenced earlier scholars, particularly their interpretation of the role of the goddess Ninsumun and what they thought the text meant. Using concepts formulated by Frazer and methodologically using the normative comparisons for which Frazer's The Golden Bough is justly (in)famous they arrived at interpretations that were coloured by what they already wanted the text to say, rather than engaging with it with fewer preconceived notions.
• Description for Branding Sheet: Permission to post this digital asset provided by Nadia Nyar Linder to the Valdosta State University Archives & Special Collections to be part of the New Age Movements, Occultism, and Spiritualism Research Library.
• Subjects: Lugalbanda (Legendary character); Ninsun (Sumerian deity); Mythology, Sumerian; Frazer, James George, 1854-1941. Golden bough. Abridged; Video recordings
• Genre: Conference papers and proceedings; Literary criticism;
• Additional Authors: Shaking the Tree, Breaking the Bough: Frazer's Golden Bough at 100 (Conference); Tully, Caroline Jane; Budin, Stephanie Lynn; University of Melbourne;
• YouTubeURL: https://youtu.be/X28pioy_KuI
• UUID: 98A37DE6-10BF-1688-434A-CD28018F79B0
• File: `ms150-40-007_linder-nadia_sumerian-myth_2023-02-11.mp4` Bytes: 471134339 MD5: F535DBA41D5C702096D97EF1CD2623F7