The most ancient book in the world is the "Epic of Gilgamesh, written on clay tablets for two and a half thousand years BC.

According to research by historians and archaeologists, Gilgamesh was the third king of the First dynasty of the ancient city of Uruk in the end of XVII - beginning of the XVII centuries B.C. Later in the tradition he, as a mythological hero, acquired divine relatives and became known as the descendant of the sun God UTU and the goddess Ninsun. According to legend, Gilgamesh was distinguished by courage, great physical strength, the terror of enemies, was willful and independent. From the second Millennium BC Gilgamesh was considered by the judge in the afterlife, the defender of people from demons, that is, over time, the image of an ancient ruler became more mythological. In Sumero-Akkadian mythology Gilgamesh epic hero who descended into the realm of the dead in search of immortality, Ochiauri land from monsters (for example, he killed heavenly bull, sent Uruk Queen of heaven by Nanna). Some researchers even believe that the life stages of this hero (according to the Akkadian epic) are symbols of the zodiac signs.

The place where in ancient times the city of the legendary king, is located 300 km South from the capital of Iraq Bagdad and 150 km North of Basra and was discovered by using preserved in the epic description. The city of Uruk in ancient times, perhaps, was one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and, at least, that it comprises the earliest evidence of the presence of written language, the domestication of horses, gardening and reasonable sewage system. It was a prosperous city, which has extensive trade ties with the Mediterranean cities and the coast of the Indian Bay, that gave name to the modern state of Iraq.

However, no one knows exactly whether there was in fact the ruler of Gilgamesh. Maybe light on this issue will shed recently made by German archaeologists opening.

German scientists believe they have found the grave of Gilgamesh: the description in the book is largely coincides with what they have found in the old bed of the Euphrates. However, do not hurry with conclusions, the experts stress that the possibility of such unique find is still only theoretical.

Joerg Fassbinder of the Bavarian branch of the study of historical monuments (Munich, southern Germany) said that the tests conducted by scientists at the location of the ancient city of Uruk using the magnetometer, showed there some kind of artificial, man-made structure. Fassbinder'm sure it must be the ancient tomb. Finding was made in the old bed of the river Euphrates.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu, killing heavenly bull. The seal. Assyria. VII century BC

In the "Epic" says that Gilgamesh was buried at the bottom of the river, when the water receded after his death. The current discovery German archaeologists is the only place in the old bed of the Euphrates, reminiscent of an artificial structure. However, the exact data the scientists yet. Joerg Fassbinder says that finding can only be hypothetically be identified as the tomb of Gilgamesh.

Now, in connection with military actions and their consequences on the territory of Iraq, the scientists were forced to stop their work, but at the first opportunity archaeologists'm going back to ancient Uruk. Unfortunately, waiting, apparently, have for a long time.