Cuneiform Signs and Magic
Aug 29, 2013 12:30:43 GMT -5
Post by us4-he2-gal2 on Aug 29, 2013 12:30:43 GMT -5
Thread Orientation: Here we examine the signs used to write words meaning magic, or having some importance in incantation texts.
This first post is not meant to exhaustively list all signs which are relevant or special to the expression of magic or magical acts in Mesopotamia.. this would undoubtedly be quite a lengthy study.. However I was hoping to start by pointing out a few interesting signs which may themselves prove instructive in interpreting some aspects of magic in Mesopotamia.
The signs I'm interested in at the moment belong to the ka group of cuneiform signs, signs which consist of the sign ka with a smaller sign embedded inside (Labat numbers 25-35). This combination of sign is expressed using the x (multiplication) sign, for example "ka x šu." So let's take the ka x šu sign, which doesn't relate to magic, as an example. In the sign ka x šu, the šu sign is embedded in the ka sign which looks like this:
The ka x šu sign
For those who may not be sure about how the component sign may looks, here is the ka and then the šu sign in isolation:
So interestingly, the sign ka pertains to anything involving the head or mouth - if one looks at the archaic version of the ka sign, it's basically a crude drawing of a head. In similar manner, the šu sign means "hand" and looked like a hand in its earliest forms. Together then, the ka x šu sign implies lifting the hand to the mouth, which had special significance in ancient Mesopotamia, as this was the posture adopted during prayer, when approaching the gods. Indeed the ka x šu sign means karābum in Akkadian, "prayer." This authority on this matter is probably now Christopher Frechette in his 2012 work Mesopotamian Ritual-prayers of "Hand-lifting" (Akkadian Šuillas).. (AOAT 379)
Cuneiform Signs and Magic
This first post is not meant to exhaustively list all signs which are relevant or special to the expression of magic or magical acts in Mesopotamia.. this would undoubtedly be quite a lengthy study.. However I was hoping to start by pointing out a few interesting signs which may themselves prove instructive in interpreting some aspects of magic in Mesopotamia.
The signs I'm interested in at the moment belong to the ka group of cuneiform signs, signs which consist of the sign ka with a smaller sign embedded inside (Labat numbers 25-35). This combination of sign is expressed using the x (multiplication) sign, for example "ka x šu." So let's take the ka x šu sign, which doesn't relate to magic, as an example. In the sign ka x šu, the šu sign is embedded in the ka sign which looks like this:
The ka x šu sign
For those who may not be sure about how the component sign may looks, here is the ka and then the šu sign in isolation:
So interestingly, the sign ka pertains to anything involving the head or mouth - if one looks at the archaic version of the ka sign, it's basically a crude drawing of a head. In similar manner, the šu sign means "hand" and looked like a hand in its earliest forms. Together then, the ka x šu sign implies lifting the hand to the mouth, which had special significance in ancient Mesopotamia, as this was the posture adopted during prayer, when approaching the gods. Indeed the ka x šu sign means karābum in Akkadian, "prayer." This authority on this matter is probably now Christopher Frechette in his 2012 work Mesopotamian Ritual-prayers of "Hand-lifting" (Akkadian Šuillas).. (AOAT 379)