Myths in The Epic of Gilgamesh: Interpretations of the Images on the Qushu Carpets No. 1–2 (Part I)

This chapter analyzes two woolen carpets (Nos. 1–2) discovered at Shanpula, Xinjiang (fifth–seventh c. CE), which unequivocally depict narratives from the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh. Crucially, the analysis rejects prior interpretations that linked the imagery to the Hindu Krishna. Instead, by identifying the wave-scroll borders as clear Greco-Roman stylistic evidence, the research establishes a complex synthesis. Through layered visual analysis, the carpets are demonstrated to merge two distinct ancient tales—“Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld” and the Sumerian “Huluppu-Tree”—into a single, continuous narrative focusing on Enkidu’s descent to retrieve the pukku (wooden ball) and Gilgamesh’s subsequent search for the Tree of Life. Furthermore, the accompanying appendix traces the Khotanese term mukä-paṃka (the nickname “Mupo”) directly to the Akkadian terms pukku/mekkû, thereby revealing profound Mesopotamian linguistic and mythological influence within Central Asian Buddhism.