Long before modern religions took shape, ancient Mesopotamian texts told stories of powerful beings who shaped humanity’s destiny.

In this episode of Did You Know?, we explore the fascinating Sumerian accounts of Enki and Enlil, two rival gods whose opposing visions for humanity helped shape some of the earliest creation myths ever recorded, alongside one of the most important figures in Sumerian mythology, Ninhursag, the great mother goddess associated with creation, fertility, and the birth of humankind.

Drawing from some of the world’s first written texts, we uncover how these ancient stories influenced later religious traditions and continue to spark debate among historians and scholars today.