ADAPA. — In Assyro-Babylonian mythology A. is the son of the god EA and is "the seed of humanity," i.e., the first man. From his father he obtained wisdom, but not immortality. A minor deity, he served as priest in the sanctuary of EA at Eridu. He prepared for the table of the god bread, drink, game and fish. One day while he was fishing in the sea, the south wind arose, capsized his boat and the hero fell into the water. To avenge himself, he broke the wings of the wind. ANU, the supreme god, became aware of the misdeed and summoned A. to appear before his tribunal. The advice of his father EA prompted the guardians of heaven, TAMMUZ and NINGIZIDA, to defend A. before the tribunal of ANU, who not only pardoned A. but wished to shower him with benefits and grant him immortality. This was conditional upon his eating and drinking what was set before him. A., however, having been previously advised by his father EA, did not eat or drink, and thus lost the gift of immortality.
The fragments containing this legend were found in large part in Egypt, where this text served Egyptian students as a Babylonian reader in 1400-1300 B.C. A small part comes from the library of ASSURBANIPAL. The etymological comparison of A. with the ADAM of the Bible is not acceptable.