Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-witchcraft Rituals, Volume I 1

Among the most important sources for understanding the cultures and systems of thought of ancient Mesopotamia is a large body of magical and medical texts written in the Sumerian and Akkadian languages. An especially significant branch of this literature centres upon witchcraft. Mesopotamian anti-witchcraft rituals and incantations attribute ill-health and misfortune to the magic machinations of witches and prescribe ceremonies, devices, and treatments for dispelling witchcraft, destroying the witch, and protecting and curing the patient. The Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-witchcraft Rituals aims to present a reconstruction of this body of texts; it provides critical editions of the relevant rituals and prescriptions based on the study of the cuneiform tablets and fragments recovered from the libraries of ancient Mesopotamia. This is the first volume in the three-part Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-witchcraft Rituals series. Volumes two and three are expected in 2015 and 2018 respectively. Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-Witchcraft Rituals, Volume I 4 Contents 6 Preface 10 Abbreviations and Symbols 14 Introduction: The Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-Witchcraft Rituals 18 1. Ancient Mesopotamian Witchcraft Beliefs 18 1. “That man is bewitched ...” 18 2. The Nature of Witchcraft 19 3. The Stereotype of the Witch 21 4. Witchcraft and Other Sources of Evil 23 5. Witch Trials and Witchcraft Accusations 24 2. Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Pharmaceutical Texts Concerned with Witchcraft 25 1. Character and Formats of Anti-witchcraft Texts 25 2. Scope and Organization of the Present Corpus 27 3. Aspects of the Composition and Development of the Texts 34 4. Witchcraft Therapies: Typical Elements, Structure and Functionality 37 1. Ceremonial Rituals 37 2. Prescriptions 41 5. Introductory Notes on the Presentation of the Texts 41 Texts of Group I: Prescription Undoing Witchcraft (ANA PIŠERTI KIŠPĪ) 44 1.1 A MIDDLE BABYLONIAN COLLECTION FROM BOĞAZKÖY KUB 37, 44 (+) 37, 46 (+) 37, 47 (+) 37, 49 (+)?? 37, 48 // KUB 37, 43 44 Content 44 Transliteration 45 Translation 50 Notes 52 1.2 FRAGMENTS OF A COLLECTION COPIED BY A HITTITE SCRIBE KUB 37, 51 (+) 37, 53 (+) 37, 99 57 Content 57 Transliteration 57 Notes 58 1.3 A RELATED FRAGMENT FROM BOĞAZKÖY KUB 37, 52 60 Content 60 Transliteration 60 Notes 60 1.4 FRAGMENT FROM BOĞAZKÖY WITH VARIOUS PRESCRIPTIONS KUB 4, 60 + KBo 36, 38 61 1.5 AN ANA PIŠERTI KIŠPĪ RITUAL KUB 4, 99 // KBo 9, 47 // BAM 317 // KAR 275 // KAL 2, 43 (+) 44 // VAT 12153 63 Content 63 Transliteration 64 Translation 67 Notes 67 1.6 AN ANA PIŠERTI KIŠPĪ FRAGMENT FROM AŠŠUR BAM 206 70 Content 70 Transliteration 70 Notes 71 1.7 AN ANA PIŠERTI KIŠPĪ U MĀMĪTI PRESCRIPTION FROM AŠŠUR BAM 197 73 Content 73 Transliteration 73 Translation 74 Notes 74 1.8 AN ANA PIŠERTI KIŠPĪ PRESCRIPTION ON FRAGMENTS FROM AŠŠUR KAL 2, 42 // BAM 161 // BAM 436 // BAM 282 77 Content 77 Transliteration 78 Translation 80 Notes 80 Texts of Group II: Prescriptions to Be Used for Bewitched Persons (ŠUMMA AMĒLU KAŠIP) 82 2.1 OLD BABYLONIAN ŠUMMA AMĒLU KAŠIP PRESCRIPTIONS BAM 393 82 Content 82 Transliteration 82 Translation 83 Notes 83 2.2 A COLLECTION OF ANTI-WITCHCRAFT THERAPIES FROM BOĞAZKÖY KUB 37, 55 + KBo 36, 32 // KUB 37, 9 // BAM 140 // KAL 2, 43 (+) 44 // BAM 208 // AMT 85/1 (+) 86/1 // Th 1905-4-9, 92 // CTN 4, 124 84 Content 84 Transliteration 86 Translation 94 Notes 97 2.3 A COLLECTION OF ANTI-WITCHCRAFT THERAPIES FROM NINEVEH AMT 85/1 (+) 86/1 // K 6586 (AMT 85/1) (+) AMT 85/3 (+) 29/9 (+) 82-3-2, 103 (+) Sm 1960 // KUB 37, 56 // KUB 37, 55 + KBo 36, 32 // BAM 208 100 Content 100 Transliteration 102 Translation 108 Notes 112 2.4 FRAGMENTARY PRESCRIPTIONS AGAINST WITCHCRAFT BAM 208 116 Content 116 Transliteration 116 Notes 117 2.5 ŠUMMA AMĒLU KAŠIP PRESCRIPTIONS WITH SYMPTOM DESCRIPTIONS BAM 205 // 81-7-27, 73 // KAR 70 // STT 280 // K 9451 + 11676 + Sm 818 + 961 // BM 68033 // LKA 144 // BAM 207 // BAM 320 // SpTU 1, 9 118 Content 118 Transliteration 120 Translation 128 Notes 131 Texts of Group VII: UŠBURRUDA Texts 132 7.1 A SUMERIAN UŠBURRUDA INCANTATION FROM THE OLD BABYLONIAN PERIOD VS 17, 31 132 Content 132 Transliteration 132 Translation 133 Notes 133 7.2 TABLET 63 OF THE CANONICAL UŠBURRUDA SERIES BAM 438 // BAM 437 134 Content 134 Transliteration 135 Translation 136 Notes 137 7.3 TABLET 53? OF THE CANONICAL UŠBURRUDA SERIES BM 128037 139 Content 139 Transliteration 139 Notes 140 7.4 TABLET 22? OF THE CANONICAL UŠBURRUDA SERIES CT 51, 194 141 Content 141 Transliteration 141 Notes 142 7.5 UŠBURRUDA WITHIN THE THERAPEUTIC SERIES K 3661 //? AMT 44/7 143 Content 143 Transliteration 143 Translation 144 Notes 145 7.6 RITUALS AGAINST ENEMIES: THE INCANTATION KÚR-KÚR BÍL 146 Content 146 Transliteration 149 Translation 156 Notes 163 7.7 UŠBURRUDA AGAINST DEPRESSION BAM 443 + 444 + K 6240 + 16808 + 81-2-4, 393 // K 15055 // KAR 92 // VAT 14183 //? BAM 445 // AMT 35/3 // BAM 434 167 Content 167 Transliteration 168 Translation 173 Notes 175 7.8 AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF UŠBURRUDA HEILMITTEL-RITUALS K 8079 (+) 8112 + 9666 (+) 8162 + 10357 (+) 8933 (+) 10358 (+) 11243 (ABRT 2, 18) (+) 12936 // Th 1905-4-9, 72 + 73 // K 13718 // Sm 275 + Rm 329 (+) Sm 352 // 80-7-19, 146 + K 10559 + 11993 + Sm 1330 // K 10341 // Rm 252 // K 9467 // KAL 2, 10 // KAL 2, 11 // CBS 1720 // PBS 1/2, 120 // TCL 6, 49 // RA 22, 154–56 // SpTU 4, 140 // Sm 756 // KAL 2, 36 // 81-7-27, 140 // BM 38635 // BM 38013 176 Content 176 Transliteration 182 Translation 202 Notes 212 7.9 AN APOTROPAIC UŠBURRUDA RITUAL PBS 1/1, 16 // BM 45419 217 Content 217 Transliteration 218 Translation 219 Notes 220 7.10 PRESCRIPTIONS AND DRUG LISTS FOR UŠBURRUDA 221 Content 221 Synopsis of Text Units 222 7.10.1 BAM 434–36 with duplicates 222 7.10.2 BAM 90 227 7.10.3 BAM 190 with duplicates 228 7.10.4 BAM 430 and BAM 431 230 7.10.5 AMT 48/2 230 Transliteration 231 7.10.1: BAM 434–36 (mss. A, M, N) with duplicates 231 7.10.2: BAM 90 (ms. D) 243 7.10.3: BAM 190 (ms. F) with duplicates 243 7.10.4: BAM 430 and BAM 431 (mss. H and L) 247 7.10.5: AMT 48/2 (ms. S) 248 Translation 249 7.10.1: BAM 434–36 (mss. A, M, N) with duplicates 249 7.10.2: BAM 90 (ms. D) 256 7.10.3: BAM 190 (ms. F) with duplicates 256 7.10.4: BAM 430 and BAM 431 (mss. H and L) 259 7.10.5: AMT 48/2 (ms. S) 259 Notes 260 Texts of Group VIII: Ceremonial Rituals for Undoing Witchcraft 263 8.1 PIERCING FIGURINES OF WARLOCK AND WITCH BAM 214 // K 3196 + 3344 // KAL 2, 22 (BAM 334) // KAL 2, 23 (LKA 156) 263 Content 263 Transliteration 264 Translation 268 Notes 270 8.2 BURNING THE WITCHES’ FIGURINES AND PASSING WITCHCRAFT ON TO OTHERS KAL 2, 25 (LKA 157) // KAL 2, 24 (LKA 154 + 155) // K 3394 (ŠRT pl. 7) + 9866 273 Content 273 Transliteration 274 Translation 280 Notes 284 8.3 BURNING THE WITCHES’ FIGURINES BEFORE ŠAMAŠ AND PURIFYING THE PATIENT SpTU 2, 19 // KAL 2, 28 // K 3360 + 8019 + 9149 + 14202 + 14734 + Sm 1143 // PBS 1/2, 133 // K 3379 + Sm 1178 (+) K 2585 // PBS 10/2, 18 // Sm 1115 // UET 7, 119 // LKA 158 (KAL 2, 29) // Bu 91-5-9, 143 + 176 287 Content 287 Transliteration 289 Translation 300 Notes 306 8.4 RITUAL BEFORE ŠAMAŠ WITH STANDARD INCANTATIONS FOR BURNING FIGURINES KAL 2, 8 (KAR 80) // K 431 + 1853 + 6262 + 6789 + 11260 + 13358 + 13813 (+) 3000 (+) 6996 (+) 7201 + 10819 (+) 9216 + 17321 // Bu 88-5-12, 95 // K 10245 // KAL 2, 15 // VAT 11567 310 Content 310 Transliteration 311 Translation 318 Notes 321 8.5 A COLLECTION OF ANTI-WITCHCRAFT RITUALS BEFORE ŠAMAŠ KAL 2, 15 // KAL 2, 8 (KAR 80) // K 431 + 1853 + 6262 + 6789 + 11260 + 13358 + 13813 (+) 3000 (+) 6996 (+) 7201 + 10819 (+) 9216 + 17321 // Bu 88-5-12, 95 // IV R2 17 + K 5326 + 16854 // Ki 1904-10-9, 108 // KAL 2, 20 // VAT 14215 323 Content 323 Transliteration 324 Translation 329 Notes 332 8.6 ANTI-WITCHCRAFT RITUALS ADDRESSED TO MARDUK AND IŠTAR AMT 22/1 + K 3648 + 15966 + Sm 1280 // K 431 + 1853 + 6262 + 6789 + 11260 + 13358 + 13813 (+) 3000 (+) 6996 (+) 7201 + 10819 (+) 9216 + 17321 // BAM 232 // STT 129 + 262 (+) 130 (+) 134 (+) 135 (+) 328 // K 2493 + 7102 + 9081 + 10352 (+) 8965 // K 5088 + 6918 + 11307 (+) 10353 + 11159 // LKA 58 (+)? VAT 13960 // K 10722 // K 15445 335 Content 335 Transliteration 336 Translation 346 Notes 349 8.7 BURNING THE WITCHES AND SENDING THEM TO THE NETHERWORLD 353 Content 353 Transliteration 354 8.7.1 The Library Version: BAM 231 (+)? KAL 2, 26 (+)? KAL 2, 27 // BAM 332 // CBS 1498 // RIAA 312 354 8.7.2 The ‘Memorandum’ Version: K 888 359 Translation 360 8.7.1: The Library Version: Mss. A // B // c // D 360 8.7.2: The ‘Memorandum’ Version: K 888 (ms. e) 365 Notes 366 8.8 ANOTHER CASE OF BURNING AND SENDING TO THE NETHERWORLD K 3292 + 7788 + 7798 + 17984 370 Content 370 Transliteration 370 Translation 371 Notes 371 8.9 FRAGMENT OF A RITUAL BEFORE ŠAMAŠ Sm 1923 // KAL 2, 58 (+)?? KAL 2, 59 (LKA 161) 372 Content 372 Transliteration 372 Translation 373 Notes 374 8.10 FRAGMENTARY RITUAL PRECEDED BY DIAGNOSES K 10203 + 11590 375 Content 375 Transliteration 375 Translation 376 Notes 376 8.11 FRAGMENT OF A DIAGNOSTIC SECTION K 12765 377 Content 377 Transliteration 377 Bound Transcription 377 Translation 378 Notes 378 8.12 REPELLING THE SORCERIES OF AN ADVERSARY IN COURT VAT 35 379 Content 379 Transliteration 379 Translation 380 Notes 380 8.13 RITUAL AGAINST AN ADVERSARY BEFORE IŠTAR IV R2 55/2 // BM 66627 382 Content 382 Transliteration 382 Translation 384 Notes 387 8.14 FORCING BACK A BEWITCHED HUSBAND STT 257 389 Content 389 Transliteration 389 Translation 390 Notes 391 Texts of Group IX: Anti-Witchcraft Incantations within BĪT RIMKI and elated Texts 392 9.1 THE AKKADIAN ŠAMAŠ PRAYER OF THE SECOND HOUSE OF BĪT RIMKI K 2563 + 2820 + 2821 + 2843 + 5750 + 9601 + 10537 + 16716 // K 2368 + 9830 + 11661 + 11768 + 20281 (+) 13305 (+)? IV R2 23/3 (+) DT 120 // Sm 94 // PBS 1/2, 129 // STT 76 // STT 77 // BM 123376 392 Content 392 Transliteration 393 Translation 400 Notes 402 9.2 A PARALLEL TO THE SEGMENT OF BĪT RIMKI CONTAINING THE MAQLÛ AND ŠURPU CYCLES PBS 1/1, 13 // Sm 635 + 1188 + 1612 // K 15234 (+) 16344 404 Content 404 Transliteration 405 Translation 407 Notes 409 9.3 A PARALLEL TO THE MAQLÛ CYCLE SEGMENT OF BĪT RIMKI SpTU 2, 19 // SpTU 4, 139 410 Content 410 Transliteration 411 Translation 412 Notes 413 Texts of Group X: Rituals against ZIKURUDÛ and Other Special Types of Witchcraft 416 10.1 FRAGMENT OF A COLLECTION OF ZIKURUDÛ THERAPIES AMT 44/4 + KMI 76a 416 Content 416 Transliteration 417 Translation 417 Notes 418 10.2 ZIKURUDÛ BEFORE URSA MAJOR, THE WAGON STAR PBS 1/2, 121 420 Content 420 Transliteration 420 Translation 421 Notes 422 10.3 VARIOUS RITUALS AND PRESCRIPTIONS AGAINST ZIKURUDÛ BAM 449 (+) 458 // BAM 454 (+) 455 (+) 467 // Sm 1304 // SMEA 30, 245 no. 27 424 Content 424 Transliteration 425 Translation 429 Notes 431 10.4 VARIOUS PRESCRIPTIONS AGAINST ZIKURUDÛ K 2351 + 5859 + 8184 + AMT 13/4 + BAM 460 // BAM 454 (+) 455 (+) 467 // BAM 453, BAM 452 433 Content 433 Transliteration 434 Translation 436 Notes 438 10.5 A FRAGMENT WITH ZIKURUDÛ THERAPIES BAM 464 440 Content 440 Transliteration 440 Translation 441 Notes 441 Texts of Group XI: Rituals in Case of Evil Omens Indicating Witchcraft 442 11.1 A CREAKING DOOR ANNOUNCES WITCHCRAFT UET 7, 125 // KAR 298 // K 9873 + 79-7-8, 240 // K 2481 442 Content 442 Transliteration 443 Translation 445 Notes 446 11.2 A SACK OF WITCHCRAFT AND FUNGUS UNDER A STONE STT 254 // A 3471 447 Content 447 Transliteration 447 Translation 449 Notes 450 Texts of Group XII: Diagnostic Texts 451 12.1 ‘CUTTING-OF-THE-THROAT’, HATE-MAGIC AND ‘SEIZING-OF-THE-MOUTH’ STT 89 451 Content 451 Transliteration 453 Translation 456 Notes 458 Bibliography 461 Concordances 469 Registers 485 1. Botanical and Mineral Substances Used in the Prescriptions 485 2. Incantation Incipits 491 3. Words Discussed 494 4. Selected Texts 495 Copies of Cuneiform Tevts 500 Collations 630 Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-Witchcraft Rituals, Volume I......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 10 Abbreviations and Symbols......Page 14 1. “That man is bewitched ...”......Page 18 2. The Nature of Witchcraft......Page 19 3. The Stereotype of the Witch......Page 21 4. Witchcraft and Other Sources of Evil......Page 23 5. Witch Trials and Witchcraft Accusations......Page 24 1. Character and Formats of Anti-witchcraft Texts......Page 25 2. Scope and Organization of the Present Corpus......Page 27 3. Aspects of the Composition and Development of the Texts......Page 34 1. Ceremonial Rituals......Page 37 5. Introductory Notes on the Presentation of the Texts......Page 41 Content......Page 44 Transliteration......Page 45 Translation......Page 50 Notes......Page 52 Transliteration......Page 57 Notes......Page 58 Notes......Page 60 1.4 FRAGMENT FROM BOĞAZKÖY WITH VARIOUS PRESCRIPTIONS KUB 4, 60 + KBo 36, 38......Page 61 Content......Page 63 Transliteration......Page 64 Notes......Page 67 Transliteration......Page 70 Notes......Page 71 Transliteration......Page 73 Notes......Page 74 Content......Page 77 Transliteration......Page 78 Notes......Page 80 Transliteration......Page 82 Notes......Page 83 Content......Page 84 Transliteration......Page 86 Translation......Page 94 Notes......Page 97 Content......Page 100 Transliteration......Page 102 Translation......Page 108 Notes......Page 112 Transliteration......Page 116 Notes......Page 117 Content......Page 118 Transliteration......Page 120 Translation......Page 128 Notes......Page 131 Transliteration......Page 132 Notes......Page 133 Content......Page 134 Transliteration......Page 135 Translation......Page 136 Notes......Page 137 Transliteration......Page 139 Notes......Page 140 Transliteration......Page 141 Notes......Page 142 Transliteration......Page 143 Translation......Page 144 Notes......Page 145 Content......Page 146 Transliteration......Page 149 Translation......Page 156 Notes......Page 163 Content......Page 167 Transliteration......Page 168 Translation......Page 173 Notes......Page 175 Content......Page 176 Transliteration......Page 182 Translation......Page 202 Notes......Page 212 Content......Page 217 Transliteration......Page 218 Translation......Page 219 Notes......Page 220 Content......Page 221 7.10.1 BAM 434–36 with duplicates......Page 222 7.10.2 BAM 90......Page 227 7.10.3 BAM 190 with duplicates......Page 228 7.10.5 AMT 48/2......Page 230 7.10.1: BAM 434–36 (mss. A, M, N) with duplicates......Page 231 7.10.3: BAM 190 (ms. F) with duplicates......Page 243 7.10.4: BAM 430 and BAM 431 (mss. H and L)......Page 247 7.10.5: AMT 48/2 (ms. S)......Page 248 7.10.1: BAM 434–36 (mss. A, M, N) with duplicates......Page 249 7.10.3: BAM 190 (ms. F) with duplicates......Page 256 7.10.5: AMT 48/2 (ms. S)......Page 259 Notes......Page 260 Content......Page 263 Transliteration......Page 264 Translation......Page 268 Notes......Page 270 Content......Page 273 Transliteration......Page 274 Translation......Page 280 Notes......Page 284 Content......Page 287 Transliteration......Page 289 Translation......Page 300 Notes......Page 306 Content......Page 310 Transliteration......Page 311 Translation......Page 318 Notes......Page 321 Content......Page 323 Transliteration......Page 324 Translation......Page 329 Notes......Page 332 Content......Page 335 Transliteration......Page 336 Translation......Page 346 Notes......Page 349 Content......Page 353 8.7.1 The Library Version: BAM 231 (+)? KAL 2, 26 (+)? KAL 2, 27 // BAM 332 // CBS 1498 // RIAA 312......Page 354 8.7.2 The ‘Memorandum’ Version: K 888......Page 359 8.7.1: The Library Version: Mss. A // B // c // D......Page 360 8.7.2: The ‘Memorandum’ Version: K 888 (ms. e)......Page 365 Notes......Page 366 Transliteration......Page 370 Notes......Page 371 Transliteration......Page 372 Translation......Page 373 Notes......Page 374 Transliteration......Page 375 Notes......Page 376 Bound Transcription......Page 377 Notes......Page 378 Transliteration......Page 379 Notes......Page 380 Transliteration......Page 382 Translation......Page 384 Notes......Page 387 Transliteration......Page 389 Translation......Page 390 Notes......Page 391 Content......Page 392 Transliteration......Page 393 Translation......Page 400 Notes......Page 402 Content......Page 404 Transliteration......Page 405 Translation......Page 407 Notes......Page 409 Content......Page 410 Transliteration......Page 411 Translation......Page 412 Notes......Page 413 Content......Page 416 Translation......Page 417 Notes......Page 418 Transliteration......Page 420 Translation......Page 421 Notes......Page 422 Content......Page 424 Transliteration......Page 425 Translation......Page 429 Notes......Page 431 Content......Page 433 Transliteration......Page 434 Translation......Page 436 Notes......Page 438 Transliteration......Page 440 Notes......Page 441 Content......Page 442 Transliteration......Page 443 Translation......Page 445 Notes......Page 446 Transliteration......Page 447 Translation......Page 449 Notes......Page 450 Content......Page 451 Transliteration......Page 453 Translation......Page 456 Notes......Page 458 Bibliography......Page 461 Concordances......Page 469 1. Botanical and Mineral Substances Used in the Prescriptions......Page 485 2. Incantation Incipits......Page 491 3. Words Discussed......Page 494 4. Selected Texts......Page 495 Copies of Cuneiform Tevts......Page 500 Collations......Page 630 Among the most important sources for understanding the cultures and systems of thought of ancient Mesopotamia is a large body of magical and medical texts written in the Sumerian and Akkadian languages. An especially significant branch of this literature centres upon witchcraft. Mesopotamian anti-witchcraft rituals and incantations attribute ill-health and misfortune to the magic machinations of witches and prescribe ceremonies, devices, and treatments for dispelling witchcraft, destroying the witch, and protecting and curing the patient. The Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-witchcraft Rituals aims to present a reconstruction of this body of texts; it provides critical editions of the relevant rituals and prescriptions based on the study of the cuneiform tablets and fragments recovered from the libraries of ancient Mesopotamia. This is the first volume in the three-part Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-witchcraft Rituals . Volumes two and three are expected in 2015 and 2018 respectively. "Even in its incomplete form, Mesopotamian Anti-Witchcraft Rituals is a major contribution to the study of witchcraft, supernatural belief, folk medicine (both supernatural and non-supernatural), theories of magic, incantations, and ritual. This edition is required reading for any scholar with an interest in these topics." David Elton Gay, Indiana University "Among the most important sources for understanding the cultures and systems of thought of ancient Mesopotamia is a large body of magical and medical texts written in the Sumerian and Akkadian languages. An especially significant branch of this literature centres upon witchcraft. Mesopotamian anti-witchcraft rituals and incantations attribute ill-health and misfortune to the magic machinations of witches and prescribe ceremonies, devices, and treatments for dispelling witchcraft, destroying the witch, and protecting and curing the patient. The Corpus of Mesopotamian Anti-witchcraft Rituals aims to present a reconstruction of this body of texts; it provides critical editions of the relevant rituals and prescriptions based on the study of the cuneiform tablets and fragments recovered from the libraries of ancient Mesopotamia."--Back cover [edited] By Tzvi Abusch And Daniel Schwemer. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Includes English Translations Of Texts Originally Composed In The Sumerian And Akkadian Languages.