Have archaeological excavations in ancient cities such as Eridu and Uruk uncovered any evidence supporting 'alien rulers' or extraordinary longevity?

Hello! This is a fantastic question and a topic that particularly interests many ancient civilization and mystery enthusiasts. Let's talk in plain language about what archaeologists have actually dug up in these places.

The straightforward answer is: Nothing.

So far, in all archaeological excavations of ancient Sumerian cities like Eridu, Uruk, and Ur, no physical evidence has been found that is scientifically accepted as direct proof of "alien rulers" or "humans possessing extraordinary lifespans."

I know you might be thinking, "What about all that 'evidence' mentioned online?" Hang on, let's break it down piece by piece and see how those popular claims differ from what archaeologists have actually discovered.

What Have Archaeologists Actually Found?

In the ruins of these cities thousands of years old, what archaeologists have unearthed is actually very "down-to-earth," yet equally astonishing:

• Massive city ruins and temples (pyramid-shaped "ziggurats"): Demonstrating the Sumerians' high level of organizational ability and architectural technology.
• Tens of thousands of clay tablets: This is the real treasure! They are inscribed with cuneiform script recording their laws, economic contracts, literary epics (like the famous Epic of Gilgamesh), and mathematical and astronomical knowledge.
• Royal tombs and commoner burials: For example, the "Royal Tombs of Ur" yielded vast amounts of gold and silver jewelry, musical instruments, and exquisite crafts. Crucially, human remains found in all burials, scientifically examined, show skeletal structures and life expectancies no different from modern humans. No "superhumans" living for hundreds or thousands of years were found.
• Everyday items and tools: Pottery, farming tools, weapons, cylinder seals, etc. These all showcase a highly developed, yet entirely human, Bronze Age civilization.

A typical Sumerian cylinder seal and its impression, depicting gods, humans, animals, and symbols. These were used as signatures or seals.

So Where Do the "Alien" and "Long-Lived King" Claims Come From?

These fascinating claims primarily stem from specific interpretations of Sumerian texts and artwork, not from physical evidence.

1. The Sumerian King List

This is the main source of "evidence." This list records successive Sumerian kings, but its most peculiar feature is dividing the kings into those "before the flood" and those "after the flood."

• Kings before the flood: The list states that each ruled for tens of thousands of years, e.g., one king reigned for 28,800 years, another for 36,000 years. This clearly defies biological common sense.
• Kings after the flood: Lifespans drastically shortened, though early ones were still in the hundreds of years, gradually becoming normal later.

The view of mainstream archaeology and historians is:

This is not a factual historical record but rather a blend of political propaganda and mythology. Those astronomical reign lengths are a form of literary exaggeration used to deify ancient kings, signifying that their rule was divinely ordained and possessed god-like glory. This is similar to ancient Chinese emperors calling themselves the "Son of Heaven" and proclaiming "Long live the Emperor" – it's symbolic; no one actually believed they lived ten thousand years.

2. The Anunnaki

In Sumerian mythology, the "Anunnaki" certainly existed, but they were gods, a group of major deities in the Sumerian pantheon, similar to the Olympian gods in Greek mythology. They governed heaven, earth, wind, rain, fate, etc.

The interpretation of the "Anunnaki" as "aliens from the planet Nibiru" comes mainly from the books of author Zecharia Sitchin. He proposed a comprehensive theory suggesting the Anunnaki were aliens who came to Earth to mine gold and created humans as laborers.

However, please note:

Sitchin's theory is based on his personal translations and interpretations of Sumerian cuneiform texts. Experts worldwide specializing in the Sumerian language do not recognize his translations as valid. In mainstream academia, his interpretations are seen as mixing significant imagination and misreading, forcibly turning mythological stories into science-fiction history.

3. "Astronauts" in Artwork?

Some people point to certain Sumerian statues or reliefs and say:

• "Look, this god is wearing a 'helmet' and 'goggles'!"
• "That pattern looks like a 'rocket'!"

The view of mainstream archaeologists is:

These are retrospective interpretations based on a modern perspective.

• The so-called "helmet" is actually the horned crown, the symbol of a deity in Sumerian art. The higher the god's status, the more horns on the crown.
• The so-called "rocket" or "spaceship" is usually interpreted as a stylized, symbolic depiction of a temple, altar, or celestial body (like the sun disk or stars).

To Summarize

So, while the story of "aliens creating Sumerian civilization" is incredibly cool and captivating, in the field of archaeology, which insists on "what you dig up is what counts," we have yet to find a single clay tablet, skeleton, or tool that supports this hypothesis.

What we can be certain of is that the Sumerians were an extraordinarily intelligent and creative ancient people of Earth. Through their own ingenuity, they created humanity's earliest glorious civilization in the land between the rivers. That in itself is truly awe-inspiring!