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, S ...

, Shamish or Šamiš ( myz, ࡔࡀࡌࡉࡔ) is the Mandaic name for the

Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

.Müller-Kessler, Christa (2018). "Šamaš, Sîn (Sahra, Sira), Delibat (Ištar, al-‘Uzzā), und Kēwān (Kajjamānu) in den frühen mandäischen magischen Texten und bei ihren Nachbarn. Eine Bestandsaufnahme." ''ISIMU'' 20/21: 259–295. Shamish is one of the

seven planets 7 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 7 or seven may also refer to: * AD 7, the seventh year of the AD era * 7 BC, the seventh year before the AD era * The month of July Music Artists * Seven (Swiss singer) (born 1978), a Swiss recording artist * ...

( myz, ࡔࡅࡁࡀ, translit=šuba, lit=The Seven), who are part of the entourage of

Ruha In Mandaeism, Rūha ( myz, ࡓࡅࡄࡀ, lit=spirit/breath; also known as Namrūs or Hiwat (Ewath; myz, ࡏࡅࡀࡕ)) is the queen of the World of Darkness (''alma ḏ-hšuka'') or underworld. She rules the underworld together with her son Ur ...

in the

World of Darkness ''World of Darkness'' is a series of tabletop role-playing games, originally created by Mark Rein-Hagen for White Wolf Publishing. It began as an annual line of five games in 1991–1995, with '' Vampire: The Masquerade'', '' Werewolf: The Apoca ...

. Shamish is associated with the

uthra An uthra or ʿutra ( myz, ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ; plural: ʿutri) is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath translate it as "excellency". Jorunn J. Buckley defines them as "Lightworld beings, called 'utr ...

s Yawar-Ziwa (Dazzling Light) and

Simat-Hiia In Mandaeism, Simat Hayyi or Simat Hiia ( myz, ࡎࡉࡌࡀࡕ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ, lit=Treasure of Life), the personification of life, is an uthra (angel or guardian) from the World of Light who is the wife of Yawar Ziwa. The name ''Simat Hayyi'' ("Li ...

(Treasure of Life). He is also identified with the uthra

Yurba In Mandaeism, Yurba ( myz, ࡉࡅࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Iurba) is an uthra (angelic or celestial being). Lidzbarski (1905, 1920) spells his name as spelled Jōrabba. Yurba, who is also called the fighter, is identified with Shamish, the sun. In Man ...

, who is described in detail in chapter 52 of the ''

Mandaean Book of John The Mandaean Book of John (Mandaic language ࡃࡓࡀࡔࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ') is a Mandaean holy book in Mandaic Aramaic which is believed by Mandeans to have been written by their prophet John the Baptist. The book contains accounts of Jo ...

''. In the ''

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 ...

'', the

Yazuqaeans The Yazuqaeans ( myz, ࡉࡀࡆࡅࡒࡀࡉࡉࡀ, translit=Iazuqaiia) are a religious group mentioned by the Mandaeans in the ''Ginza Rabba'', the central religious text of Mandaeism. The Yazuqaeans are mentioned in Books 3 and 9.1 of the Right ...

(i.e., Zoroastrians) are associated with Shamish, an allusion to

Mithra Mithra ( ae, ''Miθra'', peo, 𐎷𐎰𐎼 ''Miça'') commonly known as Mehr, is the Iranian deity of covenant, light, oath, justice and the sun. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seeing ...

Etymology

Shamish's name is derived from ''š-m-š'', the

Semitic root The roots of verbs and most nouns in the Semitic languages are characterized as a sequence of consonants or " radicals" (hence the term consonantal root). Such abstract consonantal roots are used in the formation of actual words by adding the vowel ...

for 'sun'. Shamish is also cognate with the Akkadian

Šamaš Utu (dUD "Sun"), also known under the Akkadian name Shamash, ''šmš'', syc, ܫܡܫܐ ''šemša'', he, שֶׁמֶשׁ ''šemeš'', ar, شمس ''šams'', Ashurian Aramaic: 𐣴𐣬𐣴 ''š'meš(ā)'' was the ancient Mesopotamian sun god. ...

References

Planets in Mandaeism Sun in culture {{cosmology-stub