The theories of Zekaria Sitchin: Sumerians, Anunnaki and the origin of mankind

Zekaria Sitchin, an author and researcher known for his alternative interpretations of ancient texts. According to him, the ancient Sumerians had knowledge far beyond their time because they were in direct contact with advanced extraterrestrial beings known as Anunnaki. These beings, said to come from a distant planet called Nibiru, played a key role in the development of human civilization, and their influence can be seen in the Sumerians' detailed accounts of the gods, astrology, and advanced knowledge of the cosmos.

Read also: The Sumerians' relationship with extraterrestrials - Part 1

Anunnaki: Alien beings from Nibiru

In traditional Sumerian mythology, the Anunnaki are revered as powerful deities who control the destinies of both humans and nature. However, Sitchin suggested that the Anunnaki were not gods in the mystical sense, but rather an advanced race of extraterrestrial beings who came to Earth from the planet Nibiru. Nibiru, according to Sutchin, exists in our solar system but follows an elliptical orbit that brings it closer to Earth every 3,600 years.

Sutchin interprets Sumerian texts, particularly creation myths such as the Enuma Elish and the Atrahasis Epic, as historical records detailing the arrival of the Anunnaki on Earth. He believes that the Anunnaki first came to Earth some 450,000 years ago in search of gold, which they needed for technological purposes - possibly to repair or stabilize the atmosphere of their own planet. Nibiru's atmosphere is said to be deteriorating and the Anunnaki need gold particles to create a protective shield. Since mining this gold is labor intensive, they eventually found a solution.

The genetic creation of humanity

One of Sitchin's most controversial claims is that the Anunnaki are responsible for creating modern humans through genetic manipulation. According to his reading of ancient Sumerian texts, the Anunnaki decided to create a new race to serve them, particularly as workers for their gold mining operations.

He interprets the Sumerian account of man's creation in a radically different way. He believes that the Anunnaki combined their own DNA with that of Homo erectus (the hominids that existed on Earth at the time) to produce Homo sapiens. This genetic manipulation, carried out by the chief Anunnaki scientist Enki and his half-sister Ninhursag, resulted in the creation of intelligent, capable human beings. Sumerian texts describe these beings as "Lulu" or "the mixed ones," which Sitchin interprets as direct evidence of this genetic engineering experiment.

His theory further explains the rapid advance of Homo sapiens compared to other hominid species. According to him, the Anunnaki played the role of both creators and rulers, as the newly created humans were then employed as labor in the Anunnaki mining operations. The ancient Sumerians therefore preserved this origin in their myths, viewing the Anunnaki not only as distant gods but as their literal creators, deeply involved in shaping human civilization.

The Sumerians' advanced knowledge of astronomy

One of the most remarkable aspects of Sumerian civilization was their deep understanding of astronomy. The Sumerians had knowledge of planets that had not been formally discovered by modern science until the invention of telescopes. For example, they knew of Uranus, Neptune, and even Pluto, which was not discovered until the 1930s. Ancient Sumerian cylindrical seals depict a solar system with the Sun at the center surrounded by twelve heavenly bodies - the Sun, the Moon, and ten planets, which the author claims include Nibiru.

This advanced astronomical knowledge is one of the key points that Sitchin uses to support his theory that the Anunnaki provided the Sumerians with information far beyond what would have been possible for an early civilization. Sitchin believes that the Sumerians' accurate records of the movements of the heavenly bodies and their complex astrological system are evidence of their direct contact with the Anunnaki, who themselves had crossed the solar system to reach Earth.

According to the author, the Sumerians' depictions of the heavens are not merely speculative mythology, but rather scientific knowledge passed down from the Anunnaki, who had a detailed understanding of the cosmos. The travels of the Anunnaki to and from Nibiru, which supposedly orbited far beyond Pluto, are described in Sumerian texts, leading Sitchin to conclude that they had advanced technology for space flight. the Sumerians' understanding of planetary orbits, their division of the heavens into the zodiac, and their belief in celestial events as influences on earthly life all point to a sophisticated awareness of the cosmos.

The influence of the Anunnaki on Sumerian culture and religion

The relationship between the Sumerians and the Anunnaki extends far beyond science and technology - it also shaped Sumerian culture, religion and governance. The Sumerians believed that their entire civilization was a gift from the gods, and Sutchin suggested that this belief stemmed from the actual presence of the Anunnaki in their lives. In Sumerian myth, the kingdom was said to have been "brought down from heaven," which Sutchin interpreted as the literal establishment of rulers by the Anunnaki who acted as divine overseers.

Each city-state in Sumer, such as Uruk, Eridu, and Lagash, had a patron deity, usually one of the Anunnaki, and the rulers of these cities were seen as intermediaries between the gods and the people. Temples or *ziggurats* were considered physical places where the Anunnaki could descend from the heavens and communicate with humanity. These gods were not abstract, unattainable deities, but real beings who had physical interactions with the Sumerians, according to Sutchin.

Read also: Cities in ancient Sumer

In addition to their role in governance, the Anunnaki were also responsible for educating the Sumerians about agriculture, architecture, mathematics, and law. Sitchin argues that many of the achievements that made the Sumerians one of the first highly organized societies were due to the direct influence of the Anunnaki. The Sumerians themselves credit their gods with teaching them how to write, build irrigation systems, and create legal codes, such as the famous Code of Ur-Namu.

Read also: Introduction to Sumerian civilization

The Anunnaki Heritage

Sitchin believes that the influence of the Anunnaki did not end with the decline of Sumer. As Sumerian civilization faded, knowledge and myths about the Anunnaki were passed on to subsequent Mesopotamian cultures, including the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Akkadians. These cultures continued to worship versions of the Anunnaki under different names and integrated their stories into their own cosmologies.

Sutchin also suggests that many ancient religious texts, including parts of the Hebrew Bible, were influenced by these Sumerian stories. For example, he pointed out the similarities between the biblical account of the Great Flood and the Sumerian "Epic of Gilgamesh", which also describes a great flood sent by the gods to destroy mankind. In both versions man is forewarned by a god (Enki in the Sumerian version, Yahweh in the Biblical) and a massive boat is built to save what remains of life. Sutchin sees these parallels as further evidence of the Anunnaki influence on later religious beliefs.

Read also: Symbolism in the Epic of Gilgamesh

Conclusion: the relationship of the Sumerians to their cosmic origins

According to Zekaria Sitchin's interpretation, the Sumerian gods, the Anunnaki, were not figments of the imagination or symbolic deities, but actual extraterrestrial beings who shaped the course of human history. Their influence on early human civilization-through genetic engineering, knowledge transmission, and the establishment of social structures-is preserved in Sumerian mythology. The Sumerians saw themselves as connected to the cosmos, and the Anunnaki acted as their creators and overseers. Their advanced knowledge of astronomy and their reverence for celestial bodies reflect this deep belief in their extraterrestrial origins.

Although the author's theories have been widely criticized by scientists and scholars, they continue to fascinate many who are drawn to the idea that humanity's past may be far more complex and mysterious than we traditionally believe. According to this view, the Sumerians were not only the first great civilization on Earth, but also the first to document their relationship with beings beyond our world, leaving behind clues to humanity's cosmic origins.