Long before Egypt raised its first pyramid, the Sumerians carved their history, astronomy, and theology onto clay tablets. These tablets, more than half a million discovered so far, form the earliest written record of human civilization. And at the heart of their stories stand the Anunnaki, a group of powerful beings described as “those who came from the heavens.”
Who Were the Anunnaki According to the Tablets?
The cuneiform texts describe the Anunnaki as:
- a council of advanced beings associated with the heavens
- possessors of knowledge in agriculture, astronomy, metallurgy, and law
- teachers and civilizers who established the foundations of human society
- figures who interacted directly with early humans
The Linguistic Puzzle
The Sumerian language:
- is a language isolate
- appears suddenly, fully formed
- contains advanced astronomical and mathematical terminology
This abrupt emergence has fueled speculation that the Sumerians inherited knowledge rather than developed it gradually.
Where Scholars and Alternative Researchers Diverge
Mainstream historians interpret the Anunnaki as symbolic deities.
Alternative researchers, including Zecharia Sitchin, argue the tablets describe real beings remembered as gods.
The Puzzle of Long‑Lived Kings
The Sumerian King List records pre‑flood rulers who lived for tens of thousands of years. After the flood, lifespans drop sharply.
The Hebrew Bible mirrors this pattern:
- Methuselah: 969 years
- Jared: 962 years
- Noah: 950 years
To Sitchin and others, this isn’t coincidence, it’s a shared memory of beings who were not fully human.