The Belief of Talisman in the Ancient Mesopotamian Culture and Some Talismanic Objects

Abstract

Depending on their religion designated by level of ancient scientific and cultural level, in understanding of peoples living in Mesopotamia, there are so much metaphysical entities who watching an occasion to harm them. This entity either could be an angry ghost of a died man who come from netherworld or he could be a very horrible demon. Ghosts and demons was attacking to people usually without any reason and they was giving physical and mental harm to them. Ancient Mesopotamians believed that illnesses and disasters were actions of these demons and ghosts. Therefore, they have tried to counteract them not by reasonable methods but by somethings that they believed those will protect themselves from evils, such as amulets, magical rituals and praying to gods.

Alongside to be protected against evil, another aim of using the charm was to get the good chance for something to be desired.

Keywords

• Beliefs of ancient Mesopotamia,demons,ghosts,incantation,charm,amulet

Eski Mezopotamya Kültüründe Tılsım İnanışı ve Bazı Tılsımlı Objeler

Abstract

Eski Mezopotamya sakinlerinin zihin dünyalarında,  dönemin bilim ve kültür düzeyiyle iç içe gelişen inanç sistemlerine bağlı olarak, kendilerine sürekli zarar vermek için fırsat kolladıklarını düşündükleri, çok sayıda metafizik varlık yer almaktaydı. Bu varlık, kimi zaman bir ölünün yeraltı dünyasından yeryüzüne gelen kızgın hayaleti, kimi zaman ise korkunç derecede kötü bir cin olabilirdi. Cinler ve hayaletler, insanlara genellikle keyfi olarak yani herhangi bir sebep olmaksızın saldırabilir ve hem fiziksel hem de ruhsal rahatsızlık verebilirlerdi. Hastalıklar ve felaketler doğrudan cinlerin ve hayaletlerin eylemleri olarak görülmekteydi. Onların nezdinde suçlu ve masum aynıydı ve bir insana saldırırken etik unsurları ya da sosyal farklılıkları gözetmezlerdi. Bu nedenle insanlar, onlara karşı mantığa uygun yöntemlerle değil, tılsımlar/muskalar, büyü ritüelleri gibi koruyucu olduğuna inandıkları şeylerle veya tanrılara yalvararak mücadele edebilirdi.

Kötülüklerden korunmanın yanı sıra tılsım/muska kullanmanın bir diğer amacı, söz konusu objenin, arzulanan herhangi bir şey için iyi şans getireceğine dair inançtı. 

Keywords

• Eski Mezopotamya inancı,cin,hayalet,büyü,tılsım,muska

References

1. Abusch, Tzvi and Schwemer, Daniel, “The Corpus of Ancient Mesopotamian Anti-Witchcraft Rituals”, ed. Tzvi Abusch, Ann K. Guinan, Volume One, Ancient Magic and Divination 8/I, Leiden-Boston, 2011.
2. Black, Jeremy and Green, Anthony, Mezopotamya Mitolojisi Sözlüğü, Tanrılar, İfritler, Semboller, Aram Yayıncılık, 2003.
3. Böck, Barbara, “When You Perform the Ritual of ‘Rubbing’: On Medicine and Magic in Ancient Mesopotamia”, Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 62, No. 1, (2003): 1-16.
4. Braun-Holzinger, Eva A., “Apotropaic Figures at Mesopotamian Temples in the Third and Second Millenia”, ed. Tzvi Abusch and Karel van der Toorn, Ancient Magic and Divination I, Mesopotamian Magic Textual, Historical and Interpretative Perspectives. 149-172. Groningen, 1999.
5. Farber, Walter, “Witchcraft, Magic and Dvination in Ancient Mesopotamian”, Editor in Chief Jack M. Sasson, Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, Vol. III, 1895-1909. New York, 1995.
6. Geller, Markham J., “Paranoia, the Evil Eye, and the Face of Evil”, Festschrift für Claus Wilcke, Herausgegeben von Walther Sallbaerger, Konrad Volk und Anette Zgoll, Orientalia Biblica et Christiana, Literatur, Politic und Recht in Mesopotamien, 115-134. Wiesbaden, 2003.
7. Geller, Markham J., Ancient Babiylonian Medicine”, Theory and Practice, Wiley-Blackwell Publication, 2010.
8. Heessel, Nils P. Pazuzu, Archaologische und Philologische Studien zu Einem Altorientalischen Damon, Ancient Magic and Divination IV, STYX Leiden, Boston, Köln, 2002.

9. L. Goff, Beatrice, “The Role of Amulets in Mesopotamian Ritual Texts”, Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 19, No. 1/2, (1956): 1-39.
10. Müller-Kessler, Christa, “A Mandaic Gold Amulet in the British Museum”, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, No. 311, (1998): 83-88.
11. Niederreiter, Zoltán, “Two Pazuzu-Head Amulets İnscribed With The Standard B İncantation”, Revue d’Assyriologie et d'archéologie orientale, Volume 111, (2017): 109-132.
12. Oppenheim, A. L. Ancient Mesopotamia, Revisited Edition, Completed by Erica Reiner, The University of Chickago Press, 1977.
13. Reiner, Erica, “Magic, Figurines, Amulets, and Talismans”, ed. Ann E. Farkas, Prudence O., Harper and Evelyn B. Harrison, Monsters and Demons in the Ancient Medieval Worlds, Papers Presented in Honor of Edith Paroda. 27-36. Mainz on Rhine, 1987.
14. Reiner, Erica, “Astral Magic in Babylonia”, Transactions of the American Philisophical Society, New Series, Vol. 85, No. 4, (1995): I-XIII+1-150.
15. Scurlock, JoAnn, “Magico-Madical Means of Treating Ghost-Induced Illnesses in Ancient Mesopotamia”, ed. Tzvi Abusch, Karel van der Toorn, and Frans A. M. Wiggermann. Ancient Magic and Divination III. Leiden-Boston, 2006.
16. Stol, Martin, “Psychosomatik Suffering in Ancient Mesopotamia”, ed. Tzvi Abusch and Karel van der Toorn, Ancient Magic and Divination I, Mesopotamian Magic Textual, Historical, and Interpretative Pespectives. 57-68. Groningen, 1999.
17. Thomsen, Marie-Louise, “The Evil Eye in Mesopotamia”, Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 51, No. 1, The University of Chicago Press, (1992): 19-32.
18. Van Buren, E. Douglas, “Amulets in Ancient Mesopotamia”, Orientalia Nova Series, Vol. 14, Gregorian Biblical Press, (1945) : 18-23.
19. Wiggermann, Frans A.M., “The Four Winds and the Origins of Pazuzu”, ed. Claus Wilcke, Das geistige Erfassen der Welt im Alten Orient. 125-166. Wiesbaden, 2007.