#shulmu

[bi-numi-aliyani]

Proclaiming the Year of Aliyan-Ba'al

KTU 1.78 is quite a peculiar piece of ancient literature. It's an astrological report from Ugarit written in the City's own language and alphabet.¹ Despite being only six lines long, it has been the subject of extended discussion among scholars due to an ominous description of an astronomical event.² This event was identified early on by researchers with a solar eclipse dated to 1375 BCE, but a 1989 reexamination by astronomer Teije De Jong and Assyriologist W.H. van Soldt pointed to another solar eclipse, of 1223 BCE, as a more likely candidate.¹,³,⁴

This challenged the prevailing view of the timeframe of the Ugaritic texts.⁵ An even fuller picture thereof has emerged from research upon texts including those discovered in the house of a Diviner named Agaptharri.⁶ Three of these are particularly intriguing in relation to the Ba'al cycle, one of them even providing insight into the ritual aspect of the myth. It's classified as RS 24.293 and it involves 𒀭Mot, the God of Death who swallows up 𒀭Ba'al before being destroyed by 𒀭Maiden Anat to restore Her Brother to life.⁷

The Fourth Tablet of Ba'al itself, written by the scribe Ilimilku of Shuban under 𒀭'King Niqmaddu IV of Ugarit (formerly reckoned “Niqmaddu III”) around the same time as the apparent eclipse, also contains a portion of broken text which bridges 𒀭Ba'al the Victorious' Great Theophany and His instructions to the Lads 𒀭Gapn and 𒀭Ugar to deliver His message to 𒀭Mot. Restoration of the text shows it appears to refer to the Sun, personified as 𒀭Shapash the Luminary of the Deities, being cloaked in gloom as a grim omen.⁸,⁹ I think it's easy to see the connection I'm making here; I believe these two eclipses can be taken together as a sort of symbolic epoch.

The date was recorded as the Month of Khiyyaru during the New Moon which was the first Day of the Month in the Ugaritic calendar.¹ This lunar calendar has twelve months beginning just before the Autumnal Equinox in September. There was a modern version on Tess Dawson's Natib Qadish website but it's no longer present and I'm interested in repurposing it if I can figure out the math involved (especially with intercalation).

In any case, under the De Jong and van Soldt dating we are now in Year 3248 of Ba'al the Victorious starting in late Summer of 2024 CE and ending in late Summer of 2025 CE. This is of course the first actual use of such a dating system, so it's only appropriate for it to take place on the civil New Year's Day. Shulmu 𒁲𒈬 and Happy New Year to all!

References

Wyatt, Nicolas. Religious Texts from Ugarit, 2nd ed, 366–67. The Biblical Seminar 53. London: Sheffield Academic Press, 2002.

Pardee, Dennis. Ritual and Cult at Ugarit, 131–32. Edited by Theodore J. Lewis. Writings from the Ancient World 10. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2002.

De Jong, Teije, and Wilfred H. van Soldt. “Redating an Early Solar Eclipse Record (KTU 1.78): Implications for the Ugaritic Calendar and the Secular Accelerations of the Earth and Moon.” Jaarbericht Ex Oriente Lux 30 (January 1989): 65–77. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274720180_Redating_an_Early_Solar_Eclipse_Record_KTU_178_Implications_for_the_Ugaritic_Calendar_and_the_Secular_Accelerations_of_the_Earth_and_Moon.

De Jong, Teije, and Wilfred H. van Soldt. “The Earliest Known Solar Eclipse Record Redated.” Nature 338 (March 16, 1989): 238–40. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232779160_The_earliest_known_solar_eclipse_record_redated.

Pardee, 242.

Olmo Lete, Gregorio del, ed. “(Bn) Ảgpṯr / (Binu) Agapṯarri’s House:  The Functional Analysis of an Ugaritian ‘Archive’ (PH Room 10).” In The Private Archives of Ugarit: A Functional Analysis, 27–54. Barcino Monographica Orientalia 11. Barcelona: Edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona, 2018. https://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/129766/1/9788491682394%20(Creative%20Commons).pdf.

Pardee, 211–14 (for the other two texts noted: Wyatt, 388–90 & 414–15).

Gibson, John C.L. Canaanite Myths and Legends, 66. Edited by G.R. Driver. London: T&T Clark International, 2004.

Wyatt, 111–12.

[bi-numi-aliyani]

A candle for 𒀭Lady Ashirat of the Sea as Springtime begins 🕯️🌴🌅

O 𒀭Lady Ashirat of the Sea,

Please bless me and keep me throughout this new Season

So that I may endure in Your good time, O Great Mother.

Shulmu 𒁲𒈬 and a blessed Spring to all! 💚

[bi-numi-aliyani]

Another out-in-the-woods setup 💚

I really wish I was more active on here, I've just been absolutely clobbered with anxiety and everything else 😓 I wanna do more for the Deities, though, like praying more regularly and even composing more of my own prayers. I'll try to post more of my Semitic Pagan life as it comes like I said before, I just wish I wasn't so terrified of failure. Please pray for me if you pray much at all, I could certainly use it. Shulmu 𒁲𒈬 to you all!

[bi-numi-aliyani]

Two prayers from ancient Ugarit

Various “Teraphim” figures representing deities for devotional purposes from ancient Canaan/Judah. Photo from “Exhibit from the Bible Lands Museum” (Biblical Archaeology Review Vol. 25:5 (Sep.–Oct. 2000), p. 22). Source: Fertility Goddesses from the Ancient Near East (Mar. 2000) by Wanda Roux, https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Fertility-goddesses-from-the-Ancient-Near-East-Roux/218a301d5b1f807dd2324e37257cc817912ceeed.

Shulmu 𒁲𒈬 to all! These are a couple more Ugaritic prayers I've given my own take on and filled in blanks based on scholarly texts. The first of these is addressed to 𒀭Prince Ba'al and is found appended to a bimonthly itinerary of Temple rituals classified as KTU 1.119 (=RS 24.266). My source for the text is Pardee 2002 (I mention these works often enough I figure I'll probably make a bibliography), pp. 50–53, 149–50 and the translation in Wyatt 2002, pp. 416–22. The next prayer, found on tablet KTU 1.65 (Wyatt 2002, pp. 363–65), also has a liturgical character and appears to have originally been concerned with the wellbeing of the City of Ugarit. I've tried to adjust language in both prayers to make them flow as well as possible in English with a distinct ancient tone and I really hope you like what I've got here.

Prayer to Ba'al for Protection

When a terrible foe storms your gate,

a marauder dashes your walls,

You shall lift up your eyes to 𒀭Ba'al and say:

“O 𒀭Ba'al, if You drive the terrible foe from our gate,

“banish the marauder from our walls,

“an offering, O 𒀭Ba'al, we shall sanctify,

“a vow, O 𒀭Ba'al, we shall fulfill;

“a heritage, O 𒀭Ba'al, we shall sanctify,

“a Propitiation, O 𒀭Ba'al, we shall fulfill,

“a feast, O 𒀭Ba'al, we shall offer;

“to the Sanctuary, O 𒀭Ba'al, we shall ascend,

“the paths of the Temple, O 𒀭Ba'al, we shall follow.”

and 𒀭Ba'al will hear your prayer:

He will drive the terrible foe from your gate,

banish the marauder from your walls.

Prayer to El and the Family of the Gods

O Deities of the House of 𒀭El,

Family of the Deities,

Assembly of the Deities,

𒀭Thukamuna and 𒀭Shunama.

O 𒀭EI and 𒀭Ashirat,

Show us grace, O 𒀭El,

Come to our assistance, O 𒀭El,

Grant us peace, O 𒀭EI.

𒀭EI, come close,

𒀭EI, be our guard,

for the love of 𒀭Ba'al of 𒀭Sapon,

for the hope in 𒀭Ba'al of Ugarit.

By the Holy Spear,

by the Holy Axe,

by the Holy Mace,

by the Holy Javelin.

By the Holy Burnt-Offering,

by the Holy Perpetual Offering,

by the Holy Morning Offering,

by the Holy Evening Offering.

By the Holy Censer and Lyre,

by the Holy Image and Propitiation,

by the Holy Threshold and Keystone,

by the Holy Song and Scribal Instruments,

by the Holy Grain-Offering and Young Wine.

O Deities of the Holy Mountain,

Gods and Goddesses in the Dwelling and Court,

remember us at the Assembly in Council,

by your rulings grant us peace in your good time.

[bi-numi-aliyani]

Two incantations from ancient Ugarit and a prayer of my own composition

A horse figurine from the ancient Judahite cultic site of Tel Motza, c. 750 BCE (Source)

Shulmu 𒁲𒈬! I hope all my readers are having a wonderful day. I'd imagine what's going on lately is taking as much of a toll on some of you as it is on me. I haven't been feeling my best as a result and this took my mind back to what I find to be one of the most interesting texts in the Ugaritic corpus. KTU 1.100 is part myth, part incantation and it describes 𒀭Shapash's efforts to find a spell which will cure Her Daughter, the 𒀭Mother-of-Horses, who had fallen victim to snake venom. The text itself leaves quite a lot of room for interpretation, so I'll leave such judgements to the reader. The sources for KTU 1.100 (=RS 24.244) in translation with more info are Pardee 2002 pp. 172–79, Wyatt 2002 pp. 378–87, and Ugaritic Narrative Poetry (1997, pp. 219–23) edited by Simon B. Parker.

Before that, however, I'd like to first share an actual ancient spell against the Evil Eye, classified as KTU 1.96 (=RS 22.225) and to be found translated in Pardee 2002 pp. 161–62 and Wyatt 2002 pp. 375–77. It's also been interpreted as referring to 𒀭Maiden Anat's sexual and/or cannibalistic acts with 𒀭Ba'al which is certainly intriguing. The Ugaritic text is missing an indeterminate number of lines and I decided to rectify this by simply completing the apparent chiasm.

Finally, I'd like to include a brief prayer to 𒀭 Milqart I wrote myself drawing mainly from what appears to be an Ugaritic royal funerary text associated with 𒀭'Niqmaddu IV (formerly reckoned “Niqmaddu III”), the penultimate King of Ugarit who passed away in the late 13th century BCE (KTU 1.108 = RS 24.252, Pardee 2002 pp. 192–85). It's also influenced by the founding myths of Sur and Qart-Hadasht. I really hope you enjoy reading these and you may find them useful in your own practice <3

Incantation Against the Evil Eye: Attack and Counterattack

The Evil Eye roves about, it prowls,

and disfigures the beauty of its Brother

and the grace of its Brother,

although He be altogether lovely,

it devours His Flesh without a knife,

drinks His blood without a cup.

The eye of a wicked one that has seen Him,

the eye of a price-setter,

the eye of an assembler,

the eye of a gatekeeper.

The eye of the gatekeeper, to the gatekeeper let it return!

The eye of the assembler, to the assembler let it return!

The eye of the price-setter, to the price-setter let it return!

The eye of the wicked one, to the wicked one let it return!

No more drink His Blood without a cup,

no more devour His Flesh without a knife!

For He be altogether lovely,

no more disfigure the grace of your Brother!

No more disfigure the beauty of your Brother!

Evil Eye, nevermore rove about and prowl here!

Incantation Against Bane: Shapash and the Mother-of-Horses

I. The 𒀭Mother-of-Horses,

𒀭Mother of Stallion and Mare,

Daughter of the Spring, Daughter of the Stone,

Daughter of the Heavens and the Abyss,

Calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭El at the Source of the Two Rivers,

“at the Confluence of the Channels of the Two Deeps:

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

II. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Ba'al on the Heights of 𒀭Sapon:

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

III. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Dagan in Tuttul:

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

IV. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Anat and 𒀭Ashtart on Inbubu:

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

V. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Yarikh in Larugatu:

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

VI. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Resheph in Bibitta:

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

VII. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Ashtar in Mari: [𒀭Ashtar here is emendation from "Ashtart" based on a similar list found in KTU 1.107 (Wyatt 2002 pp. 391–94) and the fact 𒀭Ashtart is already mentioned in IV.]

“‘For a spell for a viper's bite,

“‘For a sloughing viper's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the viper,

“‘dismiss the sloughing viper,

“draw up a chair and sit.’”

VIII. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Zizzu-wa-Kamathu in Huriyat: [This is 𒀭Kamosh, the National Deity of Iron-Age Moab]

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

IX. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Milku in Ashtartu: [This City's name becomes "Ashtoreth" in the Hebrew Bible with the vowels for בּשֶׁת (bosheth, "shame") inserted based on a post-Exilic Judean taboo against pronouncing the old Deities' Names as followed by monotheistic redactors.]

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

X. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Kothar-wa-Khasis in Caphtor:

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

XI. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Shahar and 𒀭Shalim in the Heavens:

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison;

“‘then bind the serpent,

“‘dismiss the sloughing serpent,

“‘draw up a chair and sit.’”

XII. She again calls to 𒀭Shapash, Her Mother:

“𒀭Shapash, My Mother, carry My Cry

“to 𒀭Horon in the Fortress:

“‘For a spell for a serpent's bite,

“‘For a sloughing serpent's venom;

“‘from it, O Charmer, banish the bane,

“‘from it cast out the poison.’”

XIII. 𒀭Shapash turns Her Face to 𒀭Horon

for She is to be bereaved of Her Child.

He returns to the City of the East

then straightaway He sets His Face

towards Great Arash'shikh,

towards Arash'shikh the Well-Irrigated.

From the trees He casts out the tamarisk,

from the shrubs the Tree of Death.

With the tamarisk He expels the venom,

with the cluster of dates He drives it out,

with the foliage He dismisses it,

with the roots He carries it off.

Then 𒀭Horon goes to His House

and arrives at His Court.

The poison peters out like in a stream-bed,

washes away as though in a canal.

XIV. Behind the 𒀭Mother-of-Horses the House of Incantation,

behind Her the House She shut,

behind Her the bronze bolt She set.

𒀭Horon: “Open the House of Incantation,

“Open the House and let Me in,

“the Palace let Me in.”

𒀭Mother-of-Horses: “Give as My dowry serpents, O Horon,

“as My dowry a toxic lizard,

“as My wedding gift the viper's brood.”

𒀭Horon: “As Your dowry I give You serpents,

“as Your wedding gift the viper's brood.”

Prayer to Milqart of the House of Freedom

Praises to You, 𒀭Holy Milqart of Sur!

Glory to Your Name, Victorious Son of 𒀭Ba'al!

You alone are Foremost in the House of Freedom,

all the Blessed Dead rejoice by Your Throne.

When Your Company vanquishes the Shifting Serpent,

You make rampage with the Club in Your Hand,

The Axe of Your Right Hand gleams with blood.

When the Stones wandered the Ocean,

the Sons of the Mother of Wells around the Oil Tree,

Only You could tell them where to settle.

The violet of snails is wrought by Your edict

and You alone guide the Queen to Her Crown Land.

We lift a song of love to the King of Eternity,

our hearts abide in 𒀭Rapiu, the Great God.

Thanks so much for reading! I did want to share in other news that I performed my first daily prostrations this morning and I feel pretty happy about my spiritual progress in general. I almost made some offerings yesterday, but I didn't feel like I was in the headspace for it and I'll probably try again this weekend.

[bi-numi-aliyani]

L–R: The Asherah, the Mizbeach, and the Massebah

𒀭Yarikh 🌒 and 𒀭Ashtart ♀

Shulmu 𒁲𒈬. I was able to perform my first regular offerings yesterday evening and I'm very happy about it! I used almost all natural elements as you can see and it went pretty great I feel. As you can expect with me, it wasn't quite as organized as had perhaps been hoped, but I made sure to guard against carelessness and be reverent and I believe the Deities understand. At the very least they may have gotten me back when a thorn branch walloped me right in the nose as I was making my way out of the woods :P

I paid honors to 𒀭El, Creator of Earth, and His House (water for gratitude), 𒀭Ba'al the Victorious (contents of my heart for the protection of trans and queer people), and 𒀭Anat Mutilated (I'd prefer to keep the specifics of this one private). I'm very excited to spend more time learning and practicing with the Elim. I think I'll probably start performing offerings weekendly if I'm able. I've been keeping up with my daily prostrations to 𒀭Shapash to the extent I've been able to as well, though I substituted them with hymns yesterday evening and this morning due to fatigue and hurting myself on something at home (I'm ok now! <3).

I'd like to thank everyone within the Semitic Pagan and Kemetic communities who's helped me along so far, especially J. Sullivan who's provided me with a wealth of great info and advice lately :)

[bi-numi-aliyani]

Shulmu 𒁲𒈬, my friends! I wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about this place whatsoever. I actually started writing something big, but I got sidetracked with various other things. Again, though, I haven't forgotten and I'm gonna commit to making sure I don't neglect the Shrine! To make up for it, I'd at least like to share some sketches I've made in the meantime :)

First up are some more Deity symbols! The Seal of 𒀭Ashtart-Shala, going on my perspective that West Semitic 𒀭Ashtart and East Semitic 𒀭Shala are the same Goddess, is based on designs associated with the "Storm God's Wife" type in different regions as well as an Ugaritic Astral symbol. I also see it symbolizing something of the Celestial Realm in general, interestingly enough.

The Four-Pointed Star is associated with 𒀭Hadad in ancient times. The “War” variant is based on a metal standard from Ugarit (I'm not sure on what basis it's called a Hittite symbol, perhaps that version comes from Anatolia). There's also a Sun-and-Moon symbol (doesn't it just barely remind you of something very... Catholic?) and the Lightning-Fork, the East Semitic precursor to 𒀭Ba'al's Arzu (Cedar) in Levantine myth and iconography. Both of these are from an Old Babylonian cylinder seal.

With 𒀭Ashirat, there's two Sacred Tree symbols and what looks to have been a fertility motif from Canaanite pendants. There's also a design from a Megiddo cylinder seal (I was thinking of something else when I wrote “Old Syrian”) which I didn't finish drawing and you can even see where I erased some elements which I still mean to redraw so I can finish the thing.

Next are two drawings of 𒀭Milqart! The first one started out in concept as a sort of Seal, but to be honest I just think it turned out an alright drawing if I may say so. The basic design comes from Tyrian coinage, albeit I chose to reinterpret it with more Ancient Near Eastern as opposed to more Hellenic symbolism (no disrespect for Hellenism!). The King of Eternity's bespoke apparel and wings are mostly based on the Assyrian “genies”, although I certainly do not intend to imply any connection with that. His garment also draws from a Phoenician-influenced engraved silver bowl of the Latin culture (which shows Him bodying a fucking gorilla btw). His Crown has horns and a long tassel much like Ba'al's is sometimes portrayed along with some geometric motifs inspired by Atef. I decided to do something geometric with the Celestial symbols as well. He holds His two Attributes representing Life and Death, the Ankh and the Phoenician Fenestrated Axe respectively. Life is symbolically offered up on the Horned Altar inspired by an actual one from the Roman period.

Tyre's founding myth of the Ambrosial Rocks is also portrayed with the Eagle and Snake living together in harmony in the Oil (Olive) Tree which the Rocks wandered around in the midst of the Sea until 𒀭Milqart told them where to settle. I originally decided to put a proto-alphabetic Alef and Bet ;) on the Rocks based on the assertion the term “Ambrosial” is derived from Semitic Amm Beruth meaning “Mother of Wells.” I couldn't find any good evidence for that, but I decided to have them there anyway to symbolize beginning (albeit I realize now they should be in reverse). The Eagle offers 𒀭Milqart a Wreath Crown with the Pillars of the Two Tyres. On the lower register is the myth of 𒀭Milqart's Dog biting a Murex Shell which led Him to discover the precious Tyrian Purple dye and the whole composition is framed by Wreaths.

The Head of Milqart was purely a creative/inspirational outflowing with some slight tweaks made in post.

This next one is something of a personal seal for me. It's mostly based on the 𒀭Ashtart-Shala symbol and this is to ask for protection. The triple-Alef in the midst of the Hexagram represents my chosen Pagan name to that effect. The Name of 𒀭Qadesh-Ashtart-Anat, Who is a “composite” Goddess in my view, is written on the Lunar Crescent and I recycled some of the Tyrian symbolism as well. The two symbols on either side are based on designs of sceptres held by ancient Images of 𒀭El, one representing His House and the other a Solar symbol.

The Head of Ba'al here is in the same category as the Head of Milqart.

Thanks for checking out my work, I really hope you enjoyed it :)

[bi-numi-aliyani]

Shulmu 𒁲𒈬, friends! This is something I didn't just wanna transmit here since it's supposed to be something of a discussion, but I've shared some of my recent thoughts on the spiritual in the form of this here Reddit thread and I'd love to hear from some of you there. I'm still getting by, just a lot to worry about right now 🙃