JEWISH ELEMENTS IN THE MANDAIC
WRITTEN MAGIC
MAREK VINKLÁT
Summary
This article deals with written Aramaic magic of Mesopotamia of Late Antiq-
uity and focuses mainly on Mandaic and Jewish magic bowls and metal amu-
lets. It tries to prove the connection between these Jewish texts and Mandaic
texts, since the Mandaic ones use terms of Jewish theology and legislation
as well as the forms of the name of God of Judaism. Using the translations
from Mandaic and Judeo-Aramaic the author compares magic artifacts and
proves the influence of Jewish tradition on Mandaic magic and also points to
a possible connection of hekhalot literature with these Jewish and Mandaic
magic texts. The first part focuses briefly on the history of research on Man-
daic magic texts, on their basic forms and also on their praxis and treating.
Author’s original observation on the possible presence of “magical puns” in
magic texts is demonstrated on translation from original Mandaic language.
Author points out the potential inspiration of text in Haršia Bišia collection
by The Testament of Solomon. The second part of the article deals with the
term get ( )גטused in Judaism for a divorce bill. Same document is treated
also in Mandaic written magic as is seen on several translations. Author also
compares synoptically one Mandaic and one Jewish magic bowl to emphasize
their linguistic and religious similarities. The final part consists of retracing
the names of Jewish angels and God in the Mandaic texts, illustrated again by
various translations. Thus we can find angels Gabriel and Raphael in Man-
daic amulets and the God’s names as Adonai or Iahu. Author searches also
for the names of Mandaic supernatural beings in Jewish texts and apparently
finds the name of Abatur on one Jewish magic bowl and maybe the name of
Ptahil in the hekhalotic text Sefer ha-Razim.
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JEWISH ELEMENTS IN THE MANDAIC WRITTEN MAGIC
s
M andaeans are an ethnic-religious minority of the Middle East, and
even if most of them live in diaspora due to the political situation in
Iraq and Iran, the research on the Mandaean religion is an important part
of the research on the origin of Christianity, Gnosticism and Judaism of
Late Antiquity. The origins of Mandaeism are usually placed between the
1st and the 2nd century CE and connected with the Syro-Palestinian region
(the theory of “western” origin) or with Mesopotamia. Still enigmatic and
disputed origin of the religion of Mandaeans can be surely elucidated by
the study of Mandaic pre-classic texts, which were formed during the time
between 5th and 8th century CE and written as a parallel to a number of
doctrinal and ritual religious texts. With some exceptions, these pre-clas-
sic texts had been neglected at the expense of classic literary compilations
codified between the 8th and 9th century CE (e.g. Ginza, The Book of John,
Qulasta) and their contribution to the understanding of Mandaeism was
questioned by the majority of scholars.
In the presented article, I want to focus mainly on Jewish terminology
and theology within Mandaic pre-classic and magic texts. There is need to
point out the Mandaic magic texts were influenced by the Jewish amulets
of the same form, time and place written in Judeo-Aramaic and maybe also
by the hekhalot literature either directly or vicariously.1
s
First of all I want to enumerate the basic types of Mandaic magic texts and
describe them briefly. I don’t want to repeat all those fundamental facts
about these artefacts published before, but in some cases to write about my
new observations in short.
Mandaic written magic is to be found mainly on earthen bowls and
metal amulets, both dated circa to the pre-Islamic and early-Islamic era
(5.–8. century CE).2 Their places of origin were located in several parts
of today’s Iraq. For example a big source of Mandaic incantation bowls
was found in 1894 buried at the graveyard of Khuabir south of Baghdad.
These thirty-one bowls were published and translated by French consul in
1
I transliterate Mandaic in the Roman characters according to DROWER, Ethel Stefana – MACUCH,
Rudolf. A Mandaic Dictionary, p. xii with slight exception – I transliterate “ayin” as “e”.
2
SEGAL. Catalogue of the Aramaic and Mandaic Incantation Bowls in the British Museum, pp. 21–22.
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JEWISH ELEMENTS IN THE MANDAIC WRITTEN MAGIC
Baghdad Henri Pognon.3 There is no doubt that the bowls were intended to
ward off or entrap malevolent supernatural beings and keep in safe either
the dead person or his relatives and their homes. The evidence which sug-
gests, that some magic bowls were made especially for the graveyard is a
formula appearing on the reverse side of the hemisphere. On the back of
eight bowls from Pognon’s publication we read: ḏ-bit qubria hu – “For the
graveyard (is) this”.4 Among the other major collections and publications of
Mandaic incantation bowls belongs undoubtedly the work of Christa Mül-
ler-Kessler5 and the one of Judah Benzion Segal.6 There are, of course, few
indispensable articles with publications and translations of various Man-
daic bowls.7
On the other hand, the publications concerning Mandaic metal amu-
lets are scarce. Apart from articles and a few individual chapters,8 there is
still no monograph fully dealing with some specific volume or collection
of these magic inscriptions on metal plates. The most comprehensive study
so far was written by Rudolf Macúch and deals with about four leaden
amulets. These were found in Iran and Iraq and translated to German and
transliterated.9 In recent time Christa Müller-Kessler started to work on her
bright new monograph about the famous collection of amulets of a client
called Pir Nukraia.10 The praxis of metal amulets can be connected as well
3
POGNON, Henri. Inscriptions mandaïtes des coupes de Khouabir. Paris: 1898.
4
Bowls Nr. 5 (POGNON, p. 26), Nr. 7 (POGNON, p. 30), Nr. 8 (POGNON, p. 31), Nr. 12
(POGNON, p. 35), Nr. 17 (POGNON, p. 53), Nr. 20 (POGNON, p. 59), Nr. 30 (POGNON, p. 87) and
Nr. 31 (POGNON, p. 88).
5
MÜLLER-KESSLER, Christa. Die Zauberschalentexte in der Hilprecht-Sammlung, Jena, und weitere
Nippur-Texte anderer Sammlungen. Wiesbaden: Harrasowitz Verlag, 2005. ISBN 3447050594.
6
SEGAL, Judah Benzion. – HUNTER, Erica C. D. Catalogue of the Aramaic and Mandaic Incantation
Bowls in the British Museum. London: British Museum Press, 2000. ISBN 0714111457.
7
For example: POGNON, Henri. Une incantation contre les génies malfaisants en mandaite. Memoires
de la Sociéte de Linguistique, 1894, vol. 8, pp. 193–234. DRIVER, Godfrey Rolles. A Magic Bowl. Revue
d’assyriologie, 1930, vol. 27, pp. 61–64. YAMAUCHI, Edwin Maseo. A Mandaic Magic Bowl from the
Yale Babylonian Collection. Berytus, 1967, vol. 17, pp. 49–63.
8
For example: LIDZBARSKI, Mark. Ein mandäisches Amulett. In: Florilegium: Receuil de Travaux
dediés á Melchior de Vogüé. Paris: 1910, pp. 349–373. CAQUOT, André. Un phylactére mandéen en
plomb. Semitica, 1973, vol. 22, pp. 67–87. GREENFIELD, Jonas Carl. – NAVEH, Yosef. קמיע מנדעי
( בעל ארבע השבעותA Mandaic lead amulet with four incantations). Eretz Israel, Archaeological,
Historical and Geographical Studies, 1985, vol. 18, pp. 97–107.
9
MACUCH, Rudolf. Altmändaische Bleirollen. In: ALTHEIM, F. – STIEHL, R. (eds.). Die Araber in
der Alten Welt IV. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1967, pp. 91–203 and MACUCH, Rudolf. Altmändaische
Bleirollen. In: ALTHEIM, F. – STIEHL, R. (eds.). Die Araber in der Alten Welt V. Berlin: Walter de
Gruyter, 1969, pp. 34–72.
10
Incantations for the House of Pir Nukraya. Mandaic Leads Rolls from the British Museum Müller-
Kessler, Christa. Publikationen Mueller-Kessler 2010. URL: <http://www.uni-jena.de/unijenamedia/
Bilder/faculties/phil/iskvo/ Publikationen+Mueller_Kessler+2010.pdf> [cit. 7.1.2012].
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JEWISH ELEMENTS IN THE MANDAIC WRITTEN MAGIC
as the bowls with the protection of the house, in some cases especially with
doors. On several amulets we read lines containing the proof of the door
usage and with very interesting equivoques or puns:
I came and found11 in the door of Nukraia that the planets12 are stand-
ing like calamity unleashed in our village, misfortune unleashed in
our city, big disaster on our threshold.13
We clearly can see the magical connection between the words “disaster”
(šiqupta) and “threshold” (esqupta) due to their phonetic resemblance. This
connection can prove or at least point to the possible non-artistic impor-
tance of some of the words in magical formulae. Terminology related with
the door is obvious also in the first Macuch’s amulet which afterwards con-
tains the previous magical pun also:
And Life raised (and) put hand on the house, door and threshold, on
the entrance and exit of Ruda.14
You, angels, seal the house, the dwelling, the threshold and the village
of Ruda, son of Emhia and (also) his animals from pestilence and his
abodes from pestilence, calamity and disaster.15
In the above translation we can see the pun again. But the ultimate proof
about the door protecting function is situated further in the first Macuch’s
lead roll. More specifically in the recipe included at the end of a formula
(the amulet contains more formulae):
Write this concerning the names of these angels in the amulet and
place into the piece of reed. And (it is placed) on the roads going to
the village and also into the house (it is) hid[den and] on the outer gate
11
It seems that whole series of „I came and found“ could exist. The second one we know was published
in NAVEH, Joseph. Another Mandaic Lead Roll. Israel Oriental Studies, 1975, vol. 5, p. 48, (lines 1 and 27).
12
Evil entities in Mandaic mythology.
13
LIDZBARSKI, Mark. Ein mandäisches Amulett. In: Florilegium: Receuil de Travaux dediés á Melchior
de Vogüé. Paris, 1910, p. 352: Atit uaškath lbabh ḏ-nukraia kḏ qaimin šbiahia kḏ hrba bmatan šaria qria
šaria bmdintan šiqupta rbtia besquptan.
14
Fragment Ia; MACUCH. Altmändaische Bleirollen, p. 120 (lines 90–93): Uhiia aqim asim eida eluah
ḏ-bita lbaba uesqupta laila unpaqa ḏ-ruda.
15
Fragment Ic; MACUCH. Altmändaische Bleirollen, p. 132 (lines 49–53): Anatun mlakia htmuia lbith
uldurh uesqupth ulmata ḏ-ruda brh ḏ-emhia ubrith mn mutana ulškinth mn mutana uqiria ušiqupta.
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JEWISH ELEMENTS IN THE MANDAIC WRITTEN MAGIC
and on the windows leading from my presence out. And of pestilence
do not be afraid until the day when your measure will be fulfilled.16
Therefore we see the Mandaic lead rolls were used in the combination with
places of passage. According to the information given in the texts these
amulets were intended to stop the demons and diseases on their way to
the client. Our translation also shows that the final form of an amulet (lead
roll) doesn’t need to be the exact form mentioned in the recipe (amulet in
the reed tube).
Newer Mandaic magic texts are in fact compilations of spells and paper
amulets. The latter are known especially because of Lady Ethel Stefana
Drower, who tirelessly collected many manuscripts only by herself and
her Mandaic informants in the first half of 20th century. These paper strips
were inserted into the tube like the previous type, but were carried around
by their user as illustrates one of the amulet prescriptions:
Write these two sections on the plate of lead or on the good parchment
and put it in the case of hollow reed.17
The other type of preserved Mandaic magic documents is also made of
paper. It has a form of non bound paper codex (kurasa). To this day we have
access only to the two compilations called Aspar Maluašia18 (lit. the book
of zodiacal signs) and Haršia Bišia19 (lit. evil spells). The first one consists
of 24 astrological, magical and medical texts from various sources.20 The
second one includes number of individual spells with their prescriptions
and one its part remarkably resembles the Testament of Solomon, which
Lady Drower did not noticed.21
There is, among many information contained in Mandaic magic texts,
evidence proving that Mandaic magic was not an isolated system, but that
16
Fragment Ic; MACUCH. Altmändaische Bleirollen, p. 132, (lines 70–77): Hazin ktib el šumaiun ḏ-hlin
mlakia bqmaha umtna bnibza ḏ-qaina uel euhrata ḏ-atia lmata uap lbita ks[ia u]lbabia braiia ulkuuia
ḏ-npaqaan mn lapi lbar umn mutana ladhlit alma iuma ḏ-kilak šlimalh.
17
droWer, Ethel Stefana. Shafta ḏ Pishra ḏ Ainia, p. 1 (lines 462–463): Hazin tartin babnia kdub
lṭasa ḏ-abara eu lmagalta ḏ-ṭabia urmih bgupta ḏ-qaina ḏ-zrara.
18
DROWER, Ethel Stefana. The Book of Zodiac (Spar Malwašia). London: The Royal Asiatic Society,
1949.
19
DROWER, Ethel Stefana. A Mandæan Book of Black Magic. The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
of Great Britain and Ireland, October 1943, no. 2, pp. 149–181.
20
Detailed analysis was already published by the author: VINKLÁT, Marek. Aspar Maluašia: Mandejská
kniha astrologie, lékařství a magie v novém světle. Sacra, 2011, no.2, pp. 5–17.
21
DROWER, Ethel Stefana. A Mandæan Book of Black Magic, pp. 155–156.
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it was constantly in contact with magic of other ethnic and religious groups
in the Mesopotamia of Late Antiquity, especially with the Jewish one. The
following pages deal with the Jewish components and elements which were
borrowed by the Mandaeans.
the dIvorce Formulae
The usage of Jewish divorce bill ( )גטin Mandaic amulets is scarce, but it can
definitely point to some connection between Judaism and Mandaean peo-
ple in the Late Antiquity. We have access to several magic bowls in Man-
daic and also in Jewish Aramaic, which can prove the influence of Jewish
magic texts on the Mandaic ones. Some texts contain a reference on the tra-
dition about the ring of the King Solomon, which granted him an author-
ity over demons.22 The first Mandaic text using the term of the divorce bill
and also mentioning the Solomon’s ring was translated by Mark Lidzbar-
ski.23 I will here transliterate and translate only the parts of our interest
from this text:
This I have written for you, Haldas the Lilith and so I expelled you
from the house of Hurmiṣ, son of Mahlafta, from his wife Ahata,
daughter of Dade, from his sons and his daughters just like the demons
are writing the letter of divorce for their wives with honor. And after-
wards they do not return and do not bother.24 Behold, take your let-
ter of divorce and accept your vow, Haldas, Haldas the Lilith. And
get lost, leave, flee and stay away from his house, his abode, his pal-
ace and his building and from the bed and the pillow of Hurmiṣ, son
of Mahlafta, from his wife Ahata, daughter of Dade from his sons and
his daughters and from beds and pillows.25
22
See Babylonian Talmud Gitin 68a and WHITTAKER, M. The Testament of Solomon. In: SPARKS,
Hedley Frederick Davis (ed.). The Apocryphal Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984, p. 738.
23
LIDZBARSKI, Mark. Ephemeris für semitische Epigraphik: Erster Band 1900–1902. Giessen:
J. Ricker, 1902, p. 103–105. This text was also used in YAMAUCHI, Edwin Maseo. Mandaic Incantation
Texts. New Haven: American Oriental Society, 1967, pp. 251–253.
24
Lidzbarski and after him also Yamauchi leave this word untranslated. I suggest the translation
according to the Mandaic root KDR (to be heavy, e.g. kidrat – a burden).
25
LIDZBARSKI, Ephemeris für semitische Epigraphik, p. 104 (lines 2–8): Hazin ktabilik hldas lilita
uhazin apṭartik mn baith ḏ-hurmiṣ br mhlpta umn zuh ahata pt dade umn bnh ubnath kḏ ḏ-katbia šidia giṭa
lenšaiun bkušṭa utum lahadria ulamkadria ha šqul giṭik uqabil mumatik hldas hldas lilita uqda upuq ueruq
uetrahaq mn baith daurh hiklh ubinianh umn arsh ubisadih ḏ-hurmiṣ br mhlpta umn zuh ahata pt dade umn
bnaiun ubnatun umn arsaiun umn bisadiun.
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After this part follows a statement about a mighty protective ring with
God’s (alaha) name engraved. This ring is subsequently identified as the
Solomon’s (eziqth ḏ-šlimun mlka br dauid). At the end of the amulet is
a confirmation of its power: “And established (is) this letter of divorce for-
ever.” (uqaim gita hazin lalam).
Of course there are other magic bowls with these concepts. We already
know second Mandaic26 and one Jewish.27 Both of them hold the same
structure as the previous magic bowl and are very similar regarding their
word usage. The Mandaic version is slightly longer and may even be an
extended one. For better comparison I put them in the table below with
notes following. The actual numbering does not reflect original line num-
bers, but only structures the formula for further comments:
Jewish28 Mandaic29
1. (…) For imprisonment of 1. An imprisonment of Bugdana
Bgdna, the king of demons and I confirm, the king of devils and
of devils and the great ruler of the great ruler of Liliths.
Liliths.
2. I beseech you and adjure you,
2. I adjure you, Ḥbsls the Lilith, Hlabus the Lilith, daughter
daughter of the daughter of of daughter of Zarnik the Lilith,
Zrni the Lilith, whether male who occupies the threshold
or female. of the door, who wounds and
strikes boys and girls.
26
SEGAL, pp. 128–129 (Nr. 98M).
27
Translated by Thomas Ellis in LAYARD, Austen H. Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon.
London: John Murray, 1853, pp. 512–514. (Corrected and also translated by Segal as Nr. 13A).
28
SEGAL, Nr. 13A (lines 4–9).
אלאיסור בגדנא מלכיהון דשידי ודדיוי ושליתא רבה דליליתה משבענא עלכי חבסלס ליליתה בת ברתרה דזרני ליליתה אם
דכר אם ניקבה משבענא עליכי דתימיחן בטיפרס לילבכון ובמורניתה דתיקס גיברא דהוא שליט על שידי ועל יליליתא הא
כתבית בכון האהא בטלית יתכון מנה ומן ביתה דבהרנדוך בת ניונדוך ומן ברה כמא דכתבין שידין גיטין ויהבין לינשיהון ותוב
.לא חדרין עליהון שקול גיטיכון וקבילו מומתכון ופוקו וקדחו ועירוקו ואי זלו מן ביתה דבברנדוך בת ניונדוך
29
SEGAL, Judah Benzion. – HUNTER, Erica C. D. Catalogue of the Aramaic and Mandaic Incantation
Bowls in the British Museum, pp. 128–129 (Nr. 98M, lines 1–13): Elsira bugdana qaimna ana mlakaun
ḏ-diuia ušaleṭa rba ḏ-liliata muminalak umašabana lk hlabus liliata pt brath ḏ-zarnik liliata ḏ-šria el esku-
pata ḏ-baabia ḏ-mhia ušaqpa ḏ-rdqunia uḏ-quniata ašbeta lbk umaumina lakaa ḏ-timahia bṭarabus lebik
ḏ-bmrunith ḏ-eqarus mlaka gbra ḏ-hu mšalṭ el šhri uel (di)uia uel šedia uruhia uhumaria uliliata ha ktiba-
tian uhazin apaṭtaki mn ḏ-baḏrus pt qaqia (…) kama ḏ-ktib šmik šašaqul getak ugabela eumtik qeda aqra
upuq uetrahaq mn bith uduarh uhiklh ubinianh uesakupath umn bnh zikria umn banath nqabta ḏ-ha bla la
baḏrus pt qaqia bšuma tmahṣ abd higut eid eud ṭṭuz ha esira uhitima ḏ-baḏrus pt qaqia bezaqtun ḏ-glipa
alaha lbšuma ḏ-pruša ḏ-bha amaria ubašmh kulhun alamia.
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3. I adjure you to be wounded 3. I adjure you and I beseech you
into the membrane of your to be wounded into the mem-
heart and by the spear of Tiqs brane of your heart by the spear
the hero, who is the ruler over of Eqarus the angel, the hero,
demons and over liliths. who rules over ghosts and over
devils and over demons and spi-
4. This I have written against rits and wraiths and liliths.
you. Oh, oh, I keep you from
her and the house of Bhrnduk, 4. This I have written and thus
daughter of Niunduk and from I have expelled you from Bad-
her son. rus daughter of Qaqia (…)
5. As demons write letters of 5. As your name is written, take
divorce and give (them) to their your letter of divorce and accept
wives and they do not return to your vow, bolt out, flee and go
them, take your letters of divo- and escape from the house and
rce and accept your vow and go residence and palace and buil-
and bolt out and flee and leave dings and threshold and from
from the house of Bhrnduk male sons and female daughters
daughter of Niunduk. of Badrus daughter of Qaqia
6. In the name of Higih and Dih 6. In the name of Tmahṣ servant
and Ṭṭm, sealed by the ring of of Higut Eid Eud Ṭṭuz. Behold,
Tqis the hero and by the ring of bound and sealed is Badrus
Ṣurgli, upon which is the great daughter of Qaqia by the ring
explicit name. of Glipa the god, with explicit
name, in which are aspects and
in his name are all beings.
1. Both texts mention the king of demons Bugdana ( בגדנאand bug-
dana), whose name of Iranian origin could be translated similarly as
the Greek name Theodoros or its Slavic counterpart Bohdan/Bog-
dan – thus “God given”.30
2. The names of the adjured (root ח-ב- שin both cases) Lilith (חבסלס
vs. hlabus) and her grandmother ( זרניvs. zarnik) are because of their
30
For this and other name interpretations see SHAKED, Saul. King of the Demons and Other Iranian
Terms in Babylonian Aramaic Magic. In: Acta Iranica (Papers in honour of Professor Mary Boyce, II),
1985, vol. 24, pp. 511–525.
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JEWISH ELEMENTS IN THE MANDAIC WRITTEN MAGIC
similarities clearly based on some concrete name but garbled over the
time.
3. The third part adjures (again root ח-ב- שin both cases) the Lilith to
be wounded (root א-ח- מin both cases) in her heart with the spear
( מורניתvs. mrunit) of two different heroes ( תיקסand eqarus), who rule
(in both cases root ט-ל- )שover demons.
4. Here are designated the clients of the bowls.
5. It is worth to mention the phrase about taking (root ל-ק- )שthe letter of
divorce ( גיטvs. get) and accepting (root ל-ב- קgarbled in Mandaic bowl
as gabela) the vow ( מומתאvs. eumta). Verbs “go” and “bolt out” are also
of the same roots (ק-ו- פand ח-ד- קrespectively).
6. Final part of our comparison speaks about the ring ( עיזקתאvs. ezaqta)
of various gods, by whom the client is sealed (in both cases root ם-ת-)ח
and thus protected. The ring is engraved in both variants with “the
explicit” or “the interpreted name of God” (i.e. shem ha-mephorash).
Very important is that the name in Jewish Aramaic is inscribed as שם
מפורשwhile in Mandaic as šuma ḏ-pruša, which uses also the root
ש-ר-פ. Here we can see a unique attempt to translate this originally
Jewish terminus technicus into the Mandaic language.
the nameS oF PoWer
As we saw in previous parts of the presented study, the magic incantations
are often full of names of supernatural beings, both good and evil. Mandaic
magic amulets are using the names of angelic beings or Archangels known
from the Jewish tradition. Thus we can found the names of the Archan-
gel Gabriel (gbreil, gabreil, gabreiil)31 or the Archangel Rafael (ruapail,
rupail, rupaeil, rupeil, rupieil):32
In your name! Suppress and trampl(e in the name) of the angel Gabreil
and the male Ramptit and the female Ramptan.33
31
SEGAL, pp. 119–121 (90M, line 13; 91M, line 36; 92M, line 15) and droWer, Ethel Stefana.
Shafta ḏ Pishra ḏ Ainia. The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, January
1938, no. 1, p. 2.
32
SEGAL, pp. 123–128 (94M, lines 35–36; 95M, line 18; 96M, line 7; 97M, line 8), SEGAL, p. 134
(103M, line 20). POGNON, pp. 55–56 (Nr. 18, lines 5 and 21). GORDON, Cyrus Herzl. Aramaic and
Mandaic Magical Bowls. Archív Orientální, 1937, vol. 9, pp. 95–96 (lines 13 and 18). droWer, Shafta
ḏ Pishra ḏ Ainia, p. 2 (line 481).
33
Segal’s translation: SEGAL, p. 119 (90M, lines 12–13): Bšumak kibšun udušu[n bšuma] ḏ-mlaka
gbreil uruamptit zikra uramptan nqbta.
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Then I captured you and adjured you, the evil eye, blurred and drown-
ing. In the name of Markeiil and Rupieil and Gabreiil the angel, who
hates (and) interdicts the evil eye.34
The usage of the name of God himself (iahu) derived from Tetragrammaton
is scarce, but very interesting because in Mandaean traditional belief, the
God of Jews (adunai) is an evil deity as we will see further. Even if some
other non-Jewish magical texts were using this name,35 it is probable, that
the name was taken from a Jewish cultural background, because the trans-
literation of the name is closer to the Jewish one ()יהו.36
(By) the power (of) Iahu! (There) will be for him healing and favour,
glory and honour, speech, hearing and greatness. And speaking,
heared, vindicated and justified will be Adam, son of Simat. And they
will be crushed, all the haters and enemies of Adam, son of Simat
under the feet of Adam, son of Simat. Amen, amen, selah.37
This name of God could be found also on two places inside the collection of
spells called Haršia Bišia.38 The name is here also with other “Tetragram-
maton derivations” such is ia, iaia or iu. A short spell embedded inside the
ninth text of the Haršia Bišia collection reads:
Bound are you, all of you are bound. And inviting and bringing are
these amulets the healing (for) somebody son of somebody (and they)
will not free one another. In the name (of) Iahu Iaia and (of) Iu the
Light.39
34
droWer, Shafta ḏ Pishra ḏ Ainia, p.2 (lines 480–482): Tum ašbit elik umauminalik aina bišta
ukauihta uṭaiubtia bšuma ḏ-markeiil urupieil ugabreiil malaka ḏ-hasmilh harmilh el aina bišta.
35
E.g. Greek ’Iαω or Coptic Iaho (Smith, Mark S., God in Translation: Deities in Cross-Cultural
Discourse in the Biblical World, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2010, p. 278).
36
E.g. NAVEH, Joseph. – SHAKED, Shaul. Amulets and Magic Bowls. Jerusalem: The Magnes Press,
1987, pp. 45 and 51.
37
First translation of Qmaha ḏ-Hibil Ziua (II:5 – the fifth text of the second part). See the original
text in de MORGAN, Jacques. – HUART, Clément. Mission scientifique en Perse. Tome cinquième, études
linguistiques. Deuxième partie, textes mandaïtes, une notice sur les Mandéens. Paris: Ernest Leroux, 1904,
p. 261 (column 14): Haila iahu tihuilia asuta uhizda ušaua ueqara uemra ušima urabuta unimar uništma
unizkia unizdakia adam br simat unitkabšun kulhun sanai ubildbabai dilia adam br simat atutia ligria dilia
adam br simat amin amin sala.
38
droWer. A Mandæan Book of Black Magic, pp. 149–181.
39
droWer. A Mandæan Book of Black Magic, p. 172: Esiria anatun kulaikun asir umzaman umšadria
qmahia halin asuta plan br planita laništria hdadia bšum iahu iaia uiu nhur.
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The twenty first text or love spell from the same collection uses the name
Iahu along with the name Adonai and the one corrupted from the God’s
appellative “Sabaoth” ()צבאות. Angel Markeiil whom we know from one
of the previous translations is also present here. Interesting is also the cos-
mogonic information about Adunai which is definitively of Jewish origin.
Since the text is very difficult to translate because of its dissimilarities with
other variants of Haršia Bišia collection I am giving here only the neces-
sary parts of the text:
(In the name of) Adunai, who condensed the earth and fastened up
the heavens. In the name of Iaiaiaiaiaiaia Iahuiahuiahuiahuiahuiahui-
ahu. In the name of Markeiil. In the names of those angels of love, of
lust and passion. (…) These angels will submit N. (him) to N. (her). In
the names of these angels. In the name (of) the mistress (of) gods and
men. In the name (of) Adunai Ṣbabut Ia Iahu. Amen, amen, selah.40
Very distinctive are the formations of the Tetragrammaton derivatives ia
and iahu, which are in both cases repeated seven times. This could resem-
ble to us the hekhalot literature,41 later Jewish mysticism, its interest in
God’s names and its permutations and combination of the Tetragramat-
ton letters.
Because the Jewish God under the name Adonai is understood as the
god of demons in the Mandaean belief system, he is often invoked in magic
formulae to pacify his subjects. Mandaeans ascribed to him the role of the
driver of the Sun chariot. For this reason he seems to be connected with
the other “chariots” (planets) in magic texts, as is seen in the formula for
removing the curses:
Removed are from her in the power of Adunai Iurba, head of all tem-
ples and leader of all the great chariots of darkness.42
40
droWer. A Mandæan Book of Black Magic, pp. 177–178: Adunai ḏ-hu kbiš arqa umasia lšumia bšum
iaiaiaiaiaiaia iahuiahuiahuiahuiahuiahuiahu bšum markeiil bšumaihun ḏ-halin malakia ḏ-rhamta ḏ-šiha
ušigra (…) halin hinun mlakia nikibšin plan atutia planita bšumaihun ḏ-halin mlakia bšum marat alahia
uanašia bšum adunai ṣbabut ia iahu amin amin sala.
41
For example the combinations of God’s name in Shiʻur Qoma.
42
This phrase is found in more than one text. POGNON, pp. 17–23 (Nr. 1, lines 9–11; Nr. 2, lines
8–10; Nr. 3, lines 12–14), POGNON, p. 70 (Nr. 24, lines 14–20): Rhiq minh bhailh ḏ-adunai iurba rišaiun
ḏ-kulhun ekuria umdbrana ḏ-kulhun mrkbata rurbata ḏ-hšuka.
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There is also evidence the Mandaeans believed, that through the power of
Adonai is possible to hurt and curse somebody. He could be seen as some
kind of “double agent“ which can help on one hand and harm on the other.
He is accompanied by other malevolent deities in the following list:
And afflicted will be (those) who are cursing in the name of the seven
angels and (th)ree Astartes, in the name of Estqutqup the grievous,
and of Qadiš, and of Adunai Hbubit Ṣnubit, in the name of Astarte.
The angels, I have seen; I throw on them a great vault which is upon
the sorceries and I tangled them all together and surrounded all the
mysteries they possess.43
The part of the magical formula presented here can help us to understand
the praxis and usage of Aramaic magic bowls in general. Since the bowls
were found underground and upside down, we can guess the bowls were
really meant to serve as some kind of traps, under which the curse or
demon was imprisoned – hence the usage of the word “vault” (qumba) in
our text. Further, the spiral shape of the original texts on the bowls should
be perceived with the help of the root “to tangle” (HQL). The spiral lines
were intended to twist the curses and to lure the demons inside this “prim-
itive” labyrinth of letters underneath the bowl. Here are the evil spells of
the angels surrounded (MṢR) maybe for ever.
Very interesting is the fact we can find the names of Mandaic godly
beings in Jewish magical texts. The name of Abatur, the scale keeper of
Mandaean eschatology,44 appears to be inscribed inside of one Jewish
magic bowl in a corrupted form as “Abiṭur” ()אביטור:
This is the bill of divorcement for the demon and for (…) and for Satan
and for Nirik and for the dead45 and for Abiṭur the Mountain,46 and for
43
POGNON, pp. 36–38 (Nr. 13, lines 7–12). I translate “razia ḏ-etbia” in a different way than Pognon
(“tous les mystéres qui sont en moi”) and Yamauchi (“their mysteries which were in me”). Umrariata hauia
ḏ-laṭnin bšum šuba mlakia ulat estrata bšum estqutqup taqup uqadiš uadunai hbubit ṣnubit bšum estar
mlakia ana ḏ-hztinin shpit elauihin qumba rbatia ḏ-el hršia uhqiltinun lkulhun bhudadia umṣrtinun
lkulhun razia ḏ-etbia.
44
For the detailed description see DROWER, Ethel Stefana. Diwan Abatur or Progress Through the
Purgatories. Citta Del Vaticano: 1950.
45
Segal leaves as „DKYH“. I translate from the root ך-ע-( דto extinguish, quench).
46
Maybe an epithet similar to the one of the Mandaean infernal demon Krun “the big mountain of
flesh” – krun ṭura rba ḏ-bisra (Ginza Iamina, PETERMANN, Julius Heinrich. Thesaurus sive Liber
Magnus. Leipzig: T.O. Weigel, 1867, p. 126, line 8).
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this Lilith, that they will vanish from Bhrnduk dauther of Niunduk
and from Mhdd son of Aiṣpndrmid and from her whole house.47
Also a similar name to Ptahil’s, who is the fallen demiurge in Man-
daic belief system,48 is to be found in popular Jewish magical compendium
called Sefer ha-Razim (The Book of Secrets) from the fourth century.49 The
name Ptḥiʻl ( )פתחיעלis listed among other names of angels who stand on
the ninth step of the second firmament.50 Since the letters h ( )הand ḥ ()ח
merged in Mandaic ( הexists only as a third person suffix) the name of this
particular Jewish angel could be indeed rendered as Ptahil (with an assim-
ilation of עwith )י.
s
After outlining some issues I would like to ask several questions. It was
proven that Mandaic magic texts use the same terminology as Jewish ones,
both religious and legal. Some of them can be connected with hekhalot lit-
erature and the question is, by which means? Could we trace the origins
of Mandaean religion in presented magic tradition or even in hekhalot lit-
erature itself? The magic of Mesopotamian Jews of Late Antiquity defi-
nitely affected the magic of Mandaeans of the same place and time. For
further research on this topic there is need to analyze all of the available
Mandaic and Jewish magic texts of Late Antiquity together with the Hekh-
alot literature. A complete monograph on metal amulets is lacking, as well
as a dictionary or database of all words used in Mandaic magic texts with
their translation and language analysis – such a tool would effectively aid
scholars.
47
LAYARD. Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon, pp. 512 (SEGAL, 13A, lines 1–3).
הדין גיטא לשידא ול[…] ולסטנה ולניריך ולדכיה ולאביטור טורא ולדנה וליליתא דיבטלון מן בהרנדוך בת ניונדוך ומן
.מהדד בר איצפנדרמיד ומן ביתה כוליה
48
For further details and for possible etymology see KRAELING, Carl H. The Mandaic God Ptahil.
Journal of the American Oriental Society, June 1933, Vol. 53, No. 2, pp. 152–165.
49
MORGAN, Michael A. Sepher Ha-Razim: The Book of Mysteries. Chico: Scholars Press, 1983, p. 8.
50
MORGAN, Sepher Ha-Razim, p. 55.
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