Popular references to Sumerian Magic/Culture

[sheshki]

Ah Cama-Sotz : Ereshkigal


Ah Cama-Sotz - Babylon

[sheshki]

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"The concept of the album in a nutshell is that long after the aliens conquer humanity, they evolve to a point where they transcend space, time and reality to take their conquest into the realm of the gods where they wage war on angels and demons. The album title Lugal Ki En translates from ancient Sumerian cuneiform to mean 'King Of The Earthlings, Lord Of The Cosmic World.' The Sumerian cuneiform is visible behind the English pronunciation of the album title."


sigh

[sheshki]

and something funny:

The Uncyclopedia

quote:

Meanwhile to the North the Akkadian King Sargon was gathering power. Circa 10:36 AM Greenwitch time April 22 2352 B.C. Sargon led his armies on a path of conquest from North-Mesopotamia to the Persian Gulf, creating the first empire of human history. The empire was how-ever short lived, as Sargon set sail to the West in search of new lands to conquer: never to be seen again. Modern scholars speculate that he sailed off the Edge of the World.

[sheshki]

Samson Tires: A Sargonide Palace in central Los Angeles



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this Flickr link has some pictures of the inside.
Flickr

[us4-he2-gal2]

This is fantastic! Thanks for sharing Sheshki As amazing as the place looks visually I am perhaps more intrigued with the question of: How did they ever decide to do this for a tire company??? Well one of the links you provided of course gives this answer:

"Adolph Schleicher started Samson Tire and Rubber Company in 1918 in Compton. He chose "Samson" because it symbolized strength and endurance. For this reason, the building was designed with a Samson and Delilah motif and modeled after the 7th Century B.C. Assyrian palace of King Sargon II's. Sargon, a Babylonian King, built a 23-acre palace which happened to be the same size as the tire plant. "



Not entirely sure how they made the jump from Samson to Assyrian palace, I mean the Philistines seem more relevant to that story. But in any case, there is no obvious reason to connect the modern western world with ancient Mesopotamia, and so, on those rare times when such things do occur, such as here, the reason must be abstract or obscure or just plain odd I suppose.

[lilitudemon]

Not exactly Sumerian but it is Babylonian. Silent Hill is a horror video game franchise from Konami, that uses bits of Mesopotamian lore. From Silent Hill Downpour [2011] "Secret Histories of the Colonies":

Settlers came to the Americas seeking religious freedom, a promise which certainly appealed to Gnostic practitioners of varying faiths; ranging from Pagan to Judeo-Christian, and even ancient Babylonian traditions. After hearing tales of 'the place of silent spirits,' many made pilgrimages to what is now called Toluca Lake. One such Pilgrim was Professor Horace Holloway, who wrote in his diary:

"Stepping foot on that ground, even a fool could sense its sacred nature. Surely this place is the one for which we have sought."

These groups studied and gradually integrated the religious practices of the Native tribes, often interpreting deities and rites in terms of their personal traditions. In this way, figures such as Metatron, Samael, and Molech were brought to the New World, as well as varying divination practices (Ornithomanct, Scurying, Gyromancy, et al,).

While it may at first seem peculiar that pious and God fearing colonist would so readily adopt "heathen" or "pagan" rites into their burgeoning society, the incorporation of pagan traditions into Judeo-Christian orthodoxy is nothing new.

During Christianity's spread across Europe, several pagan traditions were repurposed and absorbed by the church when recent converts were not so willing to abandon long-practiced rites and festivals based on seasonal and lunar cycles.

Sadly, these same colonists that happily celebrated the Norse pagan holiday of Yule (in the guise of Christmas) or Celtic Samhain (All Hallows Eve) were the same colonists that were quick to root out "witchcraft," and "devil worship" within their community, as evidenced by the brutal witch trials that-

In an earlier game from 2001, Silent Hill 2, Ishtar was mentioned in conjunction with Acacia.

A genus of evergreen trees of the mimosa tribe of the pea family.
Its tiny flowers are yellow or white and grow in clusters.
Common varieties include the "gum tree".

The Acacia Tree is a potent symbol in many religions across the World.
In Christianity it represents eternal life and morality.

In ancient Egypt it represented purity and rebirth, while in ancient Babylonia it was thought of as the tree of the Goddess Ishtar and was a symbol of light.

It was also a holy tree to the Ancient Jews who built the sacred Ark of the Covenenant from it and for whom it signified a peaceful death and release from grief.

[sheshki]

another one for my collection. I now have 2

[sheshki]

Paul Batou

Paul Batou, a native Iraqi artist, received a degree in pharmacy in 1982 from the University of Baghdad. While in school, Batou worked and was inspired by many teachers and artists studying at the University. In 1980, he had his first art show in Baghdad. During his years spent in Baghdad, Paul Batou placed his art in several galleries, learned to play the guitar, and was forced into service for the Iraq-Iran war as a medic. In 1989, he left Iraq with his family and moved to Los Angeles. In the United States, Batou continues to create art and write poems that inspire all those close to him.


The Art of Paul Batou

[us4-he2-gal2]

People may be aware that Marvel's latest release 'Wonder Woman' is doing quite well at the box office and people seem enthusiastic about it - I can't figure out why, I mean Wonder Woman is a goofball character with a tiara and a dorky golden lasso - but in any case, apparent there is some Sumerian involved in scene of the movie. Wonder Woman goes to consult her friend 'Dr. Poison' who, inexplicably, is writing pen and ink chemistry notes in Sumerian. Jack Cheng, a trained Assyriologist who I have mentioned here before, gives a review of that scene here:


www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2017/06/13/why-wonder-woman-reading-sumerian/jkwc0l8K2XFUSywi4CDR7N/story.html?event=event25

[rynathee]

I can't tell you all just how delighted I was by all the references to metal bands (including some of my favorites)! When I get a few moments, I'll start compiling a list of my own. Sumerian/Mesopotamian mythology (though oftimes in the form of Necronomicon/Lovecraftian spin) is an incredibly popular subject matter in metal (perhaps more so in death metal than black metal). Sometimes very well done, sometimes poorly done, sometimes over done. At any rate, happy to see other metalheads here!!

[us4-he2-gal2]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxYoFlnJLoE&t=78s





The above youtube link is to a short film produced by students and scholars from the Cambridge campus which represents the 'world's first film in Babylonian'. The film makers tell the story of 'the Poor Man of Nippur' entirely in Babylonian (English subtitles are available). If this text is entirely new to you, a brief introduction is available on wiki. Although the viewer will probably not have heard of the students involved in the film, James Kinnier Wilson narrates the film, and Nicholas Postgate and Tzvi Absuch make appearances in character. Martin Worthington was involved in the film. The film is basically a play of sorts put on by the Assyriological department at Cambridge (with special guests) - I found that in itself quite interesting, I can't imagine something similar happening at an Assyriological department in North America. I'm not sure which explanation would account for the difference: i) there may be a greater awareness of, and investment in, plays and theatrics at Cambridge on the campus level (I've since asked a professor who is from England, and she confirmed that the Cambridge Classics department is known for staging regular plays based on Greek material) or ii) the production of the film managed to get funding from numerous sources (I'm not sure North American Assyriology would get this sort of funding, or be inclined to use it in such ways) or iii) Martin Worthington had, at the SOAS campus, already built up a considerable collection of recordings of scholars reading important Mesopotamian texts in the original language - this film production may have been a natural progression from the SOAS project:

www.soas.ac.uk/baplar/recordings/


The film has earned mixed reviews (or mixed reactions) from my professors here. One thought it was fantastic and was enthusiastic, the other thought that it was not very convincing. I suppose on the level of acting, wardrobe and set construction, there could be valid complaints to make. However, I haven't heard any complaints as of yet about what I think is the most important part, the spoken Babylonian. It is commendable that students and scholars in the UK are making Babylonian more accessible and vivid by providing some of the world's only widely available recordings of it being spoken out loud.