In pursuit of gnosis: dual cosmology and the transformation of the demiurge in Yazidism

Yazidism has long been interpreted within the frameworks of heterodox Islam, Zoroastrian survivals, or syncretic Near Eastern traditions. This article argues that such approaches overlook a deeper cosmological affinity. Yazidism operates as a living and transformed expression of Gnostic thought. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Lalish during the period of ISIS attacks in 2015, this study examines how dual cosmology, the role of Melek Tavus, and embodied ritual practices disclose a sophisticated Gnostic epistemology. The Yazidi cosmological order constructs an ontological hierarchy between the transcendent creator (Khuda) and the immanent demiurgic power (Melek Tavus), while articulating knowledge (gnosis) as the path of return to the primordial source. Rituals—such as barefoot entry into the sacred precinct, purification at Ava Zimzim, navigation through spatial darkness into light, and the veneration of the serpent motif—function as performative mechanisms through which sacred knowledge is embodied and remembered. Rather than a passive remnant of ancient traditions, Yazidism actively sustains and transforms Gnostic structures of meaning. The findings demonstrate that theological truth in Yazidism is not merely believed, but sensorially experienced and enacted in sacred space, positioning Lalish as the epistemological center of Gnostic memory and renewal.