Culture: Despite the obvious resemblance between this genealogy and those of the Bible (i.e., Gen 5:3–32, 11:10–27), the difference is significant. The Bible gives genealogies (the “begats”) in order of descendance, from oldest to newest (father to son). Ether’s genealogy reverses this model and goes from son to father. The reason for the difference lies in the purpose of each text. The Bible tells the story “from the beginning.” In Ether, the essential person is Ether himself. The genealogy establishes his connection to the past. Interestingly, it more closely resembles the typical Mesoamerican model, which similarly focuses on the current individual and traces his ancestry back into the past.