11.1 Sensitive Perceptions of the Divine Element
11.2 Theophanies: Visions
11.3 Epiphanies: Signs and Wonders
11.4 The Sense of the Miracle
11.5 Theophanic Dreams: The Comparison
11.6 Epiphanic Dreams: The Symbol
11.7 Necromancy
ERRORS in databases:
- "Boson1918Assiriologia.d": duplicate bibliography "Boson1918Assiriologia" for site "Akk-lg".
- "Bottero1992Reasoning.d": duplicate bibliography "Bottero1992Reasoning" for site "Mes-rel".
- "Buccellati1972Teodicea.d": duplicate bibliography "Buccellati1972Teodicea" for site "Mes-lit".
- "Cauvin2000Birth.d": duplicate bibliography "Cauvin2000Birth" for site "Mes-rel".
- "DMB.d": duplicate bibliography "DMB" for site "Mes-rel".
- "Edzard2003Sumerian.d": duplicate bibliography "Edzard2003Sumerian" for site "Mes-rel".
- "Oshima2014Sufferers.d": duplicate bibliography "Oshima2014Sufferers" for site "Mes-rel".
- "Trinkaus1983Shanidar.d": duplicate bibliography "Trinkaus1983Shanidar" for site "Mes-rel".
11.1 Sensitive Perceptions of the Divine Element
[Traum und Welterleben im antiken Mesopotamien : Traumtheorie und Traumpraxis im 3.-1. Jahrtausend v. Chr. als Horizont einer Kulturgeschichte des Tra�umens / Annette Zgoll.]
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«The divine element is sometimes perceived as manifesting itself sensibly, with particular reference to sight and hearing» (G. Buccellati, Chapter 11, Section1).
For an example of this manifestation of the divine with reference to sight and hearing, see e.g. [1 Kings 19] (https://www.tanakhml.org/d13.php2xml?sfr=10&prq=19&psq=1&lvl=99&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb&xml=fls), in the account of the calling of Elijah (cf. infra 14.7).
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See Martel- Thoumian 2015 Peste for an example of events interpreted as divine wrath.
– [ Jonah Lynch, January 2021]
11.2 Theophanies: Visions
About theophany, see also the related entry in the Jewish Encyclopedia.
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For the Akkadian term tabrītu, ‘vision’, see CAD 18 = T, pp. 31-32.
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For the Hebrew term חָזוֹן, ḥāzôn, ‘vision’, see DCH 3, p. 183. For two example of passages of the Old testament attesting the word, see 1 Sam. 3, 1 and 1Sam. 3, 21.
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For Adapa struggling with Anu, under the advises of Ea in the Story of Adapa, see Foster 2005 Before, pp. 525-530 (cf. supra 6.9 and 7.10).
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For Gilgamesh repelling Ishtar, see George 2000 Gilgamesh, pp. 47-54 = Table VI (cf. supra 7.10).
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For the Biblical passages mentioned by G. Buccellati:
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For the text of Atramhasis, see supra 6.2. For Utnapishtim, see supra 7.8.
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For the goddess Ishtar, see here.
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For the god Ea/Enki, see here.
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For the god Anu, see here.
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For myths telling man’s creation, see e.g. Foster 2005 Before, pp. 491-493.
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11.3 Epiphanies: Signs and Wonders
For the two Hebrew terms אֹותֹת וּמֹפְתִים, ’ôthôth w-môfetîm, ‘signs and wonders’, see DCH 1, pp. 165-167 (singular אֹות, ’ôth) and DCH 5, p. 183 (singular מוֹפֵת, môfēth), respectively. For the first attestation in the Old Testament (mentioned by G. Buccellati in Chapter 11, Section 3), see Dt. 6, 22.
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For the Akkadian term ittu, ‘omen’, see CAD 7 = I-J, pp. 304-312.
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For the Akkadian term izbu, ‘malformed newborn human or animal’, see CAD 7 = I-J, pp. 317-318.
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For the Greek term τέρατα, térata, cf. supra 9.2.
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For Appendix 5, see here.
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For Ex. 7, 26-29, see here.
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For Appendix 6, see here; see mostly Reiner 1981 Enuma; cf. Bezold 1889- 1899 Catalogue, King 1914 Catalogue, and Leichty 1986 Catalogue.
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For Mt. 2, 2 see here, Greek and here, English.
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For Ex. 12, 29-34, see here.
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For Ex. 14, 15-31, see here.
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For the biblical passage of Elijah’s call, see 1 Kings 18, 30-38.
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For Appendix 4, see here.
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For 2 Kings 5, 13-14, see here.
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For the biblical passage of Elijah’s sacrifice, see 1 Kings 18, 37.
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11.4 The Sense of the Miracle
For the episode of David and Goliath (1 Sam. 17, 40-54), see here.
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For Dt. 29, 3, see here.
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11.5 Theophanic Dreams: The Comparison
For Appendix 10, see here.
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For Nergal and Ishum, see here and here, respectively.
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For the biblical passages mentioned by G. Buccellati in Chapter 11, Section 5, see:
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About dreams and dream interpretation in Ancient Near East and Israel: Alster 1972 Dumuzi; Alster 2006 Dumuzi.
For the Sumerian text of Dumuzi’s dream ETCSL 1.4.3, see here, Sumerian and here, English.
Further useful bibliography on dreams and divination: Butler 1998 Dreams; Hamori 2018 Divination; Lichtenstein 1969 Dream; Noegel 2007 Dreams; Oppenheim 1956 Dreams; Oppenheim 1969 Dream Book; Peterson 2009 Alteration; Pinker 2005 Daniel; Pongratz- Leisten 2010 Dreams; Sasson 1983 Mari; Shupak 2006 Joseph; Stefanini 1969 Enkidu; Sweek 1996 Dreams; Veldhuis 2001 Bilgames.
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For the Sumerian text of Gudea’s dream (mentioned by G. Buccellati in Chapter 11, Section 5), see ETCSL 2.1.7: The building of Ninĝirsu’s temple (Gudea, cylinders A and B), see here, Sumerian and here, English.
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For the text of Gilgamesh’s dreams (mentioned by G. Buccellati in Chapter 11, Section 5), see:
ETCSL 1.8.1.3: The death of Gilgameš, see here, Sumerian and here, English.
ETCSL 1.8.1.5: Gilgameš and Ḫuwawa (Version A), see here, Sumerian and here, English.
ETCSL 1.8.1.5.1: Gilgameš and Ḫuwawa (Version B), see here, Sumerian and here, English.
An English revised translation of the poem can be found in George 2000 Gilgamesh.
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For the text of Kummā’s dream (mentioned by G. Buccellati in Chapter 11, Section 5), written on tablet VAT 10057, see the edition given in Livingstone 1989 S A A 3, text 32 rev. 10 (pp. 68-76), mentioned in George 2003 Gilgamesh, on p. 186; cf. also Foster 2005 Before, pp. 832-839. Kummā is interpreted by some scholars (including G. Buccellati) as the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal (see e.g. Atac 2004 Underworld, specifically on p. 69: «The Neo-Assyrian text known as the Underworld Vision of an Assyrian Prince is a poem that essentially relates a mystical experience that takes place in the Netherworld. It describes the night vision of one Kumma, who may be Ashurbanipal, though this is not certain. In the dream, the prince directly encounters some of the denizens of the Netherworld, including the god Nergal, the Lord of the Netherworld, who is about to “kill” him, but an intercessor asks the god to spare the prince’s life. Nergal then admonishes the prince to acknowledge him: “Do not forget or neglect me! Then I will not pass a verdict of annihilation on you. (But) on the command of Shamash, may distress, acts of violence and rebellion together blow you down so that, by their oppressive clamor, sleep may not come to you”. Nergal continues his speech with the enigmatic mention of a “corpse” of a “proud shepherd”, who is actually the prince’s father, and who lies dead in the Netherworld. Nergal further states that the body of this king is protected and his progeny is kept healthy by divine agents. One can compare the presence of such a royal corpse in the Assyrian Netherworld to the mysterious corpse in the Egyptian Netherworld with which the sun god Re unites every night, a corpse associated with Osiris, again a king whose progeny is kept healthy and alive by the divine world order. Nergal further indicates in this speech of “epiphany” that this dead king is one who “scanned the ‘plans’ (giš.hur.meš) of the mainstay of the earth”».
An interesting comparison between the so-called Dream of an Assyrian Prince and the Egyptian vision of the Netherworld can be found in Loktionov 2016 V A T 10057.
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For Sumerian texts referring to Erra, see ETCSL.
Specifically, on the poem Erra and Ishum (mentioned by G. Buccellati in Chapter 11, Section 5), see Foster 2005 Before, pp. 880-911.
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See Langdon 1903 Ashurbanapal for the text of the royal annals.
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See Noegel 2007 Dreams on the interpretation of dreams in Mesopotamia.
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11.6 Epiphanic Dreams: The Symbol
For Appendix 11, see here. See mostly Oppenheim 1956 Dreams (translation); cf. Ebeling 1923 Keilschrifttexte (autographs) and Scheil 1913 Memoires (Akkadian text).
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For the biblical passages (mentioned by G. Buccellati in Chapter 11, Section 6) related to Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams, see Gen. 40, Gen. 41, 8, and Gen. 41, 16.
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11.7 Necromancy
For ‘necromancy’ at Urkesh (connected to the ābi, see Buccellati Kelly Buccellati 2005 Hurrian and Buccellati Kelly Buccellati 2007 Heaven.
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Although cases of necromancy are not attested in Sumerian and Akkadian texts, an archaeological evidence for such practices can be revealed by the uncovering at Urkesh/Tell Mozan of an underground necromantic structure (previously labelled as A12) known as ābi (a Hurrian word). This structure could resemble that described by G. Buccellati mentioning the Biblical ’ôb (see 1 Sam. 28,7). On this topic, see Collins 2004 Channel.
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This study allows to better understand the ritual practices performed in a structure similar to the Biblical ’ôb (see 1 Sam. 28,7) mentioned by G. Buccellati in the present section. The contribution Di Martino 2005 Archeozoologia offers an osteometrical study of the animals sacrificed at Urkesh/Tell Mozan in the ābi, giving an archaeological evidence for necromantic practices in ancient Near East.
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Archaeological evidence for Syro-Mesopotamian necromantic practices are attested at Urkesh/Tell Mozan in the underground necromantic pit (previously labelled as A12) known as ābi (a Hurrian word); this structure reminds the Biblical ô´b (see 1 Sam. 28,7). For an in-depth description of this structure, see Kelly Buccellati 2002 Unterwelt.
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A good example of comparative approach between ancient Near Eastern religions and the Bible on the topics of ‘necromancy’ and ‘ancestor cults’ is presented in Schmidt 1991 Beneficent, where anthropological explanations for some given phenomena enrich the comparisons on consonance or dissonances between the two systems.
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For necromancy, evocation of spirits in Ancient Mesopotamian and Israel, the necromantic pit known as ābi, and the “woman/lady of the ’ôb”, cf. supra 8.6. For necromancy in the Ancient Near East, see Tropper 1989 Nekromantie; cf. also Dahan 2021 Samuel.
About a possible glimpse on necromantic practices (through dreams) in the Ancient Near East, see a passage from the Epic of Gilgamesh in the “Excerpt” George 2003 Gilgamesh.
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For the biblical passages mentioned by G. Buccellati in Chapter 11, Section 7, see:
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