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149 In spite of the rivalry and suspicions between the two divine dynasties, there is little doubt that the actual work of con- structing the Spaceport and the control and guidance facilities fell into the hands of Enki and his descendants. Ninurta proved himself capable of damming and irrigation works; Utu/Sha- himself capable of damming and irrigation works; Utu/Sha- mash knew how to command and operate the landing and _ take- off facilities; but only Enki, the master engineer and scientist who had been through all this before, had the required know- how and experience for planning the massive construction how and how and experience for planning the massive construction works and supervising their execution. There is not even a hint in Sumerian texts that describe the for massive planned or engaged in space-related construction works. When Ninurta, in later times, called upon a Sumerian king to build him a ziggurat with a special enclosure for his Divine Bird, it was another god, accompanying Ninurta. who gave the king the architectural plans and building instructions. On the other hand, several texts re- ported that Enki had passed to his son Marduk the scientific knowl- edge he had possessed. The texts report a conversation between father and son. after Marduk had approached his father with a diffi- at "My son. what is it you do not know? What more could I give to you? Marduk, what is it that you do not know? What could I give you in addition? Whatever I know, you know!" Since the similarities between Ptah and Enki as the father, and Marduk and Ra as son, are so strong, we should not be surprised at all to find that Egyptian texts did connect Ra with space facilities and with related construction works. In this he was assisted by Shu and Tefnut, Geb and Nut, and Thoth, the god of magical things. The Sphinx, the "divine guide" that showed the way eastward ex- actly along the 30th parallel, bore the features of Hor-Akhti ("Fal- con of the Horizon")—the epithet for Ra. A stela erected near the Sphinx in Pharaonic times bore an inscription that directly named Ra as the engineer ("Extender of the Cord") who built the "Pro- tected Place" in the "Sacred Desert." from which he could "as- When Earth Was Divided construction achievements of Ninurta and Utu that either one of them had cult question: Enki answered his son Marduk: cend beautifully" and "traverse the skies":