A Mandan Bibliography

Author(s): E. S. Drower
Source: Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, No. 1/2 (Apr.,
1953), pp. 34-39
Published by: Cambridge University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25222608
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A Mandaban

Bibliography

By E. S. DROWER
collection of Mandsean
religious texts known as the Ginza
or
d
Sidra
Adam
Rba
(The Great Treasure, Book of
(Rabba)
THE
was
to reach Europe, but was
not
first
book
the
Mandeean
Adam)
was
to
into Syriac and
first
It
transliterated
the
be translated.
In 1925,
into Latin by Dr. Matthew Norberg
(1815-16).
text
of
the
facsimile
the
German
Dr.
Petermann's
(published
using
in 1867) for reference, and with access to various copies of the sacred
codex in European
libraries, Mark Lidzbarski produced a fine and
and Rupprecht,
translation
(G?ttingen ; Vandenhoeck
scholarly
translated

1925). It had been preceded by his translations of the Drasa d Yahia

: T?pelmann,
der Mand?er
1915) and a selection
(Das Johannesbuch
: Berlin, 1920), both with
from the 'niania (Mand?ische Liturgien
in Hebrew
transliterations
script.
to deal with originals, not with
In this article I intend, however,
which
should be found in the
of
every ganzibra or head-priest.
ginza (treasure, treasury, library)
The precious documents are kept in a chest. Scrolls, when produced,
are wrapped in a white cloth lest any polluting touch should profane
sacred pages. Codices are bound in white cloth : to bind in leather
would be to bring them into contact with the pollution of death.
It was my good fortune to amass by degrees from the priests a goodly
number of scrolls and codices,1 and these are passing gradually into
translations

; with

compositions

I think that I reached

the keeping of the Bodleian Library, Oxford.
"
"
the bottom of the bag
is vulgarly known as
except for two
an
as
an
heirloom
scrolls, both ritual, preserved
aged man in
by

what

is of priestly birth, and refuses either to sell or

to allow them to be photographed.
They were copied lately by a
modern
but
in
Basrah,
copies are so often careless
ganzibra living
for these.
that I have not entered into negotiations
into six main
falls naturally
literature
Mandsean
groups :
South Persia.

He

for priests, (2) Ritual

and exclusively
(also for priests),
and
(4) hortatory
general texts,
(3) hymns, psalms, and prayers,
texts, and (6) magical writings.
(5) astrological
(1) Esoteric

1 I shall refer

to these

by the

initials

D.

C.

(Drower

Collection).

A MANDJEAN

35

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Group One
are all in scroll form and
of
often
The manuscripts,
great length,
conventional
in the curiously
several are illustrated
style charac
these texts,
in
teristic of Mandaean religious art. Here and there
about
of ritual, information
(mingled with elaborate descriptions
of priests who commit ritual errors or are accidentally
purification
between heavenly beings, and so on) appear
conversations
polluted,
Nasorseans
the esoteric doctrines
imparted only to priests and
These
to
initiates
to
is
that
doctrines, which
say
only.
(Nasuraiia),
certain
held
theories
reflect theosophic
groups
gnostic
by
may
the Middle East as early as the first century,
scattered throughout
"
The reader is bidden
secret.
are regarded as highly
beware,
this treasure ". After
beware, and beware to whom thou disclosest
"
to one in a generation ",
selection it is to be imparted
prayerful
"
to one in ten thousand ", when the owner of the scroll is near
death. To-day, however, these secret scrolls?only
partially under
read during initiation into priesthood.
i.e. the laity. I give a list
They are never read aloud to Mandseans,
:?
of those in my possession
This
Trisar
Suialia
(A Thousand and Twelve Questions).
(1) Alf
seven lengthy texts and is named after the first
scroll contains
stood,

it may

be added?are

the
minus
Nationale,
(a copy of which exists in the Biblioth?que
an
36
has
all
but
6
D.C.
is
D.C.
other six). My
imperfect copy
seven books, plus a copy of the Haran Gawaita
(see Group Four).
A summary of their content was given in JRAS.
(1941, pp. 101-126).
is to be published serially in the near future
inRome, and issued later in book form.
by Ephemerides Carmeliticae,
In these seven texts there is a good deal of the secret doctrine.

A complete

translation

This
(2) Alma Risaia Rba (D.C. 41) (The Great Supreme World).
erected
for
scroll must be found in the cult-hut
every
specially
sualia (candidate for priesthood) during the week of initiation.
(So
far unpublished.)
"
(3) Alma Risaia Zuta (D.C. 47) (The Smaller
Supreme World ").
(Unpublished.)
(4) Diwan Malkuta

or
of Lofty
(The Diwan
to
the
young priest.
Especially
important
Kingship).
"
"
"
the priest is
crowned
and becomes a
ordination
king ".
laitha

(D.C. 34)

Celestial
At

(Unpublished.)
(5) Zihrun Raza Kasia
(Unpublished.)

(D.C. 27)

(Zihrun,

the Hidden

Mystery).

36

A MAND^?AN

Group

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Two

: Ritual

texts are often in narrative

form, relating how spirits
a
but
also
take the shape of direct
pattern rite,
performed
they
are
Some
illustrated. Many bear the description Sarh,
instruction.
"
a loan-word (Arabic rr?>
to disclose, explain, dissect ").
on the
(1) Sarh d tarasa d toga d ?islam Rba
(Commentary
Coronation of the Great Sislam).
I have no copy : I read it in the
Ritual

British
Sislam

Museum

Describes
the ritual
(Or. 6592).
is the archetype of priest and bridegroom.

of ordination
(Unpublished.)

(2) Sarh d qabin d Sislam Rba (D.C. 38) (Commentary on the

in Rome,
Published
1950 ; Biblica
et
Marriage of Great Sislam).
Orientalia No. 12. The marriage ritual with all prayers and hymns,
and a list of auspicious and inauspicious days.
on
(3) Sarh d Parwanaiia
(D.C. 24 and D.C. 42) [Commentary
A long instructive
(the ceremonies of) the five intercalary days].
the trasa d manda
scroll describing
of the cult-hut),
(consecration
d
Dabahata
the
qnasa
yauna (dove-sacrifice),
(masiqta for ancestors),
rba (great commemoration),
Dukrana
zidqa brika d Parwanaiia
(Blessed Oblation for the Five Intercalary days) and the Ahaba d
Mania
(Bestowal of ritual garments).
(Unpublished.)
on the Com
(4) Sarh d dukrana d Ihdaia zadiqa (Commentary
I transliterated
of the Holy Unique One).
this manu
memoration
script

from one

in the library

of the

late P?re Anastase-Marie

in

(Unpublished.)
Baghdad.
(D.C. 35). A diwan is a collection
(5) Diwan Masbuta dHibil-Ziwa
of texts. This describes the baptism and purification
of Hibil-Ziwa
on his return from the worlds of darkness.
It is to be published
shortly in Studi e Testi (Biblioteca Vaticana, Rome).
Group

Three

: Devotional

The most complete collection of hymns, psalms, and prayers with

the appropriate zharia (rubrics and special insertions in commemora
I have it
is the codex 'niania (Responsa, hymns).
tion prayers)
was
were
book
inserted when the
rebound for
entire :missing pages
me.
This is D.C. 3, but D.C. 1, D.C. 2, D.C. 5, and other MSS. are
for the daily ablutions, daily office, and Book
separate prayerbooks
Some
of Souls (baptismal prayers)?all
being also in the 'niania.
"
left
ritual texts have prayers not found in this codex, and the
"
of the Ginza has prayers for the dead. Lidzbarski's Mand?ische
side
(see above) is based on an imperfect copy of the 'niania
Liturgien

A MAND^EAN

BIBLIOGRAPHY

37

Nationale
and on a
in the De Morgan collection in the Biblioth?que
An
volume of the Rahmia
important
(daily office) in the Bodleian.
omission in his volume is the great Commemoration
prayer, known
as Abahathan Qadmaiia
(our forefathers).
Four

Group

: General

and

Theological

This group is largely hortatory and theological and much of it is

form.
of texts?many
The most
collection
important

in verse

fragmentary?is

No.

1, see

are many copies of this codex in

accounts
in character ; contradictory
side by side : some is prose, some poetry.

(1) Ginza Rba (D.C. 22).

It is miscellaneous
Europe.
of creation

are all but

above.

There

Up to the present time the Ginza has been considered the earliest of
all the Mandsean texts, but some of the liturgical prayers and poems
it, and some of the magical
(Group Three) in my opinion, antedate
epoch.
(Group Six) appears to belong to a neo-Babylonian
d Yahia
of Yahia).
See the
(2) Drasa
(D.C. 30) (Teaching
The miscellany
contains some early and
beginning of this article.
some obviously
late fragments.
The part which deals with John the
to be aimed against Christian baptism
and is
appears
Baptist
literature

A codex.
polemical.
(3) Diwan Abatur

(D.C. 8). An imperfect copy of this curious

deals with creation and the fate of the soul in the
purgatories was brought back to Rome by a Carmelite missionary
who went to Mesopotamia
in 1622. This is in the Vatican Library
siriaco
is slightly earlier
D.C.
8, now in the Bodleian,
175).
(Borg,
scroll which

and more

and like it lacks

complete than the Vatican manuscript,
illustrated. My transla
beginning and date. The text is plentifully
tion, based on both, was published by the Biblioteca
Apost?lica
in the series Studi e Testi (No. 151) in 1950.
Vaticana
(4) Diwan

d Nahrawata

A semi-religious
(D.C. 7). Illustrated.
geographical scroll dealing with rivers and mountains.
(Unpublished. )
Diwan
Har?n
36
Gawaita
and
D.C.
(5)
(D.C.
9) (The Inner
Haran or Hauran).
This gives a legendary biography
of John the
"
"
a
of Nasoraeans and their migrations.
It is
Baptist and
history
a valuable work which corroborates the tradition and folklore of the
It was composed early in the Moslem period.
Mandseans.
It is to
be published with the Masbuta d Hibil-Ziwa
the Vatican
"
" by
series Studi e Testi. Like all the
diwans
it is a scroll.

in their

38

A MANDiEAN

Group

BIBLIOGRAPHY

: Astrological

Five

(D.C. 31) (Book of the Zodiac). A miscellany

and magical
omen, medical,
containing
astrological,
compositions
sources.
derived from Arab, Greek, Jewish, and Sassanian
It was
in 1949.
published with translation
by the Royal Asiatic
Society
(1) Sfar Malwasia

A copy of this codex, earlier

Paris : (C.S. 26).
Nationale,
(2) Sabania

Saiia

I had this added

logical commentary

Magical
disease,

incantations

own,

is in the Biblioth?que

(The hours of the 24-hour day <\J!>).

to D.C. 3 when it was rebound.
It is an astro
on hours of the day and night for a week.
Group

texts

than my

Six

can be subdivided
or

invocations,

: Magical
into exorcisms
love-spells,

of demons

curses,

and

and
so

on.

are generally protective.

Some phylacteries
Length varies : some
are yards long. Extracts
were inscribed on bowls and buried?
are copied on lead, immersed in
I believe this is still done?others
and the water
swallowed by the person to be cured or
water,
text on lead translated by Lidzbarski Ein
The magical
exorcised.
Mand?isches
Amulett (Florilegium de Vogue) is one of these. Written
a
spells are often worn on the person in metal case. I collected a
the best
of popular
but shall only mention
examples,
The incessant demand for talismans leads to careless
In JRAS.
(1943,
copying, and many are corrupt and mis-spelt.
a
a
I
from
codex
of
shorter
amulets
translated
selection
pp. 148-181)

number
known

here.

(D.C. 45, D.C. 46) called Harsia

(Spells) or Harsia
have suffered
then
how
these
I
out
(Black Magic).
pointed
"
"
two
:
in
the
of
later
e.g.
copies
Borsippa
through miscopying
(countenance)
(the ancient
(Bursip)
city) has become parsufa
resulting in utter nonsense.

and talismans
Bisia

My first essay in translation was published with transliteration

in JRAS.
(1937, pp. 590-611, and 1938, pp. 1-20). It was an incan
tation against the Evil Eye.
(I could now, with access to better
more
JRAS.
also
and
Mandaic,
improve the translation.)
copies
a
a
translation
of
and
published Three Qmahia (1939, pp. 397-406),
of
British
the
the
journal
magic text appeared in Iraq (vol. v, pt. 1),
in Iraq. The longest and most popular of all
School of Archaeology
"
"
texts is extremely
interesting although mangled
by
protective
a
so
that
written
in
it
first
I
had
minutely
fragments,
copyists.
a
15
then
scroll
was
and
;
13,
14,
16)
necessary
(D.C.
procured
glass

A MAND^EAN

that was more

distinct

BIBLIOGRAPHY

39

or less complete
It is composed of five
(D.C. 44).
is named after the first or second.
the whole

and

parts
there
Nationale
the De Morgan MSS. in the Biblioth?que
Amongst
an
as
as
is
I remember another fragment is
far
incomplete copy and
I place it first in the following
in the Staatsbibliothek,
in Berlin.
list :?
Group

Six

: Protective

Talismans

and

Exorcisms

or Zrazta d Manda
d Hiia
(1) Zrazta d Hibil-Ziwa
(see above).
A long scroll. (Unpublished.)
(2) Pisra Pugdama dMia
(D.C. 50) (Exorcism : the Command of
the Waters).
(3) Pasra

(Unpublished.)
Harsia

(or Parsa)

(Unpublished.)
Mihla
(4) Pasra

(D.C. 40)

(D.C. 12) (The Loosing

(Invokes

salt

of Spells).
personified.)

(Unpublished.)

(5) Safta dMasihfan Rba (D.C. 37) (TheScroll of the Great Over
thrower)

(generally protective).
(Unpublished.) "
I shoot "). Another
(6) Safta d Qastina (D.C. 39) (The scroll of
copy of this is in the Bodleian.
(Unpublished.)
(7) Zarazta d Suba Sibiahia
(D.C. 18). A section for each of the
seven planets.
(Unpublished.)
(8) Salhafta dMahra
(9) Safta d Dahlulia

(D.C. 19) (Ransom of illness). (Unpublished.)

(D.C. 20) (Scroll of, i.e. against Bogeys).

(Unpublished.)
of Fever.
(10) Pasra Sumqa (D.C. 23). Exorcism
(Unpublished.)
(11) Pisra d Sambra
(D.C. 10). Other copies of this are in the
Bodleian
in
and P?re Anastase-Marie's
Published
collection.
"
of
Rue
".
Orientalia, 1946 (fase. 3), under the title
Phylactery
All the above are fairly long. I have a number of others, shorter,
and there are many spells and talismans in the libraries of Mandsean
priests. The field is large.
To conclude this article and for the benefit of future collectors
I give the name of the two manuscripts
which I failed to charm out
of the tenacious old gentleman
in Southern Persia.
I saw a copy of
They are Diwan Qadaha Rba and Dmuth Kusta.
a
was
and
the
formalized
illustrations
one,
amongst
delightfully
a
of
holiest
of
insects.
bee,
drawing