Mythic Old Babylonian, with Middle and Neo-Assyrian recensions

Etana, childless king of Kish, is carried into the sky on an eagle’s back to find the plant of birth. The Sumerian King List independently describes him as “the shepherd, who ascended to heaven”.

A named ruler recorded as taken up, in writing centuries before Enoch or Elijah. The ending is lost in every surviving copy - we do not know whether he reached heaven.

Standing: Frames its subject as divine or primordial rather than annalistic.