Devils and Evil Spirits: CT16 + CT17

[madness]

I have hesitated in posting this query for a while, as I was still trying to find some sources.

In R. Campbell Thompson's Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia, he presents in 2 volumes a few Assyrian exorcism series. As his book is from 1903 the transliterations and translations are well out of date. So naturally I am attempting to compile a bibliography of sources that contain more recent editions of the series.

In volume 1 he presents the Utukki Limnuti "Evil Spirits" series (CT 16), also known as the Udug-hul series. Markham Geller's Forerunners to Udug-hul can account for this, however his version is not the bilingual Assyrian version as CT 16 is, Geller provides only an earlier Sumerian version of it.

Download CT 16, companion text for vol. 1:
library.case.edu/ksl/ecoll/books/bmc1600/bmc1600.html


In volume 2 he presents the Ašakki Marsuti "Fever Sickness" series, the Ti'i "Headache" series, and miscellaneous incantations (CT 17).

Download CT 17, companion text for vol. 2:
library.case.edu/ksl/ecoll/books/bmc1700/bmc1700.html


So far I have only found a recent version for one of the miscellaneous incantations, that is of the "Tablet of the Ban" [the sag.ba sag.ba spell] (CT 17 35) on pp. 118 – 125 of volume 2.

In Barbara Bock's "When you perform the ritual of rubbing" JNES 62 no. 1, pp. 6 and 8 (line 38), is a ritual tablet which happens to refer to the incantation. She then, on p. 10 n. 48, cites two sources that contain new editions of it (and unfortunately for me both are in German, perhaps one of you that can speak German can help me out here):
W. H. Ph. Römer, "Eine Beschwörung gegen den 'Bann'," in H. Behrens, D. Loding, and M. T. Roth, eds., DUMU-E2-DUB-BA: Studies in Honor of Åke W. Sjöberg.
www.eisenbrauns.com/wconnect/wc.dll?ebGate~EIS~~I~BEHDUMUE
And W. Schramm, Bann, Bann! Eine sumerisch-akkadische Beschwörungsserie.
www.eisenbrauns.com/wconnect/wc.dll?ebGate~EIS~~I~SCHBANNBA
wwwuser.gwdg.de/~altorien/GAAL.html#Anker60837

A copy of this incantation is here:
www.sacred-texts.com/bos/bos341.htm
Though it ends at "At dawn to a place of sunrise may they take it," the paragraph underneath this is not in the original.

[us4-he2-gal2]

Whew. This one was tough to approach for me, but I welcome the chance to gain some in-roads to later incantation sources. You have me walking a very winding path trying to comment tonight M ;] I dont think I could have answered this before tonight, as my access has increased since this first came up. So Im learning new things, here are some tentative observations.

As you pointed out above, and in a private conversation with myself, Barbara Boch does indeed mention the spell én sag.ba sag.ba in JNES 62, pg 8 & pg.10. (refer here for Akk. accents). The Mussu'u ritual tablet, the subject of Boch's examination, names én saĝ.ba saĝ.ba incantation by incipit, thus the incantation is an integrated part of the ritual:

line 38: én sag.ba sag.ba zisurra ^gesersa tessir (see JNES 62 for Akk. accents)
line 38: The incantation "Oath, oath" -- you draw a circle of flour [around the sickbed]

sag.ba sag.ba would seem to variously be given as Oath, Oath or Ban! Ban!

However friend, it seems I have a few complications to add, yet still nothing too significant to change. Well, based on indirect evidence Ive come to suspect the incantation mentioned on the above ritual tablet
1. is not the same as Thompson's incantation I dont believe
2. However both the 'Thompson' and 'Boch' incantation do seem to be included in the publications you mentioned anyway.

Here are the reasons I dont believe Boch's én sag.ba sag.ba is the same as the Thompson incantation:

a) Thompson's sag.ba sag.ba incantation must be included in the Utukki Limnuti series, Boch however place's the spell 'én sag.ba sag.ba' she refers to within the two tablet 'zì.sur.ra.meš' series. This series she says is what your book "GAAL 2 :Wolfgang Schramm" includes.

b) I have not been able to obtain publication refernce of museum number for Boch's ban spell. The cdli for the Thompson incantation tablet though is cdli: P237717 . Here we learn it is neo-Assyrian, from Ninevah. By downloading
sumer.nl/YourHosting3.pdf, part of the transliteration/translation is given. From here I note the first line in this bilingual incantation, in Sumerian, is en2 sag-ba sag-ba giš-hur-ra nu-bal-e (Ban! Ban! Barrier that non can pass.") This definitely does not match the first line of the of Boch's 'én sag.ba sag.ba' ban incantation (én sag.ba sag.ba zisurra ^gesersa tessir)

c) Ritualistically, there is some difference between the two spells. The first line of Boch's 'én sag.ba sag.ba' translates "Oath. oath - you draw a circle of flour [around the sickbed]" - Boch classifies this incantation under "Apotropaic Rites in the Sick Man's Home" and mentions the incantation is also featured in Lamastu ritual tablet, in a ritual for building a house, SpTI II 16 (Spätbabylonische Texte aus Uruk, I: H. Hunger (= ADFU 9, 1976) , and the Maqlu ritual tablet IX 149. Unless Im missing it after numerous checks, a ritual for building a house, the one referred to here anyway, is not in the book 'Mesopotamian protective spirits', however as we discussed earlier we do have Abusch's JNES 33 which refers to Maqlu tablet IX 149. Part of the ritual there is:

"Thereafter, [you encircle the bed with] flour[-paste]
and [recite] the incantation "Ba[n, ban]" (sag.[ba
sag.ba]) [and the incan]tation "Adjured is the house."

So the Boch incantation is defiantly associated with the drawing of a circle of flour.. while the Thompson incantation doesnt mention flour explicitly (or his translation doesnt). Still it is definitely linked thematically in that it is for the defense of the house ("Or Which Attacketh the House") through a barrier, and is for the expulsion of evil that threatens the house.
In the description of GAAL 2 :Wolfgang Schramm you sent me at wwwuser.gwdg.de/~altorien/GAAL.html , its said the book deals with "The series sag-ba, which contains two long incantations is written on two tablets" I think this is what Boch refers as the two tablet 'zì.sur.ra.meš' series, and the description mentions also " Apart from the already known and published texts this edition is based also on some hitherto unpublished ones" .. so I think the Thompson incantation is included in the work as one of the 'already known' texts, to compliment the new presentation of th complete sag.ba/zì.sur.ra.meš series, this seem confirmed by the cdli entry publication sources.


So concluding here, Yes, we definitely need Schramm's work.
It will have both I believe, and other ban incantations.
You've on to something M, Id love to see how many incantations given in "Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia" can be found in recent additions. We'll drag them out of the dust. If your up to it, all we need to find this out is more primary publication numbers, or Museum numbers, hopefully somewhere in the book. I propose we create a thread on the magic board, entitle it "New Editions of the Late Udug-hul series" or "Neo-Assyrian/Neo-Babylonian Udug-hul texts" (im not sure which would best fit as of this moment.) On this thread we can make an inventory of Publications and cdli #'s, and any modern translations made available.

An example of how I got this particularly difficult cdli number (in brief)
- started off simply enough with a google search for "saĝ-ba." This produced by divine fluke the information "CT 17 35 54ff. (W.S.) [BM 65331]" I then noticed you included a primary publication reference anyway.
- I searched cdli with the above information. nothing. Searching CT 17 35 didnt work in this case because they actually have "CT 17, pl. 34-36" registered in this entry - this is because the text takes up plates 34,35,36 in CT 17. Also there is no Museum number listed in this entry making it very hard to search for. In this case I was able to find it by searching "CT 17" in the primary publication field, and setting search to 'concise list' mode.
- I dled 'Cuneiform Texts from Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum volume 17 (CT 17) for free at library.case.edu/ksl/ecoll/books/etanae.html and stared uselessly at the cuneiform (No transl/trans) while trying to figure this out. (other interesting pdfs available).


PS. If during this process you note any instances of Thompson referring to vampires in his incantations, I would be keenly interested in being informed. (see sumer.nl/YourHosting3.pdf for context pg.3)

** Also relevant to this, note in the vampire thread, reply#2, CAD provided 2 examples of blood drinking demons, CT 16 14. See cdli: P238740 (and guess who provides the antique translation...;] )

[madness]

Thompson's sag.ba sag.ba incantation must be included in the Utukki Limnuti series

The incantation is listed in CT 17 as a "miscellaneous incantation" and is not a part of Utukki Limnuti.


From here I note the first line in this bilingual incantation, in Sumerian, is en2 sag-ba sag-ba giš-hur-ra nu-bal-e (Ban! Ban! Barrier that non can pass.") This definitely does not match the first line of the of Boch's 'én sag.ba sag.ba' ban incantation (én sag.ba sag.ba zisurra ^gesersa tessir)

According to the initial note of Bock's article, only the letters in bold refer to the incipit of incantations. The line is read:

én saĝ.ba saĝ.ba zisurrâ ^ĝešerša teşşir

Therefore, only the text "én saĝ.ba saĝ.ba" is the incipit, the rest of the line is not - it is simply the ritual instruction to be performed when the saĝ.ba incantation is recited. So the first line of both do match.


The cdli for the Thompson incantation tablet though is cdli: P237717

cdli.ucla.edu/P237717

Thompson's incantation appears in both Römer's and Schramm's work, just as Bock states.

[madness]

I now have in my hands DUMU-E₂-DUB-BA-A which contains the article Eine Beschwörung gegen den 'Bann' by W. H. Ph. Römer.

There is only one sag.ba incantation. There are several tablets, each are a copy of the same incantation. They are used in conjunction, that is, where one tablet is fragmented or broken, another tablet fills the missing gap.

For most of the incantation, tablet A (which is CT 17 34-36) is mostly complete up until passage 46 (lines A84 - A85) where it begins to fragment and breaks off. But now thanks to the other tablets we have the rest of the incantation.

(1)
A1: en₂ saĝ-ba saĝ-ba ĝiš-hur-ra nu-bal-e
A2: ma-mit ma-mit u₂-şur-tu ša₂ la e-te-qi₂

(2)
A3: ĝiš-hur-dingir-re-e-ne-ke₄ nu-bal-e
A4: u₂-şu-rat ilānī^meš ša₂ la na-bal-ku-ti

(3)
A5: ĝiš-hur-an-ki-a nu-kur₂-ru-da
A6: u₂-şu-rat šamê^e u erşeti^ti₃ ša₂ la ut-tak-ka-ru

(4)
A7: dingir-diš-am₃ nu-bal-e
A8: ilu iš-ta-a-nu la muš-pe-lu

(5)
A9: dingir-lu₂-ba-ke₄ nam-mu-un-da-an-bur₂-ra
A10: ilu u amēlu la ip-pa-aš₂-ša₂-ru

(6)
A11: ĝiš-par₃-nu-dib-ba hul-ĝal₂-še₃ du₃-a
A12: giš-par-ru la e-ti-qu ša₂ a-na lem-ni re-tu-u₂

(7)
A13: sa-par₃-nu-e₃-a hul-ĝal₂-še₃ la₂-e
A14: sa-pa-ru la a-şe-e ša₂ ana lem-ni tar-su

(8)
A15: udug-hul he₂-a a-la₂-hul he₂-a gidim-hul he₂-a gal₅-la₂-hul he₂-a dingir-hul he₂-a maškim-hul he₂-a
A16: lu-u u₂-tuk-ku lem-nu lu-u a-lu-u lem-nu lu-u e-ţem-mu lem-nu lu-u gal-lu-u lem-nu lu-u ilu lem-nu lu-u ra-bi-şu lem-nu

(9)
A17: ^dGabašku(?) he₂-a ^dDIM₈.ME.A he₂-a ^dDIM₈.ME.HAB he₂-a
A18: lu-u La-maš-tu₄ lu-u la-ba-şu lu-u ah-ha[-zu]

(10)
A19: lu₂-lil₂-la₂-a he₂-a ki-sikil-lil₂-la₂ he₂-a ki-sikil-u₄-da-kar-ra [he₂-a]
A20: lu-u li-lu-u₂ lu-u li-li-tu₄ lu-u ar-da-at li[-li-i]

(11)
A21: nam-tar-hul-ĝal₂ he₂-a [a₂-zag₂-]gig-ga he₂-a tu-ra-nu-du₁₀-ga he₂[-a]
A22: lu-u nam-ta-ru lem-nu lu-u a-sak-ku mar-şu lu-u mur-şu la ţa[. . .]

(12)
A23: a-sur-ra-^dEn-ki-ke₄ saĝ-bi in-ĝa₂-ĝa₂ [. . .]
A24: ša₂ a-na me-e şar-ru-ti ša₂ ^dE₂-a iʾ-ir[-ru]

(13)
A25: [ĝi]š-par₃-^dEn-ki-ke₄ he₂-ni-ib₂-dib-dib-be₂
A26: giš-par₃-ru ša₂ ^dE₂-a li-bar[-šu^!]

(14)
A27: [z]i₃-sur-ra-^dNisaba-ke₄ saĝ-bi ib₂-ta-an-bu-i
A28: ša₂ a-na zi₃-sur-re-e ša₂ ^dNi-sa-ba i-şar-ru-ru

(15)
A29: [sa^!-]par₃-^dNisaba-ke₄ he₂-ni-ib₂-keš₂-de₅-e-de₃
A30: sa-pa-ru ša₂ ^dNi-sa-ba lik-su-šu₂

(16)
A31: [ĝiš-]hur-ra i₃-bal-e
A32: u₂-şur-tu₄ ib-ba-lak-ki-tu

(17)
A33: ĝiš-hur-ra ĝiš-hur-an-ki-a šu nam-ba-bar-ra
A34: u₂-şur-ti ilānī^meš u₂-şu-rat šamê^e u erşeti^ti₃ a-a u₂-maš-šir₃-šu₂

(18)
A35: zi-dingir-gal-gal-e-ne-ke₄ ni₂ ba-ra-nu-tuk-a
A36: ša₂ nis ilānī^meš rabûti^meš la i-pal-la-hu

(19)
A37: zi-dingir-gal-gal-e-ne-ke₄ sa he₂-en-du₃
A38: niš ilānī^meš rabûti^meš li-ik-su-šu₂

(20)
A39: dingir-gal-gal-e-ne-ke₄ nam-ha-ba-ra-ku₅-ru-da
A40: ilānī^meš rabûti^meš li-ru-ru-šu₂

(21)
A41: e₂-a a^!?-gi₄-gi₄-e-2
A42: ša₂ a-na bi-ti it-ta-nu-ur-ru
Cx+11: e₂-a i₃(?)-gi₄-gi₄-a: ša₂ a-na bīti it-t[a-. . .]ur-ru

(22)
A43: e₂-saĝ-ĝa₂-na he₂-ni-ib₂-ku₄-ku₄-ne
A44: a-na bi-ti pe-he-e li-še-ri-bu-šu₂

(23)
A45: bar-ra niĝin-e: ša₂ ina a ha-a-ti is-sa-na-ah-hu-ru

(24)
A46: bar-ra ki-ba-ra-la₂-e he₂-ni-ib₂-tum₂-mu-ne
A47: ina a-ha-a-ti a-šar la a-ri li-ru-šu

(25)
A48: KA₂.E₂(?) am₃ (?)-gi₄-gi₄-e-a
A49: ša₂ ina ba-ab bi-ti it-ta-nak-lu-u₂
Cx+16: ka₂-a-ne₂(?) u₂ nu-ĝa₂-ĝa₂-e: ša₂ ina ba^!-ab bīti it[. . .]

(26)
A50: e₂ ki-nu-ta-e₃ he₂-ni-ib₂-ku₄-ku₄-ne
A51: a-na bi-ti a-šar la a-şe-e li-še-ri-bu-šu

(27)
A52: ^ĝišig ^ĝišsaĝ-kul-ta mu-un-da-an-gir₆-gir₆-re-e-a
A53: ša₂ ina dal-ti u sik-ku-ri i-hal-lu-pu

(28)
A54: ^ĝišig ^ĝišsaĝ-kul-ta sa nu-du₈-u₃-da he₂-ni-ib₂-keš₂-de₅(?)-e-ne
A55: dal-tu u sik-ku-ru mar-kas₂ la pa-ţa-ri lik-lu-šu

(29)
A56: i-dib ^ĝišza-ra-ta mu-un-za-la-ah-e-de₃
A57: ša₂ ina as-kup-pa-ti u şer-ri i-ziq-qu

(30)
A58: ^ĝiška₂-na ^ĝišnu-kuš₂-u₃-ta mu-un-sur-sur-e-de₃
A59: ša₂ ina giš-ka-nak-ki nu-ku-še-e i-şar-ru-ru

(31)
A60: a-gim he₂-en-bal-e: ki-ma me-e lit-bu-ku-šu

(32)
A61: dug-gim he₂-en-gaz-e-ne: ki-ma kar-pa-ti li-ih-pu-šu

(33)
A62: šika-gim he₂-en-šu-uš-re-e [. .]
A63: ki-ma ha-aş-bi li-par-ri-ru-šu₂
Cx+25: [ši]ka-gim he₂-ni-ib₂-keš-de₅-e-n[e . . .]

(34)
A64: ur₃-ra i₃-bal-e: ša₂ u₂-ru ib-ba-lak [. . .]

(35)
A65: pa-bi he₂-ni-ib₂-ku₅-r
A66: gap-pi-šu li-kaş-şi₂ [. .]

(36)
A67: ab-ta gu₂ ba-ra-la₂-e: ša₂ ina ap-ti x [. . .]

(37)
A68: gu₂-bi he₂-ni-ib₂-šum^!?-mu-ne: ki-šad-su liţ-bu-hu

(38)
A69: ab-ti-ta igi mu-un<-ši^?>-in-bar-re-e-de₃
A70: ša₂ ina ap-ti şe-li ip-pal-la-sa

(39)
A71: igi-bi he₂-en-sig₃-ga-e-ne
A72: pa-ni-šu₂ lim-ha-şu

(40)
A73: ab-igi-la₂-ta gu₃ mu-un-na-an-de₂-e
A74: ša₂ ina ap-ti [. . .] i-šas-si
E6: b-igi-la₂-ta gu₃-mu a-na-an-d[e₂ . . .]
E7: ša₂ ina ap-ti mu-šer₂-ti i-šas-sa

(41)
A75: ka-bi he₂-en-tab-e-ne: pa-a-šu li-di-lu

(42)
A76: ab-saĝ-ĝa₂-ta mu-un-da-ab-šu₂-šu₂-de₃
A77: ša₂ ina ap-ti muh-hi it-ta-na-at-ba-ku

(43)
A78: gakkul-nu-bad-da-ta he₂-ni-ib₂-šu₂-šu₂-ne
A79: kak-kul-ti la pa-te-e li-ik-tum₃-šu₂

(44)
A80: zalag₂-ta mu-un-ši-ib₂-kukku₂-ga
A81: ša₂ ina na-ma-ri i-te-ne₂-ek-ki-la

(45)
A82: zalag₂-ta ki-^dUtu-e₃ he₂-ni-ib₂-zi-zi-ne
A83: ina na-ma-ri a-šar şi-it ^dšamši^ši li-is-su-hu-šu₂

(46)
A84: gul-gul [. . .] ĝir₂-ĝir₂-re-e-de₃
A85: ša₂ [. . .] ber-qi₂ it-ta-nab-ri-qa
E17: kukku₂ nim-ĝir₂-gim mu-un-ĝir₂-ĝir₂-r[e-e]-de₃
E18: ša₂ ina ek-le^!-ti kīma ber-qi it-ta-na[b-r]i-qu

(47)
A86: gul-gul [. . .] he₂-ni-ib₂-keš₂-de₅-e-ne
A87: [. . .]lik-lu-šu₂
E19: kukku₂-ga ša₃-urugala-ta he₂-ni-ib₂-keš₂-de₅-e-ne
E20: ina ek-le-ti ina qe₂-reb qab-li li-ik-lu-šu

(48)
A88: [. . .] mu-un-ši-ib₂-e₁₁^!-de₃ (akkad. Version fehlt offenbar)
E21: pu₂-ta mu-un-ši-ni{-i[b₂]}-ib₂-e₁₁-de₃
E22: ša₂ ul-tu bur-ti il-la-a

(49)
A89: [. . .] ni-ib₂-šub-bu-ne (akkad. Version fehlt offenbar)
E23: ub₄-ni₃-huš-a-ta he₂-ni-ib₂-šub-bu-ne
E24: [a-n]a šu-ut-t[a-t]i lid-da-šu

(50)
A90: [. . .] da-gir₆-gir₆-re-e-a (akkad. Version fehlt offenbar)
G5: pu₂-ta ki-te-sa-ta mu-un-da-gir₅^!?-gir₅^!?-e-de₃
G6: ša₂ bur-tu₂ nar-ma-ku^! i-hal-lu-up

(51)
A91: [. . . i]b₂-šub-bu-de₃ (akkad. Version fehlt offenbar)
CRs.20: [. . .] nu-e₁₁^!-da-ta he₂-ni-ib₂-šub-bu-de₃: ana bur^!-tu₄ la a-le-e lid-du-šu₂
F25:

u₂-nu-e₁₁-da-ta he₂-ni-ib₂-šu
F26: ana₃ bur-ti la a-le-e lid-d[u . . .]

(52)
A92: [. . .] da-ab-sa₂-sa₂-de₃ (akkad. Version fehlt offenbar)
CRs.21: [. . .] mu-un-da-ab-sa₂-sa₂-e-de₃: ša₂ <ina> gi-sal-le-e it-te-nek-ši-du
F27: [g]i-sal-ta mu-un-da-ab-su₃-s[u₃ . . .]
F28: ša₂ ina gi-sal-le-e it-ta-na-aš₂-d[i . . .]

(53)
CRs.22: [. . . t]a he₂-ni-ib₂-tin-tin-e-ne: e-ma il^!?-la-ku li-ba-aʾ-u₂-šu₂
F29: ki-du-du-ta he₂-ni-ib₂-te-en [. . .]
F30: e-ma il-la-ku li-bal [. . .]

(54)
CRs.23: [. . . ke]š₂-gi-sal-la mu-un-da-gir₅-gir₅-e-de₃: ša₂ ina ki-şir MIN i-hal-lu-pu
F31: KA-keš₂-gi-sala-ta mu-un-da-an-gi[r₆ . . .]
F32: ša₂ ina ki-şir gi-sal-le-e [i . . .]

(55)
CRs.24: [. . .] ni-ib₂-zi-zi-e-ne: ina bi-i-ti li-is-suh-hu-šu₂
F33: e₂-a he₂-ni-ib₂-zi-zi-e-ne: ina bi-ta^?-ti l[i^!? . . .]

(56)
CRs.25: [. . .] a-šu₂ i (sic!)-ni-ib₂-gi₄-gi₄-e-ne: ana za-qi₂-qi₂ li-ter-ru-šu₂
F34: lil₂-la₂-aš he₂-ni-ib₂-gi₄-gi₄-e-ne: a-na za-qi₂ [. . .]

(57)
CRs.26: x x x x x [š]a₂ i[na hu]r[-r]i i-zi-qa
F35: habrud^!-da-ta mu-un-za-la-a[h-e]-de₃: ša₂ ina hur [. . .]

(58)
BRs.3: m[u . . . l]i-hal-li-qu: he₂-ni-ib₂ [. . .]
F36: mu-bi he₂-ni-ib₂-ha-lam [. . .] ne: šum [. . .]

(59)
BRs.4: ki-i[n-]d[ar-a]-ta mu-un [. . .]
BRs.5: ša₂ ina ni-gi-[i]ş-şi bīti i-şar^!? [. . .]

(60)
BRs.6: nu-ĝal₂-la-aš: a-na la ba-še-i li-ter-ru-šu₂: he₂-ni-i[b₂ . . .]
F39: nu-ĝal₂-la-aš he₂-ni-ib₂-gi₄-g[i₄ . . .]

(61)
BRs.7: tu₆-du₁₁-ga: ina tu-du-qe₂-e a-mat ^dE₂-a: inim[. . .]
F40: tu₆-du₁₁-ga inim-^dEn-ki [. . .]

(62)
BRs.8: tu₆-^dAsar-ri: ši-pat ^dMarduk ša₂ ap-si-i: x [. . .]
F41: tu₆-^dAsar-ri abzu-a [. . .]

(63)
F42: tu₆-tu₆-abzu-Eridu^ki-ga m[ah^? . . .]
F43: ši-pat ap-si-i u Eri-du₁₀ [. . .]

(64)
BRs.11: en₂ saĝ-ba-saĝ-ba KEŠ[DA . . .]

(65)
F44: [. . . i]nim-ma-zi₃-sur-r
F45: [. . .] x x x [. . .]

[cynsanity]

Give me a week or so (have to do Dumuzid's Dream atm), and I can translate it for you guys.

[madness]

Thank you.

So to review our progress here, we have, out of CT 16 and CT 17, an updated version of CT 17 34-36, being the sag.ba sag.ba incantation, appearing on pp. 118 – 125 of volume 2 of Thompson's Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia.

That's one incantation down, a whole lot more to go.



**Admin: Wonderful initiative here! Im excited to see what other of the antique translations can be found in modern form - Ill see what I can do as far as assisting in presenting the relevant tablet numbers on this thread.

[madness]

CDLI entries for CT 16 plates 01-50.

cdli.ucla.edu/P365356
cdli.ucla.edu/P365357
cdli.ucla.edu/P365358
cdli.ucla.edu/P365359
cdli.ucla.edu/P365360
cdli.ucla.edu/P365361
cdli.ucla.edu/P365362
cdli.ucla.edu/P365363
cdli.ucla.edu/P365364
cdli.ucla.edu/P365365
cdli.ucla.edu/P365366
cdli.ucla.edu/P238740
cdli.ucla.edu/P365367
cdli.ucla.edu/P365368
cdli.ucla.edu/P240385
cdli.ucla.edu/P365369
cdli.ucla.edu/P365370
cdli.ucla.edu/P365371
cdli.ucla.edu/P365372
cdli.ucla.edu/P365373
cdli.ucla.edu/P365374
cdli.ucla.edu/P238733
cdli.ucla.edu/P365375
cdli.ucla.edu/P365376
cdli.ucla.edu/P365377
cdli.ucla.edu/P365378
cdli.ucla.edu/P365379
cdli.ucla.edu/P365380
cdli.ucla.edu/P365381
cdli.ucla.edu/P237782
cdli.ucla.edu/P365382


CDLI entries for CT 17 plates 34-36, 37, 41.

cdli.ucla.edu/P237717
cdli.ucla.edu/P240257
cdli.ucla.edu/P238190



Looks disappointing. With the exception of CT 17 34-36 (the sag.ba sag.ba incantation) all of these entries appear to have been published by Thompson only.

[us4-he2-gal2]

Mein Freund, thank you so much for the work above! Its never disappointing to see an aspect of Mesopotamian magic effectivly explored here and this has made a wonderful thread. While a translation is pending, would you be inclined to share here a favorite Devils and Evil Spirits incantation or two? I think that would round things out perfectly.

cheers!

[madness]

Marie-Louise Thomsen's The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia JNES 51 No. 1 provides us with lines 5-14 of CT 17 33, the "tablet of the evil eye."

5. [igi níg.h]ul dím-ma pap.hal.la-ke₄ :
i-ni le-mut-tu₄ mut-tal-lik-tu₄
6. [ub-šè ab]-ši-in-bar ub im-sud :
a-na túb-qa ip-pal-lis-ma túb-qí ú-ri-iq
7. [da-šè ab]-ši-in-bar da im-sud :
ana šá-hat ip-pal-lis-ma šá-hat ú-ri-iq
8. [ama/ama₅ kalam-ma-šè] ab-ši-in-bar ama(/ama₅) kalam im-sud :
ana maš-tak ma-a-tú ip-pal-lis-ma maš-tak ma-a-tú ú-ri-iq
9. [lú.u₁₈.lu] pap.hul.la-šè ab-ši-in-bar ĝis kud-kud-da-gin₇ gú ki-a im-mi-in-gam :
10. ana a-me-lu mut-tal-li-ku ip-pal-lis-ma ki-ma iş-şi nak-su še-eb-ri ki-šad-su liq-ţa-du-ud
11. ^dEn-ki lú-bi igi ù-bí-in-du₈ :
^dIDIM LÚ šùm-(var. šu-ma-)a-tim i-mur-ma
12. ninda saĝ-ĝá-na mu-ni-in-ĝar :
a-ka-lu ina qaq-qa-di-šú iš-kun
13. ninda su-na mu-ni-in-te :
a-ka-lu ana SU-šú ú-ţah-hi
14. šùd-dè nam.tìl-la-ke₄ mu-un-na-an-šùd :
ik-ri-bi ba-la-ţu i-kar-rab-šú

5. The eye of an evil, restless (man) (Akk: evil, restless eye),
6. when it looks into the corner, it makes the corner empty,
7. when it looks at the side (of the house), it makes it empty,
8. when it looks at the living quarters of the land, it makes the living quarters of the land empty,
9-10. When it looks at the restless man, he bends his neck like a cut (and) broken tree.
11. Enki saw this man,
12. placed bread on his (the patient's) head,
13. approached bread to his body,
14. prayed for him the prayer of life.

[madness]

The fifth scheduled volume of the State Archives of Assyria Cuneiform Texts series is

Canonical Utukkū Lemnūtu Incantations
by M. J. Geller

www.helsinki.fi/science/saa/saact.html

[madness]

I have been puzzled by Römer's translation of ĝiš-hur in the sag.ba incantation, where he has "Fügung," meaning foreordination. I simply stuck with Thompson's translation for the time being, which is "barrier." The PSD tells us that ĝiš-hur-hur/usurtu means "encirclement," and considering that this incantation is combined with a ritual involving a circle of flour, so I had assumed that Thompson was correct.

However the discussion on magic by Binsbergen & Wiggermann has revealed the meaning behind this incantation. Under the section 'The nature of Mesopotamian holism' on page 27:

Taken together these non-theistic modes of action (the interpretation of signs, the reaction to adversity) suggest a more or less coherent alternative to theistic power, one in which man is an integral part of a 'pure' universe (Heaven and Earth) without abnormalities (signs) and adversities (disease, demons). The presence of such disorders signals an impure or even demonic deviation from the norm, which can be interpreted and readjusted by the correct application of a secret knowledge concerning the 'design' (GIŠHUR, Akk. uşurtu) of Heaven and Earth.

Römer's foreordination now makes sense. What the sag.ba incantation is concerned with is maintaining the original design of the universe by keeping all evil out. The first line of the incantation would translate to something like:

"Oath, oath, the design - it cannot be crossed."

I apologise that a full english translation of this incantation has not been provided yet. I will post one here as soon as I can.


This incantation is therefore one of interest for the B&W discussion that us4-he2-gal2 has begun.

[us4-he2-gal2]

This post is absolutely astounding Madness! ;] Im am very intrigued here. Also excellent catch with the Geller Publication above!

Well Im almost on my way home here, but If I can scribble a few notes from a journal entry here, in specific I'm looking at "Neglected Factors in the Greek Intellectual Revolution" by W. F. Albrigght (1972) - Albright appears to have been one of the original scohlar to have pointed out the Sumerian concept of Gis-hur in 1922. (I am not including accents as Im in a rush). Some of his comments in the article read:

"In Mesopotamia we have a term which appears in Sumerian as GIS-HUR and in Accadian as usurtu, [accent mark under the s].both og which mean "outline, plan, configuration, plan of a building, ummutible destiny." The great importance of this cluster of ideas for Babylonian thinking has almost been completely overlooked, though first pointed out in 1922. It was considered heresy at the time by some Assyriologists and the point was forgotten. Now our evidence is overwhelming, since the gods are explicitly stated to have fixed at Creation the "plans" (usurati) of tihngs that were to be.......... The beginning of astrology undoubedtly came through the Sumerian concept of GIS-HUR, where plans and configurations in the heavens were considered to to be the prototypes of what is found on earth. Recoginition of this fact does not imply acceptence of any of the so-called Pan-Babylonian vagaries of over a half century ago, since what may be called modern astrology first arouse in Babylonian andf Hellenistic Egypt during the latter centuries of the first millennium B.C. "

His notes gives the following sources:

W.F. Albright, "The Supposed Babylonian Derivation of the Logos," Jour. Bibl. Lit. 39 (1922) ; pp 143-151, esp. 150-151; cf. From the Stone Age to Christianity, pp 176-177, 195, 196. On usurtu as the word for "building and estate plans," see most recently W. W. Hallo, "The road to Emar," Jour. Cuneiform Stud. 18 (1964) ; p. 61 2. Note the very important material in W. von Soden, Akkadishes Handworterbuch (Wiesbaden, 1960) 3: pp. 254-256, the Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institue of the University of Chicago (Chicago, 1958 --) 4: pp.352-363, s.v. eseru. An interesting additional item is provided by Cuneiform Texts from Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum 44 (London, 1963) : No. 49, line 3-5, as transscribed by W. Rollig in Bibliotheca Orientalis 22 (1965) .............. for gishur (r) u, especially in the sense of "Vorzeichnung" and "himmlishcer Vortenworf," see Von Soden, op. cit. 1: p. 292b, and the Chicago Assyrion Dictionary 5 (G): pp. 101 f. ("model, archetype").

[madness]

Looks like Geller's book is ready to be published, should be available through Eisenbrauns soon.

www.helsinki.fi/science/saa/saact-05.html

Should be helpful for a discussion of Lilith, judging by Geller's description here.

[af]

ia341021.us.archive.org/0/items/devilsevilspirit02thomuoft/devilsevilspirit02thomuoft.pdf The book of Campbell Thompson itself

[xuchilpaba]

Oct 9, 2007 10:18:30 GMT -5 Naomi said:

Amazing that the concept of the evil eye goes back that far, and such a detailed description of it, I have never heard it more clearly and poetically described.

Yeah. It gets scarier when you add that witches, succubi, incubi, and malevolent witchcraft scares were also in the ancient near east just like in medieval Europe.

[xuchilpaba]

Dec 17, 2007 23:26:47 GMT -5 madness said:

Looks like Geller's book is ready to be published, should be available through Eisenbrauns soon.

www.helsinki.fi/science/saa/saact-05.html

Should be helpful for a discussion of Lilith, judging by Geller's description here.

I disparately want to read this article but not for 77 bucks worth.

[madness]

Geller's book is just an up-to-date edition of the Utukkū Lemnūtu "Evil Demons" incantation series. The 10 page introduction briefly describes the history of the text, ritual information, and the structure of the text with a description of each tablet.

The only demons he really explains in the introduction are the Galla "Sheriff" and Maškim "Bailiff", demons which represent the misuse of authority. There is no discussion on Lilith; though in the text, every entry for lilitu is translated as "Lilith."

If you're looking for an explanatory discussion of demons (apart from the texts themselves) you'll need to look elsewhere.

[xuchilpaba]

I think Hurwitz covers some of the Mesopotamian demon transference although I'll have to look over it again. If i recall correctly, the Gallu demons ended up in Greek myth as Gyello or something along those lines.

I do recall an Arabic demon possibly related to the lilitu class, called Karina though.