HOME
*





Alma Rišaia Rba
The '' Alma Rišaia Rba'' or ''Diwan Alma Rišaia Rabbā'' ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ, "The Great Supreme World" or "The Great First World") is a Mandaean religious text. The text is used for Mandaean priestly initiation ceremonies. It is written as a scroll. The ''Alma Rišaia Rba'' complements the ''Alma Rišaia Zuṭa'', or "The Smaller Supreme World", a related Mandaic text used for priestly rituals. Manuscripts and translations An English translation of the text was published by E. S. Drower in 1963, which was based on manuscript 41 of the Drower Collection (abbreviated DC 41). The manuscript consists of 8 parts. It was copied in 1224 A.H. (1809 or 1810 A.D.).Drower, E. S. 1963. A Pair of Naṣoraean Commentaries: Two Priestly Documents, the Great First World and the Lesser First World'. Leiden: Brill. The DC 41 manuscript contains an illustration with Qolasta prayer 79 in scrambled form, and the text also has a scrambled version of Qolasta prayer 82 (w ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Mandaeism
Mandaeism (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ ; Arabic: المندائيّة ), sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnostic, monotheistic and ethnic religion. Its adherents, the Mandaeans, revere Adam, Abel, Seth, Enos, Noah, Shem, Aram, Jesus and especially John the Baptist. Mandaeans consider Adam, Seth, Noah, Shem and John the Baptist prophets with Adam being the founder of the religion and John being the greatest and final prophet. The Mandaeans speak an Eastern Aramaic language known as Mandaic. The name 'Mandaean' comes from the Aramaic ''manda'', meaning knowledge. Within the Middle East, but outside their community, the Mandaeans are more commonly known as the (singular: ), or as Sabians (, ). The term is derived from an Aramaic root related to baptism. The term Sabians derives from the mysterious religious group mentioned three times in the Quran alongside the Jews, the Christians and the Zoroastrians as a 'People of the Book', and ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Mandaic Language
Mandaic is a southeastern Aramaic variety in use by the Mandaean community, traditionally based in southern parts of Iraq and southwest Iran, for their religious books. Classical Mandaic is still employed by Mandaean priests in liturgical rites. The modern descendant of Classical Mandaic, known as Neo-Mandaic or Modern Mandaic, is spoken by a small section of Mandaeans around Ahvaz and Khorramshahr in the southern Iranian Khuzestan province. Liturgical use of Classical Mandaic is found in Iran (particularly the southern portions of the country), in Baghdad, Iraq and in the diaspora (particularly in the United States, Sweden, Australia and Germany). It is an Eastern Aramaic language notable for its abundant use of vowel letters (''mater lectionis'' with ''aleph'', ''he'' only in final position, ''‘ayin'', ''waw'', ''yud'')) in writing, so-called ''plene'' spelling (Mandaic alphabet) and the amount of Iranian and AkkadianStephen A. Kaufman, ''The Akkadian Influences on Aramaic'' ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Alma Rišaia
''Alma Rišaia'' or ''Diwan Alma Rišaia'' ("The Supreme World" or "The First World") is a series of Mandaean religious texts that serve as esoteric priestly ritual commentaries. The texts make copious references to prayers in the Qolasta by quoting the opening lines of each prayer. Texts There are two texts that complement each other in the ''Alma Rišaia'' series: *''Alma Rišaia Rba The '' Alma Rišaia Rba'' or ''Diwan Alma Rišaia Rabbā'' ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ, "The Great Supreme World" or "The Great First World") is a Mandaean religious text. The text is used for Mandaean priestly initiation cer ...'', or "The Great(er) Supreme World" *''Alma Rišaia Zuṭa'', or "The Smaller Supreme World" English translations of the two texts were published by E. S. Drower in 1963. Drower based the translations on manuscripts 41 and 48 of the Drower Collection (abbreviated DC 41 and DC 48).Drower, E. S. 1963. A Pair of Naṣoraean Commentaries: Two Priestly ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Alma Rišaia Zuṭa
The ''Alma Rišaia Zuṭa'' ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡀ ࡆࡅࡈࡀ, "The Smaller Supreme World" or "The Smaller First World") is a Mandaean religious text. The text is used for Mandaean priestly initiation ceremonies. It is written as a scroll. The ''Alma Rišaia Zuṭa'' complements the ''Alma Rišaia Rba'', or "The Greater Supreme World", a related Mandaic text used for priestly rituals. Manuscripts and translations An English translation of the text was published by E. S. Drower in 1963, which was based on manuscript 48 of the Drower Collection (abbreviated DC 48). It was copied in 972 A.H. (1564 or 1565 A.D.). Since the first part of the scroll is missing, the content of DC 48 begins in the middle of a dialogue between an initiating priest (''rba'') and a novice. There are 4 extant parts in the DC 48 manuscript.Drower, E. S. 1963. A Pair of Naṣoraean Commentaries: Two Priestly Documents, the Great First World and the Lesser First World'. Leiden: Brill. MS Rbai ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Drower Collection
This article contains a list of Mandaean texts (Mandaean religious texts written in Classical Mandaic). Well-known texts include the ''Ginza Rabba'' (also known as the ''Sidra Rabbā'') and the '' Qolastā''. Texts for Mandaean priests include ''The 1012 Questions'', among others. Some, like the ''Ginza Rabba'', are codices (bound books), while others, such as the various ''diwan'' (illustrated scrolls) are scrolls. This list is by no means exhaustive. Institutional libraries and private collections contain various Mandaean religious texts that are little known or even unknown to the international scholarly community. Background Mandaean copyists may transcribe texts as a meritorious deed for one's own forgiveness of sins, or they may be hired to copy a text for another person. Mandaean sacred scriptures, such as the ''Ginza Rabba'' are traditionally kept in wooden chests wrapped in layers of white cotton and silk cloth. These protected manuscripts are generally not touched ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Qolasta
The Qolastā, Qulasta, or Qolusta ( myz, ࡒࡅࡋࡀࡎࡕࡀ; mid, Qōlutā, script=Latn) is the canonical prayer book of the Mandaeans, a Gnostic ethnoreligious group from Iraq and Iran. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection". The prayerbook is a collection of Mandaic prayers regarding baptisms (''masbuta'') and other sacred rituals involved in the ascension of the soul (''masiqta''). Date The ''Qolasta'', and two other key texts to Mandaic literature, the ''Mandaean Book of John'' and the ''Ginza Rabba'', were compiled together. However, their date of authorship is heavily debated, some believing it to be during the second and third centuries, and others believing it to be conceived during the first century. In 1949, Torgny Säve-Söderbergh demonstrated that many passages in the Manichaean Psalms of Thomas were paraphrases or even word-by-word translations of Mandaean prayers in the Qolasta. Säve-Söderbergh also argued that the Manichaean psalms had borrowed fro ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Right Ginza
The Right Ginza is one of the two parts of the Ginza Rabba, the longest and the most important holy scripture of Mandaeism. The other part of the Ginza Rabba is the Left Ginza. Summaries of each book (or tractate), based mostly on Häberl (2007), are provided below.Häberl, Charles G. (2007). Introduction to the New Edition, in The Great Treasure of the Mandaeans, a new edition of J. Heinrich Petermann's Thesaurus s. Liber Magni, with a new introduction and a translation of the original preface by Charles G. Häberl'. Gorgias Press, LLC. Translated excerpts are from Gelbert (2011), while Mandaic transliterations are derived from Gelbert (2011, 2021). Book 1 Book 1 contains a history of creation and of Mandaeism. The book begins with the opening line (also in Chapter 2 of Book 1): :Praised be Thou, my Lord, with a pure heart (), :thou Lord of all worlds (). Book 2 Book 2 also contains a history of creation and of Mandaeism. It has a total of four sections, since it also contai ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

John George Taylor
John George Taylor (active 1851–1861; also known as J E Taylor and J G Taylor) was a British official of the Foreign Office, and also an important early archaeologist investigating the antiquities of the Middle East. He was one of the first archaeologists to explore the prominent burial mounds in the area of the Persian Gulf, and he made some very important discoveries. He also worked for the British East India Company. Family He was the son of Captain (later Colonel) R.(short for Robert) Taylor, who was the British Assistant Political Resident, Political Agent in Basra from 1818 to 1822. Colonel R. Taylor may have been the one who originally acquired the famous Taylor prism in 1830. It was purchased from Colonel Taylor's widow in 1850 by the British Museum. Career John Taylor was appointed as Agent for the British East India Company, and the British Vice-Consul at Basra from 1851 to 1858. At Basra, he was instructed by the Mandaeans, Mandaean ''ganzibra'' (high priest) Adam ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




The Baptism Of Hibil Ziwa
''The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa'' or ''Diwan Maṣbuta ḏ-Hibil Ziwa'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ, "Scroll of the Baptism of Hibil Ziwa") is a Mandaean illustrated scroll. It describes the soteriological descent of Hibil Ziwa to the World of Darkness (Mandaeism), World of Darkness, and his masbuta, baptisms before and after. The scroll is essentially also a commentary on the ''masbuta'', or Mandaean ritual baptism. The scroll is lavishly illustrated, showing figures of dozens of uthras and mythological creatures and realms. Synopsis of narrative The beginning of the text is missing, and the text as it exists opens with Yawar Hibil approaching the Hayyi Rabbi, King of Light, who baptises him in 360 yardna, yardeni, clothes him in 360 robes of light, and bestows him with the Great Mystery, seven staves, and other attributes. Hibil is dispatched to the World of Darkness (Mandaeism), World of Darkness, descends to confront and seal Krun ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Canonical Prayerbook
The Qolastā, Qulasta, or Qolusta ( myz, ࡒࡅࡋࡀࡎࡕࡀ; mid, Qōlutā, script=Latn) is the canonical prayer book of the Mandaeans, a Gnostic ethnoreligious group from Iraq and Iran. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection". The prayerbook is a collection of Mandaic prayers regarding baptisms (''masbuta'') and other sacred rituals involved in the ascension of the soul (''masiqta''). Date The ''Qolasta'', and two other key texts to Mandaic literature, the ''Mandaean Book of John'' and the ''Ginza Rabba'', were compiled together. However, their date of authorship is heavily debated, some believing it to be during the second and third centuries, and others believing it to be conceived during the first century. In 1949, Torgny Säve-Söderbergh demonstrated that many passages in the Manichaean Psalms of Thomas were paraphrases or even word-by-word translations of Mandaean prayers in the Qolasta. Säve-Söderbergh also argued that the Manichaean psalms had borrowed fro ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


The Coronation Of The Great Shishlam
''The Coronation of the Great Šišlam'' (or ''The Coronation of Shishlam Rabba''; myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡕࡓࡀࡑࡀ ࡖࡕࡀࡂࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Šarḥ ḏ-Traṣa ḏ- Taga ḏ-Šišlam Rba) is a Mandaean religious text. The text is a detailed commentary on the initiation of the tarmida (junior priests), with detailed discussions on masbuta and masiqta rituals. ''The Scroll of Exalted Kingship'' is also used extensively alongside the ''Coronation'' in tarmida initiation rituals. Similar esoteric texts that are traditionally used exclusively by Mandaean priests include ''The Thousand and Twelve Questions'', and ''The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa''. ''The Scroll of Exalted Kingship'' is essentially a much more detailed version of the ''Coronation''. Whereas the ''Coronation'' simply lists the sequences of prayers and rituals to be performed, the ''Exalted Kingship'' also provides symbolic explanations for each prayer and ritual that is performed. Manusc ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Scroll Of Exalted Kingship
The ''Scroll of Exalted Kingship'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡋࡊࡅࡕࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡉࡕࡀ ) is a Mandaean religious text. Written as a large illustrated scroll, the text consists of 1,363 lines. The scroll is a commentary on ''tarmida'' (junior priest) initiation. Other related texts include ''The Coronation of the Great Shishlam'', also a commentary on the initiation of the ''tarmida'', and the two esoteric textsDrower, E. S. 1963. A Pair of Naṣoraean Commentaries: Two Priestly Documents, the Great First World and the Lesser First World'. Leiden: Brill. ''Alma Rišaia Rabbā'' (''The Great "First World"'', DC 41) and ''Alma Rišaia Zuṭa'' (''The Lesser "First World"'', DC 48). Manuscripts and translations An English translation of the text, based on Manuscript 34 of the Drower Collection (commonly abbreviated DC 34), was published by Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley in 1993. Contents The beginning of the scroll, from lines 7–227, references 103 prayers in the Qolasta, whi ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]