The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest known literary work in the world, originating approximately 4500 years ago as a handful of Sumerian tales featuring the exploits of Bilgames and his servant Enkidu.  These were eventually compiled into one episodic narrative by the later Babylonians as the epic many know today.

     I fell in love with the damn thing about ten years ago, and five years ago began the first halting steps toward creating my own rendition of the story for young readers, complete with my own illustrations.  What follows is a detailed glimpse of my work in progress.  Included with my watercolor plates, black and white illustrations, and sketchbook samples will also be my outlines for my version of the book along with notes on how I’ve changed the story to fit my intended audience. 

Our project’s mascot: my dog Gilgamesh.  Just like his namesake, he’s a big bully.

     Also, for those looking to dig deeper into the context of this amazing story, I’ll be including the Akkadian version of the epic, translated from the cuneiform (wedge-writing) clay tablets.  This is the most complete version scholars have.  Some parts of the epic to this day are still extant, as most tablets found are badly broken, with fragments that may be lost forever. 

Frontispiece--watercolor rough/study.

2004