Mesopotamian mythology recounts the creation of Eridu at the beginning of the world. Excavations here show that it was indeed one of Sumer's earliest settlements, going back to early Ubaid times.
Pottery from its first period of occupation links the settlement to nearby sites like Uruk, while its later levels have the widespread Ubaid ware.
In the late Ubaid period, a tripartite (three-part) temple on a platform follows the Sumerian standard design; this overlies a long sequence of temple structures, back to a simple room with an offering table belonging to the earliest period.
The patron god of Eridu was Enki, god of the Earth and Waters, patron of science, learning and the arts. Benevolent and wise, Enki created humanity to serve the gods, and ensured that some people survived the Deluge.
Excavations at Eridu have also uncovered the fine brick-lined graves of the city's inhabitants in which they were laid with their pottery and sometimes clay figurines or offerings of food such as fish.
