[Title] Exorcising Kulla (the brick god) from a newly built house [Alternate Title] SBTU 2, no. 16 [Akkadian Title] [Translation] (The brick god) Kulla with his provisions (is put) in a boat provided with sails. They dispatch him on the river, and as soon as he is dispatched, the exorcist speaks as follows: Incantation: „Kulla, you are torn out, driven away and expelled. Kulla, you are conjured by heaven and you are conjured by the netherworld, you are conjured by Ea and Marduk, you are conjured by Duri and Dari, you are conjured by Lahma and Lahama, you are conjured by Alala and Belili, you are conjured by the gods residing in heaven, you are conjured by the gods residing in the netherworld! You are conjured by the Apsû, you are conjured by the gods residing on the Sacred Mount! You shall be torn out, you shall go away, you shall depart, you shall withdraw, you shall move out! I conjure you by Ekur and Gar – you shall never return!" Instruction: The exorcist and the builder turn their faces away. Seven tablets (?) at the right site, seven tablets (?) at the left site are thrown into the river. For three days the builder must not enter the house. [Explanatory Notes] The ritual describes how both divine and human builders have to leave the construction site after the building’s completion. <br /><br />The brick god and divine builder Kulla, a son of Enki/Ea and his wife Damgalnunna/Damkina, is sent away on the river like an evil demon. The gods by whom Kulla is conjured are primeval deities and belong to the ancestors of Anu.<br /><br />One may wonder why Kulla, who had supervised the building process from its beginning was now driven away in such an unfriendly manner and the human architect had to refrain from entering the building at least for a certain period of time. The presence of divine and human builders implied, of course, the performance of building work, and this, again, meant existing damage to be repaired–a situation to be avoided by all means.<br /><br />Kulla was not always expelled in such a harsh way. There is a group of incantations directed to the brick-god and his colleague, the divine architect Mushdama, in which both of them are asked to return joyfully and under the rejoicing of the gods of the Apsû to their father Enki/Ea.<br /><br />A remarkable parallel to this can be found in the 3rd millennium BC in the inscriptions of Gudea of Lagash. The ruler describes how he made Mushdama (written without divine determinative and thus perhaps a wordplay referring both to the divine architect and his human colleagues) leave the temple Eninnu before the solemn entry of the god Ningirsu into his house (Cyl. B iii 16f.; H. Neumann, CRRA 40, p. 158.). [Publication] C. Ambos, Mesopotamische Baurituale, 2004, p. 104-107 ll. 108’’-125’’ (in German) [Publisher URL] http://www.islet-verlag.de/publikationen.html [Source] E.v.Weiher, Spätbabyl. Texte aus Uruk (SBTU) II, No. 16; C. Ambos, Baurituale, no. 2 [Date] 1st millennium BC [Language] Akkadian [Medium] clay tablet [Find Spot] Niniveh, Uruk [] Ritual ---------------------------------------- [Title] Laying the foundations of a house [Alternate Title] K 3664+ obv. 1-15 and 17-21 [Akkadian Title] [Translation] If you are laying the foundations of a man’s house, at sun[rise] you set up a basin for holy water. Into the basin for holy water you throw silver, [gold], juniper, syrup, ghee and pressed oil. You arrange a ritual arrangement for Ea, Shamash and Asalluhi and [perform] a sacrifice. You set up an adagurru-container, you arrange one ritual arrangement for the god (variant: king). You sacrifice a [ram] over the foundation trench; syrup, beer, wine, oil and oil of first quality you libate o[ver the foundation] and [do you pour] into the foundations. Incantation: Kulla (the brick god), lord of foundation and wall – oh you! NN, son of NN, who is building this house, by [your] command, by your word may he prosper! Because you are merciful, I have turned [to you], because you are merciful, I seek [you]! The house he has built may last for a long time. This evil of the house [...], you [avert] death, loss and evil deed from this house. At your sublime command, which cannot be altered, and by your firm consent, which cannot be changed, may NN, son of NN, live, prosper and sing your praises. (Ritual Instruction) (...) You deposit arsuppu-grain, garden-pea, wheat, grain at its highest growth, emmer, seed of all kinds, silver, gold, carnelian, lapis lazuli, juniper, [juniper] seed, the fragrant plant sumlalu, fragrant balluku-wood, „sweet reed", a white cloth, a black cloth, a linen cloth and a [red] cloth under the foundations and go away. The evil of the house is removed, the said house will obtain a protective deity and a protective genius, the proprietor of the said house will grow old. [Explanatory Notes] This ritual texts offers an explanation as to how and why various substances can be as a deposit in the foundation trenches of excavated building. <br />During the performance of the ritual, an incantation was addressed to Kulla, the brick god and divine builder. Kulla was a son of Enki/Ea and his wife Damgalnunna/Damkina. Kulla supervised the building process from the beginnings until completion and was then sent away.<br />The phrase „you deposit under the foundation“ means that the various substances were scattered in the foundation trenches before the foundations were laid or that they were scattered between the gaps of the first layer of bricks.<br /> [Publication] C. Ambos, Mesopotamische Baurituale aus dem 1. Jahrtausend v. Chr., 2004, p. 136f. (in German) [Publisher URL] http://www.islet-verlag.de/publikationen.html [Source] R. Borger, Symbolae Biblicae et Mesopotamicae F.M.Th. de Liagre Böhl dedicatae, 1973, p. 53-55 [Date] 1st millennium BC [Language] Akkadian [Medium] clay tablet [Find Spot] Niniveh [] Ritual ---------------------------------------- [Title] Mouth-Washing Ritual for a Cult Statue [Alternate Title] Babylonian Ritual Text Mis Pî [Akkadian Title] Mis Pî [Translation] THE FIRST DAY (A) In The House of the Craftsmen When you wash the mouth of a god, on a favorable day in the bit mummi, you set up two holy-water-vessels. [obv. 1] (You place) a red cloth in front of the god and a white cloth to the right of the god. You set up offering arrangements for Ea and Asalluhi. You perform Mouth-Washing [2] on that god, and you set up an offering arrangement for that god. You raise your hand; and you recite the incantation, "Born in heaven by your own power", [3] three times. Before that god, you recite three times the incantaition, "From today you go before your father Ea", and [4] (B) Procession from the House of the Craftsmen to the River you take the hand of the god and lead a ram. You recite the incantaition, "As you grew up, as you grew up from the forest", while (going) from the house of the craftsmen [5] with a torch in front of the god to the river bank. [6] (C) At the River Bank And seat (him) on a reed-mat, and [6] you set his eyes towards sunset. You set up a reed-hut. For Ea, Asalluhi, and that god you set up offering arrangements. [7] You libate mazû-beer; you open the thigh of a ram; and you place inside an axe, a chisel, a saw, [8] a tortoise, and turtle of silver and gold; you bind it up and throw it into the river. [9] You pronounce before Ea three times, "King, lord of the deep", and raise your hand and recite three times the incantation, "Enki, king of the Apsû", and [10] you libate beer, milk, wine and syrup. You perform Mouth-Washing; and you pronounce three times the incantation, "He who comes, his mouth is washed", [11] and (then) you dismantle the offering arrangements. [12] (D) Procession from the River into the Garden You take the hand of that god, and [12] (E) In the Garden in the Circle of Reed Huts and Reed Standards you seat him in the orchard in the midst of the reed-standards on a reed-mat [12] on a linen cloth. You set his eyes towards sunrise. You go to the river and throw mashatu-meal into the river. [13] You libate mihhu-beer. You lift up your hand; and you recite three times each in front of the river the incantation, "Apsû-temple, where fates are determined", (and) the incantation, "Quay of the Apsû, pure quay"; [14] and you draw water (for) seven holy-water-basins, and you place it in the chapel of Kusu. [15] You throw into the holy-water-basin of Mouth-Washing tamarisk, maštakal, date-palm-"heart", seven palm-shoots, šalalu reed, apparu-reed, [16] sweet reed, …, sulphur, …, salt, cedar, cypress, juniper, [17] ["horned alkali"], sikillu plant, tree resin?, lodestone, zalaqu stone, [18] […] muššaru stone, carnelian, lapis-lazuli, pappardilû stone, pappardildilû stone, dušu stone, [19] [silver, gold,] tin, iron, oil, salve-oil, perfumed? oil, cedar oil, syrup (and) ghee. [20] you lay down and arrange […] of the offering arrangements (and) their aromatics. You fill a trough of tamarisk wood with the waters of the holy-water-basins; [21] and you throw into the trough carnelian, lapis-lazuli, silver beads, gold beads, juniper (and) halsu oil, and [22] [you set …] the holy water-basins on the brick of Dingirmah [23] you set up […] the holy-water-basins, and perform Mouth-Washing. You dismantle the offering arrangement. [24] You set up nine offering arrangements for Anu, Enlil, Ea, Sin, Šamaš, Adad, Marduk, Gula (and) Ištar, the stars [25] […], towards the north. You recite the incantation, "Tamarisk, pure wood", and you perform Mouth-Washing. [26] You set up towards the south nine offering arrangements for Ninmah, Kusu,Ningirim, Ninkurra, Ninagal, [27] Kusibanda, Ninildu, Ninzadim and that god, ditto. [28] You set up two offering arrangements for Jupiter and Venus, ditto. [29] You set up two offering arrangements for the Moon and Saturn, ditto. [30] You set up three offering arrangements for Mercury, Sirius (and) Mars, ditto. [31] You set up six offering arrangements for the Scales (Libra) (which is) the star of Šamaš, the Plough (Triangulum/Andromeda), "ŠU.PA" (Boötes), [32] the Wagon (Ursa Major), Erua (Coma Berenices), the She-Goat (Lyra), ditto. [33] You set up four offering arrangements for the Field (Pegasus/Andromeda), the Swallow (Pisces), Anunitum (Pisces) (and) the Furrow (Virgo), ditto. [34] You set up four offering arrangements for the Fish(?), the Giant (Aquarius), Eridu (and) (] the Scorpion, ditto. [35] You set up three offering arrangements for the (stars) of Anu, the (stars) of Enlil and the (stars) of Ea, ditto. [reverse 36] THE SECOND DAY In the morning you set up within the reed-hut three thrones for Ea, Šamaš and Asalluhi. [37] You spread out a red cloth; you stretch out a linen (cloth) in front. You set up three tables; you sprinkle ripened dates (and) meal. [38] You set in place a confection of syrup (and) ghee. You set up a libation-vessel. You set in line six kukkubu? jars; [39] you lay down choice grasses. You provide in splendid abundance the fruit of the orchard. You stretch out(?) … [40] You scatter sifted barley; you sprinkle juniper on a censer; you raise cedar in your hand, and [41] you recite three times the incantation, "Born in heaven by his own power"; [you recite] the incantation, "Šamaš, great lord of heaven and earth". [42] the incantation, "Water of life, the river rising in flood …, [and] … you give(?). [43] You recite the incantation, "The flood, its divine task is unique, is holy", and you libate …; you sprinkle on a censer; [44] you place mashatu flour on the forehead of a ram and sacrifice (it); you complete the offering arrangement. [45] The ašipu priest stands on the left side of that god, before Ea, Šamaš and Asalluhi, and recites the incantation, "Šamaš, exalted judge". [46] He recites three times the incantation, "Ea, Šamaš and Asalluhi". He recites the incantation, "On the day when the god was created", and you perform Month-Washing. [47] Afterwards you recite the incantation, "Pure statue, suited(! ) to the great ‘me’"; you perform a Cleansing Rite; [48] you recite a Whisper Prayer. You retire; and [you position] all of the craftsmen who approached that god [49] and their equipment [… before(?)] Ninkurra, Ninagal, Kusibanda, [50] Ninildu (and) [Ninzadim], and you bind their hands with a scarf; [51] and cut (them off) with a knife of tamarisk wood … You make (them) say: "I did not make him (the statue), Ninagal (who is) Ea (god) of the smith made him". [52] You open the eye of that god. The ašipu priest recites before that god the incantation, "As you grew up, as you grew up". [53] He recites the incantation, "Statue born in a pure place", the incantation, "Statue born in heaven", [54] the incantation, "Ninildu, great carpenter of Anu", the incantation, "Exalted garment, lamahuššu garment of white linen", [55] the incantation, "Exalted crown", (and) the incantation, "Holy throne"; and before [that god] he recites the incantation, "Go, do not tarry"; [56] the second version he recites and he enters the ritual circle; the third version he recites; performance of KI-dUTU-GIN.NA. First you dismantle the offering arrangement [57] of that god; afterwards you dismantle (the offering arrangement) of Kusu and Ningirima; afterwards you dismantle (the offering arrangement) of the gods olf the craftsmen; [58] afterwards you dismantle the offering arrangement of the great gods. [59] (F) Procession from the Garden to the Temple Gate You take the hand of the god; and you recite the incantation, "May the foot which bestrides the ground [bestride the pure place"] (and) the incantation, "As he walked through the street," all the way to that god's temple. [59] (G) At the Temple Gate At the door of that god's temple you make an offering. [60] (H) Procession from the Temple Gate to the Cella You take the god's hand and make him enter; and you recite the incantation, "My king, to your heart's content", [60] (going) to the sanctuary. [61] (I) In the Cella You seat the god in his cella; and you recite in his cella the incantation, "The celestial evening meal", and the incantation, "Fit for the august throne-dais". [61] On the right of the sanctuary you set up a reed-hut; you set up an offering arrangement for Ea and Asalluhi; you complete the offering arrangement, and [62] you perform Mouth-Washing on that god, and for that god you set up an offering arrangement. With water (from) the trough you purify that god and [63] you recite seven times the incantation, "Asalluhi, son of Eridu"; and bring near the trappings of divinity; [64] at night you set them (upon him). [65] (J) To the Quay of the Apsû You go to the Kar-Apsî, and stay there; you perform a Cleansing Ritual all the way to the Kar-Apsî. [65] KOLOPHON The initiate may show it to the initiate. The uninitiated may not see it. Taboo of the great Enlil, Marduk. [66] According to the wording of a tablet, the copy of a red-burnt tablet of Nabû-etel-ilani, [67] the son of Dabibi, the incantation-priest(?). Iddina-Nabû, the son of Gahul-Tutu, [68] the ašipu priest, for the life of his soul and for the prolonging of his days, has written (it) and [69] set it in Esangila. [70] [Explanatory Notes] [Publication] C.Walker & M.Dick, The Induction of the Cult Image in Ancient Mesopotamia [SAALT1] Helsinki 2001,70ff [Publisher URL] [Source] BM 45749 (Photo in SAALT 1) [Date] 6th Cent. BC [Language] Neo-Babylonian [Medium] clay tablet [Find Spot] Babylon [] Ritual ----------------------------------------