Piercing figurines of warlock and witch
| Obverse | ||
| CMAwR vol. 1, text 8.1: A // B // C // D | CMAwR vol. 1, text 8.1: A // B // C // D | |
| 8.1:18.1:1 | (8.1:1) If a man has vertigo, 2his ears buzz, 3his flesh 4becomes more and more numb, 5his mind is always perturbed, 6(if) you are not able to identify the nature of his illness, 7that man is bewitched. 8Figurines of him have been made and then 9they have been handed over to Ereškigal in dilapidated places. 10For the ritual to undo witchcraft 11which was performed by making figurines of him and then 13handing them over 12to Ereškigal in dilapidated places: | |
| 8.1:28.1:2 | ||
| 8.1:38.1:3 | ||
| 8.1:48.1:4 | ||
| 8.1:58.1:5 | libbašu ittanadlaḫ | |
| 8.1:68.1:6 | ||
| 8.1:78.1:7 | ||
| 8.1:88.1:8 | ||
| 8.1:98.1:9 | ||
| 8.1:108.1:10 | ||
| 8.1:118.1:11 | ||
| 8.1:128.1:12 | ||
| 8.1:138.1:13 | ||
| 8.1:148.1:14 | [x-x-x-x] x kam | (8.1:14) (Lines 14-16 too fragmentary for translation) |
| 8.1:158.1:15 | [x-x-x-x-x-x-x] x a | |
| 8.1:168.1:16 | [x-x-x-x x-x-x-x] x | |
| break | ||
| 8.1:17′8.1:17′ | (8.1:17′) You strew a censer with (lit.: “of”) burāšu-juniper. 18′You offer a pure sacrifice. 19′You place the shoulder, the caul fat and the roast meat (before the deity), 20′you pour a libation of beer. 22′You have that man stand 21′on pure tamarisk-wood. 22′Then you make 14 figurines of clay, 23′dough, tallow (and) wax of the warlock 24′and the witch. Lifting them up 25′you speak before Šamaš as follows: | |
| 8.1:18′8.1:18′ | ||
| 8.1:19′8.1:19′ | ||
| 8.1:20′8.1:20′ | ||
| 8.1:21′8.1:21′ | ||
| 8.1:22′8.1:22′ | ||
| 8.1:23′8.1:23′ | ||
| 8.1:24′8.1:24′ | ||
| 8.1:25′8.1:25′ | ||
| 8.1:26′8.1:26′ | (8.1:26′) “Šamaš, judge of heaven and earth, | |
| 8.1:27′8.1:27′ | (8.1:27′) you are the judge of the dead and the living! | |
| 8.1:28′8.1:28′ | (8.1:28′) Pay attention to (my) prayer to 29′learn of my condition. | |
| 8.1:29′8.1:29′ | ||
| 8.1:30′8.1:30′ | (8.1:30′) My warlock and my witch, | |
| 8.1:31′8.1:31′ | (8.1:31′) either a dead or a living woman, | |
| 8.1:32′8.1:32′ | (8.1:32′) [either] my [...] or m[y] sons, [... | |
| break | ||
| 8.1:33′′8.1:33′′ | x [ ... ] | (8.1:33′′) (Lines 33′′-34′′ too fragmentary for translation) |
| 8.1:34′′8.1:34′′ | x [ ... ] | |
| 8.1:35′′8.1:35′′ | (8.1:35′′) his heart, his body ... [...] | |
| 8.1:36′′8.1:36′′ | aḫīya išp[uka ... ]... [ ... ] | (8.1:36′′) rendered my arms [limp ...] ... [...] |
| 8.1:37′′8.1:37′′ | uḫammânni-ma [ ... ... ] | (8.1:37′′) paralysed me and [... (rest of l. 37′′ too fragmentary for translation) ...] |
| 8.1:38′′8.1:38′′ | ((annītu taq[abbi])) ((marṣu)) ṣalamšu inaššī-ma [ina maḫar Šamaš? k]īam iqabb[i] | (8.1:38′′) ((You re[cite] this.)) ((The sick man)) lifts the figurine of him(self) and speak[s t]hus [before Šamaš]: |
| 8.1:39′′8.1:39′′ | ((ÉN)) Šamaš annû ṣalmī ša kaššāpu u [ka]ššāptu ēpušū anāku ((annanna mā[r annanna])) | (8.1:39′′) ((Incantation:)) “Šamaš, this is the figurine that the warlock and the witch have made of me. I, ((N.N., so[n of N.N.], {40}{′′}whose god is N.N., whose goddess is N.N.,)) have placed it before yo[u]. With your great consent, at your supre[me] command, |
| 8.1:40′′8.1:40′′ | ((ša ilšu annanna ištaršu annannītu)) ina maḫrīk[a] ašk[unšu] ina an[n]īka rabê ina qibītīka ṣīrt[i] | |
| 8.1:41′′8.1:41′′ | ina narbî ša Ea ina upšāšê ša [Asa]lluḫi ṣalam kaššāpīya kašš[āptīya] | (8.1:41′′) through the great deeds of Ea (and) through the magical procedures of Asalluḫi |
| 8.1:42′′8.1:42′′ | ušēpiš-ma ina maḫrīka aškunšunūti pānīšun[u IM].⸢GE₆⸣ apšuš idīšunu ana arkīšunu ut[ēr-ma] | (8.1:42′′) I have had 41′′figurines of my warlock and my witch 42′′made and I have placed them before you. I have smeared their faces with [bla]ck [paste], I have twi[sted] their arms behind them [and] 43′′I have bound (their arms) with the sinew of a dead cow. Their feet I have bound with the sinew of a dead cow, |
| 8.1:43′′8.1:43′′ | ina šerʾān litti miqitti aksu šēpīšunu ina šerʾān litti miqitti aksū-ma | |
| 8.1:44′′8.1:44′′ | (8.1:44′′) crossing (them) over each other. Be present for my trial so that I may not be treated unjustly, but that my trial go well! | |
| 8.1:45′′8.1:45′′ | (8.1:45′′) Provide a decision for my trial, keep me safe! | |
| 8.1:46′′8.1:46′′ | ṣilli gišimmari ša muḫḫi ṣalmī[ya ušaḫḫaṭ ina muḫḫi ṣalmīšunu] utakkap | (8.1:46′′) (Now) [I remove] the thorn of the date palm, which (is) in the skull of [my] figurine, I stick (it) [into the skull(s) of their figurines]. |
| 8.1:47′′8.1:47′′ | (8.1:47′′) May the evil they did return to them, [may their] sor[ceries] be undone! | |
| 8.1:48′′8.1:48′′ | kīsūya lippaṭrū-((ma)) kaššāpī kaššāptī lū saḫilū | (8.1:48′′) May my bonds be released, ((but)) may my warlock (and) my witch be pierced! |
| 8.1:49′′8.1:49′′ | [aḫī] (var.: mešrêti) ša ṣalmīya apaṭṭar aḫī (var.: mešrêti) ša ṣalmīšunu arakkas | (8.1:49′′) I release the [arms] (var.: limbs) of my figurine, I bind the arms (var.: limbs) of their figurines. |
| 8.1:50′′8.1:50′′ | aḫāya lū paṭrā aḫāšunu lū kaṣrā (var.: kasâ) šēpī ša ṣalmīya apaṭṭar šēpī ša [ṣalmīšunu] arakkas | (8.1:50′′) May my arms be released, may their arms be bound! I release the feet of my figurine, I bind the feet [of their figurines]. |
| 8.1:51′′8.1:51′′ | šēpāya lū paṭrā šēpāšunu lū kaṣrā šaman nūni ana muḫḫīšunu u[tabbak] | (8.1:51′′) May my feet be released, may their feet be bound! Fish oil I pour over them. |
| 8.1:52′′8.1:52′′ | ((ina)) maḫar ili ((u)) ištari rēmennû[ti?] kaššāpu u kaššāptu lū kussû lū pu[ḫḫ]û? šu<nu> | (8.1:52′′) Before (my) god ((and)) goddess, the merciful [ones], may the warlock and the witch be fettered, be confined. May they |
| 8.1:53′′8.1:53′′ | (8.1:53′′) turn black! (But) let me, N.N., son of N.N., 54′′triumph over them 53′′through your [gre]at verdict! | |
| 8.1:54′′8.1:54′′ | (8.1:54′′) Let me be pure, let me [be clear], let me be bright! | |
| 8.1:55′′8.1:55′′ | ||
| 8.1:56′′8.1:56′′ | (8.1:56′′) Entrust me 55′′into the good hands of my god and my goddess for welfare and life!” 56′′He recites this; then: | |
| 8.1:57′′8.1:57′′ | (8.1:57′′) What (is) in the skull of his figurine he removes and he sticks (it) into the skull(s) of their figurines. 58′′He pours fish oil over them. 60′′He washes himself 59′′over them with (water from) the holy water vessel 60′′and speaks thus: | |
| 8.1:58′′8.1:58′′ | ||
| 8.1:59′′8.1:59′′ | ||
| 8.1:60′′8.1:60′′ | ||
| 8.1:61′′8.1:61′′ | kīma mû ša zumrī((ya)) iššaḫḫaṭū-ma | (8.1:61′′) “Just as (this) water is washed off ((my)) body, 65′′so may 62′′the witchcraft, magic, sorcery, 63′′piercing pain (and) evil machinations 64′′which are in my body 65′′be released from me and then 66′′return to them, themselves!” |
| 8.1:62′′8.1:62′′ | ||
| 8.1:63′′8.1:63′′ | ||
| 8.1:64′′8.1:64′′ | ||
| 8.1:65′′8.1:65′′ | ||
| 8.1:66′′8.1:66′′ | ||
| 8.1:67′′8.1:67′′ | (8.1:67′′) He recites this. Then 68′′you bury them in the ground. 69′′He dissolves his figurine in beer, and 70′′lifting (this vessel with beer) he speaks before Šamaš as follows: | |
| 8.1:68′′8.1:68′′ | ||
| 8.1:69′′8.1:69′′ | ||
| 8.1:70′′8.1:70′′ | ||
| 8.1:71′′8.1:71′′ | (8.1:71′′) “Šamaš, this figurine of me, 72′′which the warlock and the witch 73′′have made before you with evil intentions and in secret: 74′′Asalluḫi may release it, 75′′Ea, the king of the subterranean ocean, may purify it!” 76′′He recites this ((incantation)), and you throw it into the river. | |
| 8.1:72′′8.1:72′′ | ||
| 8.1:73′′8.1:73′′ | ||
| 8.1:74′′8.1:74′′ | Asalluḫi lipšuršu | |
| 8.1:75′′8.1:75′′ | ||
| 8.1:76′′8.1:76′′ | ||
| ms. A has a triple ruling with MAN TIL MAN written over the middle ruling | | |
| 8.1:77′′8.1:77′′ | (8.1:77′′) “Šamaš, judge of the universe, 78′′who knows everything! | |
| 8.1:78′′8.1:78′′ | ||
| 8.1:79′′8.1:79′′ | (8.1:79′′) Šamaš, without you, who create plenty (of things), 80′′plenty would not be created, and the releasing of these (things) 81′′would not be achieved without you. | |
| 8.1:80′′8.1:80′′ | ||
| 8.1:81′′8.1:81′′ | ||
| 8.1:82′′8.1:82′′ | (8.1:82′′) Šamaš, this is the figurine of m[y] warlock 83′′and my witch who 88′′performed, 89′′turned to and sought against me | |
| 8.1:83′′8.1:83′′ | u kaššāptīya ša kišpī ruḫê | (8.1:83′′) witchcraft, magic, 84′′sorcery, wicked machinations, |
| 8.1:84′′8.1:84′′ | ||
| 8.1:85′′8.1:85′′ | (8.1:85′′) (bewitched) salves, (witchcraft) messages, | |
| 8.1:86′′8.1:86′′ | (8.1:86′′) hate-magic, ‘cutting-of-the-throat’ magic, ‘seizing-of-the-mouth’ magic, 87′′‘distortion-of-justice’ magic, confusion and 88′′madness, | |
| 8.1:87′′8.1:87′′ | ||
| 8.1:88′′8.1:88′′ | ||
| 8.1:89′′8.1:89′′ | isḫura išēʾa | |
| break | ||
| 8.1:90′′′8.1:90′′′ | [ ... ]x | (8.1:90′′′) (Lines 90′′′-97′′′ too fragmentary for translation) |
| 8.1:91′′′8.1:91′′′ | [ ... ...]-⸢ta⸣ | |
| 8.1:92′′′8.1:92′′′ | [ ... ...]-⸢ta⸣ | |
| 8.1:93′′′8.1:93′′′ | [ ... ]x | |
| 8.1:94′′′8.1:94′′′ | [ ... ]x | |
| 8.1:95′′′8.1:95′′′ | [ ... ...]-il | |
| 8.1:96′′′8.1:96′′′ | [ ... ]x-ta | |
| 8.1:97′′′8.1:97′′′ | [ ... ...]-⸢ši⸣ | |
| break | ||
| 8.1:98′′′′8.1:98′′′′ | [ ... ]nēpešē | (8.1:98′′′′) [...] rituals 99′′′′against (ailments) caused by witchcraft. |
| 8.1:99′′′′8.1:99′′′′ | ||
| (blank) | ||
| 8.1:100′′′′8.1:100′′′′ | (8.1:100′′′′) (Lines 100′′′′-102′′′′: colophon, see Hunger, BAK, no. 55.) | |
| 8.1:101′′′′8.1:101′′′′ | ||
| 8.1:102′′′′8.1:102′′′′ | KI ME-ME.ME mašmašši-ma | |