3. Special Cases
a. The “Cagara” Stone
The first special
case is that of the “Cagara Stone.” Though it occurs later in the
text than that of the second special case, it is treated first here
because it would seem to be of lesser importance than that of the
“Elel Stone” which preceded it. The “Cagara Stone” is accused of
smashing its head “against anyone traveling in the desert.” Like
the other stones, it was located “in the Mountains” where, when
Ninurta was otherwise occupied, it had “tried to trample on me.”
Ninurta’s decision concerning its “destiny” is somewhat peculiar,
for he “discards it on the dais” of Ninhursag’s “resting
place.”
What does one make of
this? Clearly it departs from the pattern associated with the other
stones that had been used against Ninurta, yet, it is preserved,
although apparently hidden. This may be because it simply could not
be destroyed without great difficulty. This possibility brings us
to the second special case.
b. The “Elel” Stone
An even more special
case is represented by the “Elel stone”. Let us recall Ninurta’s
opening words: “Elel, intelligently you caused terror of me to
descend on the Mountains where discord had broken out. In the rebel
lands you proclaimed my name among my people who had banded
together.” Thus far, the Elel Stone sounds like many others that
were not used against Ninurta, and hence, its eventual preservation
would seem to be motivated by that fact. But not so, if one reads
carefully what later follows: “Nothing of your wholeness shall be
diminished (?). It shall be difficult to reduce your mass to small
pieces....You shall be greatly suited to the clash of weapons, when
I have heroes to slay. You shall be set up on a pedestal in my
great courtyard.” In other words, the “Elel Stone,” whatever it
was, was difficult if not impossible to destroy, and its
application as a weapon was clear and obvious to Ninurta. Hence,
rather than letting it remain in its “Mountain,” pyramidal home,
Ninurta removes it. It is safe to say that it was essential to the
“Mountain’s” functioning as a weapon. Given what has been
speculated and argued previously, that some scalar weaponry was
involved in the destruction of the missing planet(s), the “Elel
Stone” would appear to be a crucial component of this technology.
Hence — and this is quite the crucial point — the “Elel Stone” was
lost to history, secreted somewhere, and may,
like the “Cagara Stone” therefore still exist. If the
Sumerian origins of the text are any clue, then it may still exist
in Iraq, buried beneath the shifting sands of the ages.436