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A list of natural health treatments for diseases of body and mind is part of the renowned Ebers Papyrus of ancient Egypt. The detailed papyrus includes treatment of skin conditions, pain, respiratory problems, parasites, digestive ailments, dental afflictions and anxiety. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Scribes & Writing - Ancient Egypt Medicine in Ancient Egypt: Ebers Papyrus Thoth - Ibis Scribe Moon God of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Written in c. 1650 BCE in hieratic script, the Ebers papyrus is based on older traditions of medicine to c. 3400 BCE. In the 3rd millennium the first known physician, architect scribe Imhotep (2686 - 2637 BCE), opens a clinic to study and treat disease in ancient Egypt. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The longest and most comprehensive text of its kind, the Ebers Papyrus includes a list of natural health remedies for known afflictions. Physicians use ingredients readily available (juniper) or through trade and local introduction (myrrh). See also: Sekhmet - War Goddess of Ancient Egypt The Way to Aaru - Egyptian Paradise Garnets - Gemstones of Blood and Life Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Here we have the medicinal and natural health uses for herbs and plants, and ancient Egyptian treatments for common ailments. Beware - some plants are toxic. Those marked with * are later inclusions native to ancient Egypt and known for their healing properties. Acacia (Acacia nilotica) treats intestinal worms; antioxidant & anti-viral Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) for burns, skin disease, allergies Balsam Apple or European Crabapple (Malus sylvestris) for constipation, skin conditions, headaches, asthma Basil (Ocimum basilicum) for heart health; fights anxiety & depression See also: Amethyst - Divine Purple Quartz Gemstone Sistrum (Sistra) Music: Ancient Egypt Seshat - Scribe Goddess Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Bayberry (Myrica cerifera) treats diarrhea, ulcers, hemorrhoids; is also a fly repellent Belladonna (Atropa belladonna) Deadly Nightshade - highly toxic. May relieve pain. Camphor tree (Camphora officinarum) for fever, sore gums, epilepsy Caraway (Carum carvi) treats flatulence, dyspepsia, freshens breath Cardamom (Eletarria cardamomum) treats heartburn, gas, constipation, liver ailments *Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla, Chamaemelum nobile) treats insomnia, nausea, inflammation, rashes, anxiety; aromatherapy benefits, calming See also: Herbology & Lore - Chamomile The Mystic Victorian - Fortune Telling Rosemary: Immortal Essence & Balm of Kings Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Colchicum (Citrullus colocynthis) diuretic, treats constipation, relieves insect bites Common Juniper (Juniperus) for urinary ailments, antibacterial, treats inflammation Cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba, Java pepper) treats dysentery, syphilis, gonorrhea, abdominal pain, asthma READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Dill (Anethum graveolens) promotes digestion, eases colic and abdominal pain Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) antidiabetic, may lower cholesterol, treats inflammation & fungal infections *Flax (Linum usitatissimum) seeds & oil used to treat constipation, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease See also: Linen, Hemp & Cotton - Fabrics of Ancient Egypt Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Sobekneferu - Queen of the Pharaohs Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) to treat arthritis, ulcerative colitis, coughs, sores, asthma; speeds wound healing; aromatherapeutic. Garlic (Allium sativa) antibacterial; treats fungus, parasites; lowers blood pressure, prevents blood clots, improves liver health *Green ushdun (Seidlitzia rosmarinus) - soap plant; treatment for gum disease and halitosis *Hemp (Cannabis sativa) improves brain and heart health; treats skin conditions. Henna (Lawsonia inermis) skin fungal infections, sunburn, lice. Used to treat pain and relieve skin conditions. Honey - cultivated from domestic hives by c. 3000 BCE. Antibiotic, speeds wound healing, helps treat common cold symptoms. See also: Tooth Worms of Ancient Mesopotamia Sacred Scarab: Lucky Bug of Ancient Egypt Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) - active ingredient Glycyrrhizin treats infection & stomach ulcers Meadow Saffron (Colchicum autumnale) Autumn Crocus - toxic to people & cats. Has been used in medicine to treat gout Mint (Mentha piperita) aids digestion, freshens breath, treats menstrual cramps, anxiety, depression Mustard (Sinapis alba) can induce vomiting; antifungal, digestive, stimulant Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) to treat wounds, aches, joint inflammation, parasites, digestive ailments See also: Bau - Healing Goddess of Babylonia Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Onion (Allium cepa) treats respiratory problems, inflammation, bee or wasp stings Parsley (Apium petroselinum) diuretic, anti-viral, fights kidney afflictions. Poppy (Papaver somniferum, opium poppy) illegal in many places. Said to treat heart problems, skin and hair, nerve problems, bone disorder, insomnia, pain. Sandalwood (Santallum album) - treats bronchitis, urinary tract ailments, purifies See also: Steatite (Soapstone) - Ancient World Curse of the Evil Eye & Apotropaic Magic Baba Yaga - Slavic Forest Witch Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Sesame (Sesamum indicum) antioxidant, fights cholesterol, liver & kidney conditions. Taken for heart health, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) laxative, promotes muscle relaxation, healing of stomach ulcers. Thyme (Thymus/Thimbra) strengthens immune system; used to treat allergies, asthma, autoimmune disorders. Tumeric (Curcumae longa) used to treat anxiety, infection, inflammation, digestive disorders See also: Bashmu (Bašmu): Voracious Serpent Dragon Saffron - Most Precious Ancient Spice Fairy Rings, Moon & Nature Magic Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books This list is a broad view of herbal and other natural elements used by ancient Egyptians in healing and magic. Others include natron salts for personal hygiene and digestive disorders. There's evidence of Sri Lankan cinnamon in use after c. 2000 BCE. See also: Ephedra - Oldest Medical Stimulant Herb Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Urash (Uraš) Primal Queen of the Gods Back to Top

Elevated from the lowly position of dung worker, the scarab (Scarabaeinae) becomes a sign of prosperous work, fertility, life, luck, royalty and divinity. The popularity of this large beetle crosses class as kings to commoners embrace the symbolism of the sacred scarab. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure See also: Jade - Jadeite, Nephrite & Jade Roads The Way to Aaru - Egyptian Paradise Sekhmet - War Goddess of Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In relief carvings the disc of the sun appears as a sphere. The Sun Disc corresponds to the perfect spheres the beetle makes of dung. They equate with fertility, the power of the sun as giver of life, as life arises from death or the Earth and returns there. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure Scarab beetles are associated with Egyptian God Khepri (Khepera, Kheper, Khepra, Chepri), deity with a scarab beetle for a face. He may also be represented by the beetle with a sun disc, or a stylized scarab. See also: Sun Goddess of the Earth: Hittite Underworld Arabian Leopard: Bronze Age Predators Ullikummi - Rock Monster of Legend Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The name Khepri means 'develop', 'come into being', or 'create'. Representing the rising Sun, Khepri is a deity of dawn. The scarab creates the sun with each new day. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure The magic of dawn brings blessings of beginnings. Goddesses of Dawn include Mesopotamian Aya (Aia) and H₂éwsōs of Proto-Indo-European origin. In Egyptian myth, lion-headed goddess Tefnut is associated with dawn and morning dew. See also: Shen Rings Egypt - Divine Protection Nefertari Queen of Peace Ancient Egypt Bes: Household Protector God of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Hatshepsut (c. 1507 - 1458 BCE) is among the greatest Egyptian female rulers. The cartouches above show Thoth, god of scribes, the moon and wisdom, in ibis form. Semi-circles are the moon (left) and sun. The 'flyswatter' at left may be a sistrum, a ritual rattle. On the right are the wings and abdomen of a honeybee, an animal linked to the sun and solar cycles, held sacred by the people of Egypt. Egyptians domesticate bees c. 3100 BCE by attracting wild bees into specially built hives. See also: Land of Punt: Pre-Bronze Age Kingdom of Riches Dream Interpretation (Oneiromancy) - Ancient Egypt Joyful Arrival of Hapi in Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Scarabs labor all day in the hot sun and wind burying their treasures. Most species of dung beetle are diurnal, a new nocturnal using moonlight to navigate. About 30,000 species of scarab beetle exist. Dung beetles bury the dung deep in the Earth, where the sun is said to go at night. A single beetle can bury 250x its body weight every day. These busy insects endlessly toil to fertilize and enrich the soil. See also: Kohl: Eye Beauty Magic of Ancients Sistrum (Sistra) Music: Ancient Egypt Myrrh - Mystique, Death & Divinity Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The dung beetle with its humble work is a blessing of Egypt. As it rolls dung in a perfect sphere, it seems to be holding and creating the sun or sun-disc. Not all dung beetles roll. Some bury dung in burrows. The balls or burials of dung can be used as food sources or nursing chambers. When young scarabs emerge fully formed from within a dung ball, they seem to be magically born from nothing. See also: Lotan - Chaos Sea Dragon of Ugarit Hutena & Hutellura: Dyad of Birth & Fate Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Scarabs are symbols of recurring life. As creatures of the Earth, recycling waste into new life, scarabs are associated with fertility, cycles of birth and rebirth, immortality and overall good fortune. The scarab appears in various forms in tombs of Egypt. Scarabs are carved from stone, glazed fired clay or molded from Egyptian faience, a type of ceramic glass. A scarab amulet, with beetle back or wings and engravings, is a personal item of jewelry and afterlife identification for the Pharoah, King's Royal Wife or noble. See also: Sukkals - Mythic Viziers to the Gods Bird Woman Elwetritsch: German Folklore Demons - Evil Udug of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The most common stone used for personal scarabs is a form of steatite (soapstone). A soft metamorphic rock, steatite hardens when fired, forming enstatite. Hardstone scarabs are created from rocks such as green jasper, carnelian and amethyst. See also: Asray: Ugaritic Underworld Goddess Turquoise: Precious Stone of Ancients Nixies - Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Back to Top

Sistrum (pl sistra) is a ritual music rattle used in ceremony and celebration. Beloved Royal Wife Nefertari of Egypt in the 13th century BCE is especially skilled in its use. The sistrum is central to the worship of goddess Hathor, also deity of love, fertility, song & music. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Music of Ancient & Medieval Egypt Nefertari Queen of Peace Ancient Egypt Seshat - Scribe Goddess Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books A sistrum (Greek σεῖστρον seistron "that which is being shaken") is a percussion instrument. Handle and frame are of brass or bronze. A type of rattle, the sistrum is most often used by the ancient Egyptians, though traces appear in cultures such as the Minoan. hieroglyph for sistrum The frames range in width so different instruments can produce tonal variety within the rhythmic emphasis. Crossbars are inserted into or through the instrument frame. The handle can be plain, decorative or embellished with a cow's head or other symbol. See also: Garnets - Gemstones of Blood and Life Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minos Nefertari Queen of Peace Ancient Egypt Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The ancient Egyptian sistrum relates specifically to religious and ritualistic practices regarding musical and joyful deities. A sekhem is the simpler, hoop-like sistrum, as at top. Sesheshet is the naos-shaped (shrine-shaped) instrument, named for the sound it makes. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure "In the ancient Egyptian language this instrument's name was sesheshet (sššt), an onomatopoeic word derived from the sounds of the instrument — that is, a soft jangling sound that resembles a breeze rustling/blowing through papyrus." Tahya (July 2018) "Rediscovering the Sistrum" The sistrum is a woman's instrument. It's played by women worshippers or musical priestesses for rituals. The only exception is during festivals, when the king uses the sistrum in presenting a gift or sacrifice to Hathor. See also: Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Great Women Artists - Käthe Kollwitz Puduhepa - Queen of the Hittites Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books When the sistrum is shaken, small rings or loops of metal on the crossbars produce a soft clink to loud jangling noise. The sounds can be accompanied by voice, chanting or rhythmic movement. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Bells or clappers can be attached. The rods might move back and forth, changing tone and musical texture with light hiss to strong metallic sounds. The energy ranges from low-key to formidable with a wide range of possible patterns. See also: Dream Interpretation (Oneiromancy) - Ancient Egypt Greenstone, Scribes & Cylinder Seals Sacred Music of Ancient Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Nefertari (above) is the First Royal Wife of Ramesses II. He loves her deeply, but sadly she's not well, and departs for the Aaru in 1255 BCE. Here she's shown with a ritual sekhem sistrum and impressive headdress. She wears the tall double plumes of Amun; a sun disc encircled with Hathor horns; and the Goddess Nekhbet vulture crown, attire of royal women. In one hand is a sekhem sistrum; in the other a blue lotus, used by priestesses and priests to attain spiritual vision. See also: Egyptian Blue Lotus: Visionary Beauty Ephedra - Oldest Medical Stimulant Herb Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In the beginning the sistrum is also used for secular music, dancing, singing and revelry. About the 18th dynasty (c. 1550 - 1290 BCE) use of the sistrum becomes more restricted until it's used only for religious purposes. The musical sounds can soothe even angry gods. The sistrum is thought to originate in the worship of Bat. Also a divine cow goddess, she is known since Neolithic times. She's linked to the region of Seshesh in Upper Egypt, where seshesh means sistrum. See also: Kusarikku - Bull Men of Mesopotamia Apis - Sacred Sacrificial Bull of Egypt Chicken Soup: Chickens in German Folklore Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Bat, often portrayed as a cow surrounded by stars, becomes equated with Hathor. The cosmic or primordial cow is a theme in early creation myths. The cow herself signifies abundance. Bat / Hathor is a goddess of women, the sky (cosmos), fertility and love. The sistrum is used in dances and religious ceremonies. It's shaken to frighten away Set, god of chaos. It's also prominent in the celebration of Hapi, as the annual Nile floods bring fertile silt, and water gives life to animals and plants. See also: Joyful Arrival of Hapi in Egypt Flooding of the Nile - Nature & Myth Heqet, Frog Goddess of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Goddess Isis in her role as mother and creator may be shown holding a pail to symbolize the flooding of the Nile, and a sistrum in the other hand. The cat goddess Bast can be portrayed holding a sistrum also, indicating her role as deity of dance, joy and festivity. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The other main popular type of sistrum used during the worship of Hathor is naos-shaped, named after the hieroglyph naos, a shrine. The sistrum looks like a small temple, with the head of the cow goddess. It may be made of faience. Wadjet - Winged Snake Goddess of Egypt Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Sacred Scarab: Lucky Bug of Ancient Egypt Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The sounds created by the percussive instrument and rhythm of the music are aligned for spiritual connection and calling upon deities. Repetition of the sistrum patterns is considered important for ritual healing, and to alter reality or enter a trance state. Besides Hathor, other deities of music in ancient Egypt include the household protection and dream god Bes, imported from the mystic Land of Punt. Hathor's son Ihy also relates to music. Ihy embodies the ecstasy of playing the sistrum. His name means "sistrum player". See also: Byblos Vibrant Port City: the Egyptians Striped Hyena - Bronze Age Wild Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Sistra are still used in the Alexandrian Rite and Ethiopic Rite. Besides the depiction in Egyptian art with dancing and expressions of joy, the sistrum is also mentioned in Egyptian literature. See also: Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Hymn to Nungal - Prison Goddess Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World Back to Top

Seshat is the ancient Egyptian goddess of writing, wisdom and knowledge. As daughter of Thoth the scribe god, she's a scribe and record keeper. The word sesh is used to denote a scribe, meaning 'to draw'. Her name Seshat means female scribe. See also: Scribes & Writing - Ancient Egypt Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World Proto Writing: Signs of the Times Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Her mother is Ma'at, goddess of justice. Ma'at features in the weighing of the heart in duat, part of the Afterlife. First appearing c. 2900 BCE, Seshat is also goddess of sciences, accounting, architecture, astronomy, astrology, building, mathematics and surveying. In this she relates to Sumerian goddess Nisaba, deity of Mesopotamian scribes, writing, surveying, agriculture and grain. It's thought Nisaba is an agricultural goddess before the advent of writing in Mesopotamia (c. 3400 - 3100 BCE). See also: Scribes & Writing: Ancient Beginnings Scribes & Writing - Ancient Mesopotamia Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The earliest evidence of phonetic writing in Egypt dates to c. 3250 BCE. The first known complete sentence in Egyptian language is dated to c. 2690 BCE. This is also about the time cohesive writing develops in Mesopotamia. Scribes in Egypt record activities of daily life, keep books, supervise building and statuary, immortalize battles and control inventory. They write recipes for incense, embalming and medical treatments, take dictation from rulers and describe special events in ancient Egypt. See also: Arabian Leopard: Bronze Age Predators Linen, Hemp & Cotton - Fabrics of Ancient Egypt Greenstone, Scribes & Cylinder Seals Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books After scribe school, jobs vary from writing letters for illiterate citizens, city planning or keeping tally on royal and community grain, usually stored in temples. Sons of scribes assume the positions of their fathers. As divine measurer and scribe, Seshat advises the Pharaoh in both of these areas of expertise. Seshat assists the Pharaoh in the "stretching the cord" ritual. This ritual is related to laying out the foundations of temples and other important structures. See also: Khet, the Body: Death Rites of Ancient Egypt Sailing - Bronze Age Sails & Sailcloth Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Seshat is invoked to determine and assure sacred alignments and dimensional precision. She has the epithet Mistress of Builders. Seshat lays plans for construction and expansion of sacred sites such as temples and temple complexes. Her skills are vital for surveying the land, especially to re-establish boundary lines after the annual Nile floods. The priestess who officiates in her name also supervises staff and is trained in mathematics and related knowledge. See also: Ammitt - Devourer of the Dead Nekhbet - Vulture Goddess of Egypt Turquoise: Precious Stone of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The scribe also records speeches of the Pharaoh during the crowning ceremony, and may supervise the inventory of foreign captives and goods gained in military campaigns. During the New Kingdom (c. 1570 BCE), Seshat takes part in the Sed festival. The Sed Festival or Festival of the Tail is held by Pharaohs who can celebrate thirty years of rule. The regnal years of the king and his jubilees are documented on leaves of the ished or Persea tree (Mimusops laurifolia), also called the tree of life. See also: Sacred Scarab: Lucky Bug of Ancient Egypt Pomegranate - Food of the Ancients Jade - Jadeite, Nephrite & Jade Roads Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Seshat notches her palm staff to measure time allotted to the Pharaoh for his stay on earth. Another title for Seshat is Mistress of the House of Books. Her priest/esses oversee the libraries containing the most important knowledge and documentation. They ensure the spells and rituals are preserved. Seshat also appears in funerary contexts, along with Nephthys, a goddess symbolizing the death experience. Seshat restores the limbs of the deceased as part of a ritual to re-animate the body in the spirit world. See also: Heqet, Frog Goddess of Egypt Egyptian Blue - First Synthetic Color Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Seshat is associated with Thoth (Djehuty in ancient Egyptian), the scribe god. The reckoner of time and god of writing, Thoth is also revered as a deity of wisdom. Seshat is variously considered to be the sister, wife, or daughter of Thoth. Seshat is the inventor of writing. Thoth teaches writing to mortals. In other tales, Thoth invents writing. As a moon god Thoth is worshipped from c. 6000 BCE. Seshat appears in myth c. 2800 BCE. The first Egyptian script, hieroglyphic, shows up c. 3200 BCE. See also: Myth & Metallurgy - Metals of Antiquity Rise of the Phoenicians - Early Years Mythology: Gods of Mycenean Greece Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Since the Egyptian word for scribe is sesh, meaning 'to draw', the original term applies to makers of drawings such as the images of hieroglyphs. The cursive or hieratic style of Egyptian writing comes later, about the time of Seshat's reign. Thoth can be seen as inventor of the hieroglyphic writing system, and Seshat the hieratic. The hieratic sees the evolution of picture glyphs into cursive and demotive writing. Changes are gradual. Some styles are in use simultaneously. See also: Caspian Tiger: Bronze Age Wild Predators Ninlil - Sumerian Matriarch Goddess Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The symbols of Seshat include the leopard skin, tablet, star and stylus. She's always shown in leopard print attire such as a long dress or cloak. She carries the curved palm rod notched with the years of a ruler's reign. The leopard skin is worn by funerary priests. The pattern of the hide is said to represent the stars and their arrangements in the cosmos. It symbolizes night and eternity. See also: Sherden Sea Peoples in Ancient Egypt Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral Hattusa Green Stone - Mystic Secrets Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Other symbols of Seshat include scribe tools such as tablet, bag of styli or reeds, and box for ink. The seven-point star is a symbol based on the leaf over her head and the decorative cloche above it. The star gives Seshat the appellation Seven-Horned or Sefkhet-Abwy. See also: Tooth Worms of Ancient Mesopotamia Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Before the Viking Age - Gods of the Sámi Back to Top

In ancient Egypt, ba is the element of a being associated with personality. The aspect ba is part of the soul with many facets. In Egyptian myth the Heron God Benu (Bennu) is considered the ba of Ra. Read: Cult of the Fire God Bronze Age Adventure The Heron God is also linked to the annual flooding of the Nile. Benu can renew himself every year and also every 500 years. He is the inspiration for the later glorious Greek Phoenix. See also: Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt Apep - Primal Chaos God of Egypt Pomegranate - Food of the Ancients At the time of creation, Benu forms himself, much like the divinity Atum creates himself from the matter and energy of Chaos. As the ba of Ra, he uses this force to enable the creative flow of Atum. Bennu flies over the waters of Nu(n), the eternal sea. He lands on a rock and gives his call, which identifies the form and nature of creation. See also: Thapsos - Trade Center & Necropolis Sacred Scarab: Lucky Bug of Ancient Egypt Aya - Goddess of Dawn, Mesopotamia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle This is the life/death/rebirth cycle intrinsic to all organisms and the universe itself. In myth it can be associated with the Chaoskampf or primal battle of good vs bad, the destruction of the world and its subsequent resurrection. As a symbol of death and rebirth Bennu is associated with Osiris, lord of the Underworld. He appears on funerary scarabs or carved talismans. In other portrayals he wears his solar disc. He's carved or painted onto walls or pillars and drawn on papyrus as below. See also: Lotan - Chaos Sea Dragon of Ugarit The Igigi - Why Humans are Created Goddess Nisaba - First Lady of Writing READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure Here he is on a barque, drawn on papyrus in a tomb of Irynefer at Deir el-Medina. An Eye of Ra sits on the back post of the boat, a solar disc in front. Deir e-Medina is an artisan town. It's inhabited by the people who work on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The epithets of Benu include He Who Came Into Being by Himself and Lord of Jubilees. The Jubilee celebrates the continued rule of the Egyptian monarch. It's a time of renewal, as herons are thought to renew themselves with the sun. See also: Asherah: Goddess of Childbirth & Fertility Mušḫuššu - Snake Dragon Animal of Marduk Owl - Death, Messages, Mystic Wisdom Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books While Bennu appears in his home town as a sacred Grey Heron, the ba bird of personality can also be a small songbird or different bird species. Sometimes Bennu perches on a benben stone. The stone is a representation of Ra, and it's also the top stone of a pyramid. Conversely Bennu may sit in a willow tree, which represents Osiris. See also: Lamashtu, Baby-Eating Demon Goddess of Mesopotamia Botanical Alchemy - White Dead Nettle Ancient Greece - the Mycenean Invasion Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Due to his link with Osiris, Benu may wear the Atef crown instead of the solar disk, as above. The white crown of Upper Egypt is decorated on both sides with ostrich feathers. In the 5th century BCE, Greek writer Herodotus claims the Egyptian people of Heliopolis describes the phoenix, saying it lives for 500 years before dying. It then resuscitates and builds a funeral egg with myrrh for the corpse of its parent. See also: Tumulus Culture - Nordic Bronze Age Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The new Phoenix carries the egg to the Temple of the Sun at Heliopolis. The bird is described as like an eagle, with red and gold feathers shining like the Sun. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure In most common depictions Benu is biologically a grey heron (Ardea cinerea), native to Europe, Asia and Africa. The birds love marsh habitats and can be seen wading with elegant steps at the edges of rivers and reedy shores. See also: Nekhbet - Vulture Goddess of Egypt Tollense Valley Battlefield: Ancient Germania Lucifer, Venus & Anti-Gods of Mythology Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The average grey heron is about a meter (3.3 ft) tall. In ancient Rome, herons are birds of divination. Gregarious nesters, they build nests in colonies in the higher branches of trees. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the nestlings. See also: Mot - Death & the Ugarit Underworld Reiker For Hire, Victorian Era & Nixies Turquoise: Precious Stone of Ancients Back to Top

Gala are a special division of priests and priestesses who serve the goddess Queen of Heaven Inanna (Ishtar, Shaushka). Also called ukurrim or ēnû, the gala priests, not to be confused with galla demons, wield the power of the Goddess throughout the known lands. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure New 2024 See also: Sacred Music of Ancient Mesopotamia Ningizibara: Sumerian Balaĝ Music Goddess Hymn to Nungal - Prison Goddess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books For centuries, Inanna holds the crown as most-worshipped deity in the Mesopotamian regions. A goddess of love, sex, fertility, wisdom, justice and war, she and her patronage are widely sought by cities of the ancient world. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure New 2024 About 4000 BCE, desiring Inanna as tutelary goddess, the city of Uruk creates for her a magnificent house or palace (temple, mountain house). Building is accompanied by music and hymns of praise. See also: Dream Interpretation (Oneiromancy) - Mesopotamia Disease Demons & Doctors: Ancient Mesopotamia Figs - Food of the Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle During construction the deities Kulla, god of bricks, Mušdam, god of architecture are invoked. Isimud, the sukkal of Enki, related to foundations, will join them on building projects from the first millennium BCE on. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Exciting Bronze Age Quest Adventure The people furnish this beautiful palace with priests, servants and abundant luxuries. Inanna comes to visit, approves and moves in. Throughout her long reign in Mesopotamia her main center of worship remains at Uruk. See also: Egyptian Blue - First Synthetic Color Sphinx - Mythical Monster of Ancients Kish: Glory Days in Ancient Babylonia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Gala (Akkadian: ēnû, kalû) are temple priests, palace personnel and administrators of the Sumerian city states. The kalû specialize in singing lamentations or laments, a common form of music. Gala priests appear in temple records back to c. 2500 BCE. According to an Old Babylonian text, the primordial god Enki creates the Gala especially to sing "heart-soothing laments" to the goddess Inanna. Lamentation and wailing may have originally been female professions. See also: Gula - Medicine Goddess of Mesopotamia Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia Abu - Ancient Vegetation Snake God Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Men who enter the discipline adopt the feminine forms of lament. Hymns are sung in eme-sal, a Sumerian dialect. Eme-sal or Emesal normally applies to the speech of women and female gods. Some male Gala priests take female names. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Exciting Bronze Age Quest Adventure The Gala of Inanna have privileges. In Mesopotamian society, priests and priestesses can hold power equal to the King. To keep the priesthood under control, in Mesopotamia and other cultures like the Hittites, the ruling King and Queen are High Priest and Priestess. See also: Natron - Ancient Embalming & Household Salts Ephedra - Oldest Medical Stimulant Herb Kaska - Mountain Raiders of Anatolia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the early years of city-states, many of the regions are run and administrated by priest kings. The priests interpret the will of the god(s) to be carried out by people. King-priests perform royal duties related to government and military protection. As well they undertake the priestly duties of maintaining the temple cult and serving as an intermediary between the gods and the people. See also: Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Cress, Watercress: Natural Health of Ancients Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Ordinary Mesopotamians depend on the priests to gain personal favor of the gods, including the city patron god or goddess. Priests control the type, number and frequency of sacrifices and offerings given to any deity. Divine palates can be picky. The wrong offering will annoy a god to no end. For instance the Underworld Scribe Belet-Seri is given a chicken in sacrifice. However, in some areas she's offended by a chicken and must be given other offerings, deemed more worthy, instead. See also: Chicken Soup: Chickens in German Folklore Hattusilis III - Great Hittite Kings Hattusa Green Stone - Mystic Secrets Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books If a person falls out of favor with the gods, it's the job of the priests to determine which deities the supplicant has offended. If the divinity can't be identified, priests perform the Shurpu ritual. Most of the priesthood can read or write, unlike most of the secular world. In the time of Hammurabi (c. 1792 - 1750 BCE) only about 10% of society is literate. Priests are active in political roles and especially policy administration. See also: Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek The Way to Aaru - Egyptian Paradise German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books While ancient Mesopotamian writing occupies hundreds of thousands of clay tablets, many of which haven't even yet been excavated, knowledge of traditions, rites and rituals is given only to the elite few. The common person has to rely on the priest's interpretation. One might go to a priest for a medical or spiritual problem. Mesopotamian doctors, including exorcists and snake bite specialists, are strongly connected to the temple milieu. Often the occupations of priest and spiritual doctor overlap. See also: Inara & the Dragon - Purulliya Festival Sprites: Ethereal Creatures of Faerie Dream Interpretation (Oneiromancy) - Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Ziggurats, domain of gods, are also the domain of priests. Members of the public aren't permitted in or on the temple. A high-ranking group, Gala priests occupy important positions in the rituals of every town Inanna is worshiped, which is every town. To get in touch with the gods, Gala priests use various techniques. Trance work, music, dance and use of psychoactive materials are among them. Cannabis is known to be used in ritual and recreation both in Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. See also: Nanshe - Nature Goddess of Dreams Ancient Arabia - Stone Age to Bronze Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Opium, henbane (Hyoscyamus muticus or H. niger), the ephedra plant or (in Egypt) blue lotus may be taken. Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) grows in the northern hemisphere, where it's used cross-culturally. Specialized purposes include attaining a trance or magic vision. Prayers to the gods take the form of woodwind and percussion centered music, incantations, hymns, chants and songs. Instruments include flutes, pipes, balaĝ (lyre), voice and drums. The point is to attune the mind to a higher consciousness. See also: Erra - Plague Demon of Mesopotamia Enuma Elish: Marduk & the Chaos Monsters Caspian Tiger: Bronze Age Wild Predators Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Like the Greek Mysteries, activities within the cult and temples or mountain houses are known only by the priests. The grain harvest is stored within temples. Grain collection, maintenance of the stores and allotment fall into the priestly realm. See also: Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Links Cinnamon - Spice Trade of Ancients

The nefarious Tooth Worm lives in the teeth and causes toothache by chewing the gums or the inside of a tooth. This evil worm and its kin are ravenous for tooth blood. They're well known to doctors of ancient Mesopotamia. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure See also: Scribes & Writing - Ancient Mesopotamia Disease Demons & Doctors: Ancient Mesopotamia Enki (Ea) God of Water & Creation Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Belief in the tooth worm persists into the 18th century CE. In ancient times, medical records show depictions of the tooth worms and include banishment spells or tooth worm exorcism incantations. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure The tooth worm is thought to cause cavities, tooth pain, toothache or infection, rotten teeth and periodontitis or gum disease. Bleeding gums are caused by the tooth worm in its voracious consumption of tooth blood. See also: Gula - Medicine Goddess of Mesopotamia Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia Gallu (Galla) Demons of Ancient Kur Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Various visuals of tooth pulp when the tooth is extracted suggest the presence of worms to physicians. In the image at top the toothworms are actively partying with evil intent. The tooth worm can be removed by a doctor skilled in the art of natural and supernatural health. Mesopotamians of the ancient world are highly spiritual and perceive the world around them as multi-tiered, connected to nature and natural elements. They have a strong belief in the Underworld, disease demons and medicine goddesses who can be called upon for help. See also: Šassūrātu (Sassuratu): Deific Midwives Bau - Healing Goddess of Babylonia Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books At least three types of doctor might treat a patient. One is the diviner, or baru (bārû), who learns about the illness or key influences from animal entrails. The baru discovers the type of ailment suffered and the demon causing it. Another is the objective healer, asu, who uses materials from nature and techniques proven to work based on past results. The third type of doctors are the exorcists. They're rarely engaged for the removal of tooth worms. See also: A Myth of Hahhima, Frost Demon God Curse of the Evil Eye & Apotropaic Magic Baba Yaga - Slavic Forest Witch Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Sometimes the work of doctors and priests overlap. In ancient Mesopotamia, the ašipu (āšipu, mašmaššu or exorcists) can act as priests. They interact with the occult. Scholars of diagnosis and treatment, together with the asu and baru they're in practice by c. 3200 BCE. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure The occupation of dentist or scope of dentistry is part of the doctor's sphere of knowledge at first. The first acknowledged dentist in history is Hesy-Re, an Egyptian scribe in c. 2600 BCE. See also: Wolpertinger - German Myths & Folklore Kohl: Eye Beauty Magic of Ancients Egyptian Blue Lotus: Visionary Beauty Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The legend of the toothworm goes back to the time of mythological creation. An early Babylonian cuneiform tablet, "The Legend of the Worm", recounts how the tooth worm drinks the blood, eats the roots of the teeth and causes caries and periodontitis: "After Anu creates heaven, heaven creates Earth. In turn Earth creates the rivers. The rivers create the canals. The canals create the marsh and the marsh creates the worm. See also: Proto Writing: Signs of the Times Garnets - Gemstones of Blood and Life Sacred Music of Ancient Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The worm goes weeping, before Shamash, its tears flowing before Ea: "What wilt thou give for my food? What wilt thou give me for my sucking?" "I shall give thee the ripe fig and the apricot." "Of what use are they to me, the ripe fig and the apricot? Lift me up and among the teeth and gums let me dwell! The blood of the tooth I will suck, and of the gum I will gnaw its roots!" See also: Amurru - God of the Amorites Hutena & Hutellura: Dyad of Birth & Fate Ninkarrak: Ancient Medicine Goddess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books For some reason the gods go along with this demand. It may be because, when humans are first created, they need a few tweaks. One of these is give them a shorter lifespan, so they don't overpopulate the lands. Similarly the gods introduce diseases. If humans become too strong, they begin to think of themselves as gods. Diseases help control the population and keep humans humble. The tooth worm is only one annoyance sent by the gods to the people. Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Rabbit Fever Plague & Warfare: Hittites Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle A charm against the tooth worm comes from Sri Lanka: Ira deyené asyā! Sanda deyené aeyā! Passé Buduné acyā! Daté nositoo dat aeyā! Translation: Worm of the sun-god! Worm of the moon god! Worm of the Past Buddha! Stay not in the tooth, thou tooth-worm! See also: Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe Cress, Watercress: Natural Health of Ancients Baltic Amber - Gold of the North Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books This incantation is recited with vigor by the doctor while pulling out the worm-ridden tooth. From gravesite and other findings, it's evident tooth extractions are common in ancient Mesopotamia. Such treatment of the tooth worm is usually successful. See also: Lukka: Bronze Age Warrior Sea People Bird Woman Elwetritsch: German Folklore Heqet, Frog Goddess of Egypt Back to Top

Proto Writing is a primal link in the development of literacy. Evidence of proto-writing goes back to c. 7000 BCE in Neolithic China. Later, Mesopotamian merchants develop a system of clay markings sealed into hollow globes of clay to send along with trade goods. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Scribes & Writing: Ancient Beginnings Architect Gods & Building in Mesopotamia Goddess Nisaba - First Lady of Writing Before the spread of written language, various examples of proto-writing crop up in Europe and Asia. They include: The Jiahu symbols carved in tortoise shells come from 24 Neolithic graves Jiahu, northern China, dating from c. 7000 - 6000 BCE. Vinča symbols, or the "Danube script", are a set of symbols inscribed on Neolithic artifacts from the Vinča culture of Central Europe and Southeast Europe. The Dispilio Tablet, a wooden tablet from Greece c. 5200 BCE is also an example of proto-writing. The Indus script, which from 3500 BCE to 1900 BCE, is used for short inscriptions. See also: Kulla - God of Bricks & Building Cylinder Seals of the Ancient World Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Jiahu symbols The Jiahu symbols are distinct markings on prehistoric artifacts. Some are incised on turtle shells. They're discovered in Jiahu, a neolithic Peiligang culture site in Henan, China. See also: Greenstone, Scribes & Cylinder Seals Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Jade - Jadeite, Nephrite & Jade Roads The Jiahu symbols date to c. 7 - 6000 BCE. Up to 16 signs are identified. Closer examination finds 11 definitely incised signs. Nine are on tortoise shells, 2 on bone. Archaeologists suggest a similar form and style to characters of the later oracle bone script, such as similar markings of 目 "eye", 日 "sun; day". A 2003 report in Antiquity describes the Jiahu symbols "not as writing itself, but as features of a lengthy period of sign-use which led eventually to a fully-fledged system of writing". The earliest known body of writing in the oracle bone script dates much later. It develops during the reign of the late Shang dynasty king Wu Ding, c. 1250 BCE. READ Cult of the Fire God Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Sacred Music of Ancient Mesopotamia Butter - Food of Peasants & Barbarians Saffron - Most Precious Ancient Spice Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle At Damaidi in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 3,172 cliff carvings dating back to c. 6000 - 5000 BCE have been found. They depict 8,453 individual characters, including the sun, moon, stars, gods and pastoral or hunting scenes. The Vinča symbols The Vinča symbols or Vinča–Turdaș signs, Old European script, Danube script are a set of untranslated symbols found on Neolithic era artifacts from the Vinča culture and other related "Old European" cultures of Central and Southeastern Europe. See also: Arcadia - Greek Lands of Ancient Gods Erinyes - Vengeful Women of Ancient Greece Despoina - Goddess of the Mysteries Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Dispute arises, as it must, over whether this is one of the earliest writing systems or simply symbols of some sort - fundamentally the same thing. The symbols are best described as an example of pre-writing or "proto-writing. They're in use c. 5300 BCE. The Dispillo Tablet The Dispilio tablet is a wooden piece inscribed with markings, discovered during excavations at Dispilio in Western Macedonia, Greece. Carbon dating puts the tablet at c. 5200 BCE. See also: Hymn to Nungal - Prison Goddess Linen, Hemp & Cotton - Fabrics of Ancient Egypt Ullikummi - Rock Monster of Legend Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In 1993 the board is found in a Neolithic lakeshore settlement on an artificial island near the modern Greek village of Dispilio. The habitation area itself is first discovered during the dry winter of 1932, which lowers the lake level to uncover traces of human settlement. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The site appears to have been occupied over a long period. Signs of habitation exist from the final stages of the Middle Neolithic period (5600 - 5000 BCE) to the Final Neolithic period (3000 BCE). See also: Reiker For Hire, Victorian Era & Nixies Sailing - Bronze Age Sails & Sailcloth Ornithomancy - Prophecy by the Birds Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Items found include ceramics, wood structural elements and portions of wooden walkways. Workers also uncover seeds, bones, figurines, personal ornaments, flutes and a tablet with marks on it. The tablet is immersed in mud and water for thousands of years. It's partially damaged when exposed to the oxygen-rich environment, and is now under conservation. Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age See also: Bronze Age Trade of Mesopotamia Tin Trade Routes - Ancient Networks Asteria - Starry Gems of Myth & Magic Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The transitional stage to a cohesive writing system takes place in the Jemdet Nasr period (c. 3100–2900 BCE) in Mesopotamia. Jemdet Nasr is one of the oldest Sumerian cities. In 1903 CE, German excavators purchase a collection of 36 tablets. While they think the tablets are from Tell Jemdet Nasr, it's later shown they're probably from nearby Tell Uqair. Below is a Jemdet Nasr ration list c. 3000 BCE. See also: Isimud: Two-Faced Sukkal of Enki Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Roads Nanshe, Nature Goddess of Dreams Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Similar tablets are offered for sale by a French antiquities dealer in 1915. Again these are said to come from Tell Jemdet Nasr. More tablets, painted monochrome and polychrome pottery was revealed in 1925 by local Arabs. In 1926, Langon uncovers a large mudbrick building containing he distinctive pottery, and 150 to 180 clay tablets bearing the proto-cuneiform script. See also: Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Enuma Elish: Marduk & the Chaos Monsters Lavender (Lavandula) Magic of Nature Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Trading Tokens The use of trading tokens goes back to c. 9000 BCE in Mesopotamia. Trading or trade tokens are usually made of clay as it's the handiest material to find. The sender inscribes a personal mark and other information regarding the products delivered. They may be put into a globular ball sculpture like the one below, thought to be the first type of shipping envelope. See also: Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral Cassiterite - Tin Source of Ancients Song of the Loreley Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books When the tokens are placed in the sphere, the sender seals the two halves and may inscribe the outside of the clay ball. In this way the merchant keeps track of inventory, what's traveling where and how. Wealthy merchants often employ several scribes for this. The small limestone tokens below are carved in pictographs by a merchant c. 3500 BCE. They indicate type of items shipped, amount, price and details. These tokens are enclosed in a sphere as above, or other type of clay envelope, then sealed with the merchant's mark. See also: Turquoise: Precious Stone of Ancients Bashmu (Bašmu): Voracious Serpent Dragon Natron - Ancient Embalming & Household Salts Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The tablets come from Kish, Babylonia (today's Iraq). In the Neolithic and ancient world these are in common use by traders and sellers as invoices, receipts, counting and accounting for inventory and payment. The Kish tablets show a stage of the proto-cuneiform writing style directly before the appearance of cuneiform script in Sumer. They're approximately 4 in (10 cm) x 4 in. Limestone is a soft solid rock, easy to carve with no chipping, and durable. See also: Khet, the Body: Death Rites of Ancient Egypt Mamu - Sumerian Goddess of Dreams Amethyst - Divine Purple Quartz Gemstone Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books By the end of the 4th millennium BC, this symbol system evolves into a method of keeping accounts. The scribe uses a round-shaped stylus impressed into soft clay at different angles for recording numbers on clay tablets and accounting tokens. This was gradually augmented with pictographic writing using a sharp stylus to indicate what was being counted. The transitional stage to a writing system proper takes place in the Jemdet Nasr period (31st to 30th centuries BC). Number symbols - Sumerian & Babylonian See also: Early Sun Mythology: Mid European Queen Eleanor & the Calamitous Crusade Arabian Leopard: Bronze Age Predators Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Early Proto-cuneiform is c. 3500 - 4000 BCE, top row. Middle row contains cuneiform signs for the sexagesimal system (60, 600, 3600 and so on). Lower row are the values given each symbol. The sexagesimal measuring system or Base 60 is used in Mesopotamia for city planning, temple building and other projects. See also: Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Nabarbi - Rustic Goddess of Pastures Before the Vikings - Early Northern Cultures Example of early Indus Valley Script. So far, experts are unable to decipher the glyphs. EARLY WRITING EVOLUTION Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Illustrations of writing in Mesopotamia, Egypt and China show similar developments. Over time writing becomes standardized through cuneiform and descendent scripts. An Indus Valley marking system is developed by c. 5000 BCE but falls out of use about 1500 years later. The first written language, Sumerian cuneiform, comes into practice c. 3100 BCE. See also: Shapshu: Sun Goddess of Canaanites Ningizibara: Sumerian Balaĝ Music Goddess Ephedra - Oldest Medical Stimulant Herb Back to Top

Lavender is one of the most delightful flora of botanical alchemy and natural health. The fragrance is clear sweet floral with deep earth tones. Flowers are varying shades of purple. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Lavender has multiple uses in natural health, aromatherapy, cuisine, cosmetics and ornament. The herb is attractive to pollinators including honeybees and butterflies. See also: Spagyria - Botanical Science of Alchemy Fairy Rings, Moon & Nature Magic Ninkarrak: Ancient Medicine Goddess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Native to the Old World, lavender makes the leap to the west with great success. It's found in flower and herb gardens, hothouses and home perfumeries. Purple is a royal color, denoting high status, wealth, confidence, success and mystique. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The color purple relates to magic and mental balance. Purple is a fire color and creates the flow of positive forward motion, but without the rampant energy of red. Purple tones aid concentration and focus. See also: Hyssop (Hyssopus) - Plant of Mystic Lore Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minoa Lisin - Medicine Goddess of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In botanic alchemy or spagyria, a type of holistic medicine, the life force of lavender opens receptive and connecting channels within. Botanic or botanical alchemy isolates or locates the essence or medicinal qualities of plants. Lavender is considered sacred to Parvati, Hindu Goddess of love, marriage peace and longevity. and Selene. The Greek moon goddess, Selene, is a personification of the moon itself. See also: Sekhmet - War Goddess of Ancient Egypt Nigella Sativa: Black Seed of Healers Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Healing properties of lavender include physical elements such as treatment of skin afflictions, or metaphysical aspects such as understanding the ache of spirit to invite positive life force into the sphere of existence. Negative thinking, self-doubt, oppressive situations or emotion-draining people interfere with wholistic awareness and prevent healing. In potpourri under the pillow, lavender brings sweet dreams and harmonious resolution of problems. See also: Teshub: Hurrian Bronze Age Storm God Spiritual Magic - Numbers Three & Nine Primeval Deities: Goddess of the Dawn Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the Middle Ages, lavender receives powers to overcome fears of devils, witches and the occult. Lavender is used in priestly ordination and the Church has declared it a sacred plant. In most lavender species, leaves have fine hairs (indumentum), which carry the essential oils. Flowers arise in whorls on spiky heads in colors of violet, blue, lilac and very rarely deep purple almost to black, or yellow. See also: Byblos Vibrant Port City: the Egyptians Sherden Sea Peoples in Ancient Egypt Rise of the Phoenicians - Early Years Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Lavender is scientifically proven to have calming effects. The plant contains linalool, a powerful terpene affecting the serotonin receptor. Linalool interacts with the neurotransmitter (or chemical messenger) GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid), to quiet the brain and nervous system, thus makes the whole body feel more relaxed. See also: Zircon - the Primordial Gemstone Divine Twins: Germanic & Greek Mythology Mythical Gods of Ancient Germania Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In herbalism, the German scientific committee on traditional medicine reports the use of lavender flower for several ailments. They include: restlessness insomnia Roemheld syndrome or gastric cardiac syndrome intestinal discomfort cardiovascular diseases headaches depression stress, anxiety Spiritual qualities of lavender include purification, devotion, grace, serenity, silence, mental calm, luxury and generosity. Meditate upon this plant or its qualities to find balance. Red and blue are color components of purple. Magenta is the color exactly between red and blue. See also: Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe German Myth & Folklore: Elves The Mystic Victorian - Fortune Telling Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The meaning of magenta includes uniqueness and creativity. The shades leaning towards pastel purples, mauve, royal purple, deep purple, violet, ultra violet and lavender are varying mixtures of blue, red, sometimes white. For the poultice crush fresh plant parts with mortar and pestle, releasing the juices. Add hot or cold water until they yield a spreadable mush. Flowers and leaves or just leaves can be used. If using dried herb it must be first macerated or soaked. See also: Industry & the Age of Monsters Wild Women and Winter Tales Before the Viking Age - Gods of the Sámi Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Lavender is friendly with plants of the mint family, including black horehound, catnip, coleus, hyssop, bee balm, lemon balm, basil, peppermint, sage, as well as rosemary and echinacea. Although it's a healing balm, a very small percentage of people have allergic reaction to lavender such as excessive itching or rash. Symptoms should go away with removal of the substance. It's not recommended to apply lavender essential oil directly to skin. See also: Pagan Solstice Fests: Mithras & the Sun Herbology & Lore: Rowan (Mountain Ash) Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The lavender herb relates to the Crown Chakra, relating to spiritual connection and transformation. In this way it is a gateway to the Divine Self, the collective unconscious and awakening of spiritual senses. In gemology the crystal amethyst corresponds to the properties of the lavender plant and helps the mind attain a higher level. In ancient Rome, amethyst is treasured as one of the precious gems. See also: Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Ziu - Ancient Sky God of Germania Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Also in Rome, lavender flower sells for the equivalent of an average month's wages. Certainly it was a plant of the elite. The oil has been used in rituals of purification since early times. In the Middle Ages, lavender receives powers to overcome fears of devils, witches and the occult. Lavender is used in priestly ordination and the Christian Church declares it a sacred plant. See also: Shamash (Utu) Sun God of Mesopotamia Enuma Elish: Marduk & the Chaos Monsters German Harvest Spirits - Dragons Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Jesus washes the feet of his disciples in lavender oils before he's crucified. Mary anoints him with lavender oil after his death. In ancient Egypt it's one of the plants used in mummification of the dead. It purpose is to repel odors and soften the skin of the deceased. See also: Heqet, Frog Goddess of Egypt Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt Nefertari Queen of Peace Ancient Egypt Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Lavender has anti-insect properties. Dried lavender is used in potpourri or scented pillows, and can be hung in the closet to freshen clothes and repel moths. The scent of lavender fresh or as essential oil in aromatherapy is famous for calming effects. In 2018, researchers at Kagoshima University in Japan discover mice show fewer signs of anxiety when exposed to the scent. See also: German Nature Folklore - Fruit Trees Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Links Figs - Food of the Ancient World Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In Spain, lavender is used to make spiced wine. In England of the 17th century, Queen Elizabeth the First loved a lavender jam she tried. Due to her influence lavender is produced as a jam as well as used in teas, both considered to have numerous physical and spiritual health benefits. See also: Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Pazuzu - Demon God of Mesopotamia Visigoths, King Alaric & the Ruin of Rome Back to Top

Mesopotamian goddess of grain and writing, Nisaba (Nanibgal, Nunbarshegunu) is one of the oldest Sumerian deities. Nisaba is also a goddess of surveying and accounting, both progressive trades in a rapidly developing group of ancient civilizations. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: The Igigi - Why Humans are Created Nabu (Nabû) - Ancient God of Scribes Care & Feeding of Ancient Gods - Enlil Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books As an agriculture, grain and scribe goddess she dates back thousands of years. The oldest written language is Sumerian cuneiform c. 3400 BCE. Using a stylus or wedge-shaped tool the scribe creates impressions in the clay. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Clay must be prepared a certain way, neither too dry nor too watery. Scribe schools teaching the mastery of tools and skills are run by master scribes in their homes. Scribal work requires significant attention to detail and knowledge of several languages. See also: Scribes & Writing: Ancient Beginnings Garnets - Gemstones of Blood and Life Architect Gods & Building in Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books As writing crosses borders, other styles emerge. Akkadian becomes the popular language for trade and commerce. Assyrian, Ugaritic, Hurrian, Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian and other cultures cross paths via merchants, traders and travelers. Jobs for translators are at a premium. Slaves who know how to read and write, especially other languages, are much coveted and have a high value. See also: Warrior Portal Gods Lugal-irra & Meslamta-ea Demons - Evil Udug of Mesopotamia Sukkals - Mythic Viziers to the Gods Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Worship of Nisaba is practiced in Eresh (Abu Salabikh) and later, Nippur, approximately central Iraq today. In god lists or kaluti she's included in the sphere of the primordial God Enlil, whose center of power is Nippur. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Her consort Haya is also associated with the scribal arts. He's considered to be the father of the Goddess Sud, wife of Enlil. Nisaba is Sud's mother. This keeps Haya and Nisaba in the inner circle both as courtiers to Enlil and in-laws to one of the most powerful of ancient gods. See also: Anzû - Mesopotamian Monster of Mayhem Nekhbet - Vulture Goddess of Egypt Mušḫuššu - Snake Dragon Animal of Marduk Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Major symbols of the Goddess Nisaba are a tablet of lapis lazuli and a golden stylus. Epithets for Nisaba include "Lady of Wisdom", "Professor of Great Wisdom" and "Unsurpassed Overseer". Apart from her association with grain and scribal arts, she relates to literature, poetry and songs. In the mythic chronology her association with fertility comes after she's linked to writing. She's considered the original scribe. See also: Sphinx - Mythical Monster of Ancients Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Road Ancient Mesopotamian Cities - Uruk Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the Sumerian texts of scribal schools she's named as the deity most commonly associated with literacy, numeracy and tools of the trade such as the stylus. She takes the role of teacher, guide and muse. As Goddess of Wisdom, Nisaba is thought to dispense this quality to rulers. She's believe to play a role in the Curse of Agade, a tale of Akkadian king Narum Sin's battle with the Gods. See also: Apep - Primal Chaos God of Egypt Owl - Death, Messages, Mystic Wisdom Ḫulbazizi - Ancient Exorcism Ritual Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In mythological texts Nisaba is Scribe of the Gods. Her symbols include a golden stylus and tablet of lapis lazuli inscribed with "heavenly writing," poetic comparisons of cuneiform signs and stars. Farmers consult the stars for the best sow and reap times of grain. In later years, Nisaba is displaced by God of Scribes Nabu. At times they're seen together as consorts. Spiritual connections between local and foreign Gods help keep the peace among the populace. Before long, the deities wander back to their respective spouses. See also: Bronze Age Cultures - the Hittites Cyclades Islands: Paradise of Ancients Asteria - Starry Gems of Myth & Magic Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Despite relinquishing her position as Goddess of Scribes, Nisaba is a popular choice as personal patron to such tradespeople as scribes and accountants. Scribe is one of the professional jobs enjoyed by women in the Bronze Age. It's not unusual for women especially of upper classes to know several languages. It helps in the practice of diplomacy. Nisaba also plays a part when Enlil woos her daughter Sud. A very old god, Enlil transforms to a handsome young bachelor to court the lovely Sud. See also: Ishara - Goddess of Death & Desire Ornithomancy - Prophecy by the Birds Lead: Death Metal of Metallurgy Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Ninlil is called Sud on becoming the wife of Enlil. She goes on to become a great mother goddess in her own right, giving birth to such esteemed Gods as Nergal of the Underworld, Ninurta the hero god of the people, and Aya, goddess of the dawn. See also: Bull of Heaven - Inanna vs Gilgamesh Curse of the Evil Eye & Apotropaic Magic Lotan - Chaos Sea Dragon of Ugarit Back to Top

Scribes (dubsars) appear shortly after the advent of writing c. 3400 BCE in Sumer. Writing develops as a way to keep trade and commerce records in the ancient world. Evidence of proto-writing goes back to the Upper Paleolithic period in Europe c. 35,000 BCE. This is a companion article to Scribes & Writing - Ancient Mesopotamia READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Garnets - Gemstones of Blood and Life Eridu - City of Ancient Gods Mesopotamia Cylinder Seals of the Ancient World Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The earliest widespread writing system is Sumerian cuneiform. Tablets of local clay make a surface to take the marks. A stylus is the tool which makes the marks. Reeds are plentiful in the Sumerian wetlands, and create the most common form of stylus. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Stems of sedges are triangular and hollow reeds can be cut into shapes. Wedge shapes are also trimmed from the reed stem. Extensive written languages develop around the capacities of reed and clay. See also: Greenstone, Scribes & Cylinder Seals Gala Priests: Clergy of Goddess Inanna Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Links Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Cuneiform writing develops in Sumerian, Akkadian, Luwian and other languages from the ability of one reed to make thousands of impressions or combinations of impressions, depending how one cuts or turns the instrument. Proper preparation of the clay is crucial. Clay is first soaked, pressed and hand-kneaded to get rid of air bubbles and blend the components. Natural oils in the hands contribute to the smoothness of the clay. See also: Kulla - God of Bricks & Building Cinnamon - Spice Trade of Ancients Ninazu: Healing, Death, Snakes & War Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Grit, air pockets or other inclusions in clay will cause writing errors and problems. Scribes are made aware of different types of clays, where they occur and how to prepare them. Air-dried clay can be soaked back to malleable form, kneaded and re-used. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The clay master or scribe adds water to soften the clay, or dry clay to firm it up. Special tools such as scrapers give the surface a smooth even finish. Finer clay textures allow more detail in impressions. Pale clay might be colored with pigment such as red or yellow ochre. See also: Isimud: Two-Faced Sukkal of Enki Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Urnfield Culture: Bronze & Iron Age Europe Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books From c. 2000 BCE, the use of writing boards is evident Examples come from the Ulu Burun shipwreck in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as Assur (Assyria) and Nimrud in today's northern Iraq. The boards are of wood or ivory. Two or more boards with frames are hinged together to form diptychs, triptychs, or polyptychs. These can fold for storage and open up to display the interior inscriptions. See also: Hannahanna - Great Grandmother Goddess Sacred Music of Ancient Mesopotamia Hymn to Nungal - Prison Goddess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The sunken portion of each 'page' contains a layer of beeswax. Additives such as yellow ochre may be mixed in the wax. Both cuneiform and linear scripts are used on this surface. Wax boards inscribed in Luwian hieroglyphs have been discovered in Hittite Anatolia. At the Hittite capital of Hattusa, types of bronze styli with pointed tip and a spatula at the back end are in common use in ancient times. Bronze and other metals can be warmed to write on hard wax. In Iron Age Syria, Anatolian hieroglyphs are still used on waxed boards. See also: Dream Interpretation (Oneiromancy) - Mesopotamia Architect Gods & Building in Mesopotamia Dromedary Camel: Animals of Ancient Arabia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Two writing boards from Neo-Assyrian Nimrud (1st millennium BCE) still contain part of the wax layer. The wax is inscribed with cuneiform signs. Scribes also learn to use papyrus, parchment and custom writing tablets. The scribe sits upright with the tablet on her or his lap. The tablet can be the wax board type, formed clay slab type, or papyrus. See also: Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Arabian Leopard: Bronze Age Predators Nigella Sativa: Black Seed of Healers Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In Sumer, use of papyrus as a writing surface dates back to c. 3000 BCE or earlier, about the same time as clay tablets. Papyrus is best used for non-permanent types of writing because of its need for special humidity and temperature controls. For the most part, clay is the preferred writing medium for centuries. It's abundant and the basic tools of the trade cost nothing. Although scribe schools are considered the domain of privileged young men, any woman or common man can learn to read and write. See also: Sobekneferu - Queen of the Pharaohs Mythic Fire Gods - Vulkan of Germania Ereshkigal & the Mesopotamian Underworld Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Like wax, clay can be pressed into molds and inscribed on one side, or made into thicker slabs for writing front and back. It's set to dry in the sun; or for more durability clay may be fired in kilns when the writing is finished. Firing the clay tablets soon becomes a widespread practice as it hardens the clay better than air-drying. Humans have been firing clay since c. 29,000 BCE. The process helps preserve the literature of later cultures like the Eblaites. See also: Gibil - Fire God of Mesopotamia Suri (Śuri): Ancient Etruscan Fire God Sphinx - Mythical Monster of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Unfired dry clay is more lightweight but less likely to be permanent. Air-dried clay tablets can be moistened, wiped clean of inscriptions and used again. The reed stylus initially used is flexible and adaptable. As writing becomes a status symbol, makers use different stylus materials. Styli might be bone, ivory, alabaster, imported wood such as ebony or cedar; precious metals such as copper. Styli are often sold in sets. See also: Land of Punt: Pre-Bronze Age Kingdom of Riches Before the Vikings - Early Northern Cultures Natron - Ancient Embalming & Household Salts Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Although the profession of scribe first appears in Mesopotamia, as is common with innovations writing and scribal occupations develop throughout the known world independently, at about the same time. An exception is northern Europe. In Europe, notational signs placed next to images of animals appear from the Upper Paleolithic in Europe c. 35,000 BCE. This is the earliest sign of proto-writing. Groups of symbols are used to convey hunting information and seasonal behavior of prey animals. See also: Cult of the Bull - Prehistoric Aurochs Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Lisin - Medicine Goddess of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Written language in the Northern realms doesn't emerge until c. 2nd century CE, about three thousand years after the first evidence of writing in Sumer. The earliest European writing takes the form of north Germanic runic inscriptions known as the Elder Futhark Runes. See also: Mamu - Sumerian Goddess of Dreams Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Figs - Food of the Ancient World Back to Top

Development of writing, scribes (dubsars) and scribe schools (edubas) work together to alter the Ancient World in much the same way as the industrial revolutions rock the foundations of 19th century civilization. This is a companion article to Scribes & Writing: Ancient Beginnings See also: Eridu - City of Ancient Gods Mesopotamia Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Architect Gods & Building in Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Mesopotamian scribe schools (edubas or 'tablet schools') first appear from c. 3000. They focus on practical matters such as business and numbers, functional precision of writing, accuracy, systems, lists, geometry, memorization and organization. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Scribes might learn several languages which make them invaluable as translators. In many centers scribes don't pay taxes. They're involved in the complex details of administration as Mesopotamia ushers in the world's first bureaucracy. See also: Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Roads Ancient Mesopotamian Cities - Uruk Cylinder Seals of the Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Many early scribes are priests and priestesses. The ziggurat is the house of a deity, sometimes called a Mountain House. It's forbidden for common people and even kings to enter the ziggurat. The royal family might have a private shrine nearby. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Priests number among the 10% literate in ancient Mesopotamia. They possess the language of the gods, and the people do not understand the writings. The gap widens between the people and their deities. See also: Asherah: Goddess of Childbirth & Fertility Garnets - Gemstones of Blood and Life Gala Priests: Clergy of Goddess Inanna Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The ziggurat and surrounding temple complex are populated by scribal priests and priestesses, the only ones allowed atop the ziggurat. Musicians for the pleasure of the gods, cooks to make meals of the gods, divine launderers and servants work in select spaces. Many are initiates into the priesthood. Although permitted into the ziggurat their access to certain areas may be restricted. Doctors are also known to practice from temples or a sacred complex. The work of doctors and priests often overlaps. See also: Disease Demons & Doctors: Ancient Mesopotamia Sacred Music of Ancient Mesopotamia Dream Interpretation (Oneiromancy) - Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The ability of priests to attain and constrain scribal knowledge further widens the gap between people and communication with their gods. The priest class grows in power. Most people depend on the priests for insight, oracles, rituals and exorcism. This is also true of the Mesopotamian doctors, who work from temples or other spiritual environments in the temple complex. Doctors write prescriptions for treatment of ailments and expulsion of the demons causing the illness. See also: Ninurta (Ninĝirsu) - God of the People Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Alchemy: Science, Philosophy, Magic Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Doctors and pharmacists are also among the literate few. The physician or pharmacist concocts the treatment and tells the patient what to do with it. The patient may not even know the ingredients of the medicine. Medical knowledge is recorded by scribes, however, to become part of the many medicine texts of Sumer and Akkad. Sometimes the cause of illness is odd (toothache caused by an evil tooth worm) but treatment works (reciting an incantation and pulling the tooth). See also: Inanna (Ishtar) - Goddess of Ancients What is a Ziggurat? Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Early pharmaceutical clay tablets bear ancient Mesopotamian inscriptions, some in Sumerian cuneiform. Texts include medical formulas, instructions for pulverization, infusion, boiling, filtering and spreading the components. Various herbs are described. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure A site in ancient Babylon provides the earliest evidence of an apothecary or pharmacy. Alongside the patient, the doctors include a priest, physician, and a pharmacist to define and treat the ailment(s). See also: Kur - Underworld of Mesopotamia Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World 12 Days of Zagmuk: Chaos & the King Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books A scribe might work in a religious capacity or secular, in administration, law and records-keeping. Scribes regularly write music or draw up blueprints. The scribe makes written records of speeches, victories, songs, prayers, prescriptions, incantations and god lists. Calligraphy doesn't appear until much later. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE) of China it was required education for nobles. Literature of the Mesopotamian scribe schools gives insight into daily life for young scribal students. Typically training starts in childhood. See also: Jade - Jadeite, Nephrite & Jade Roads Apep - Primal Chaos God of Egypt Ziu - Ancient Sky God of Germania Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Compositions describe how a boy would leave his parents' home in the morning, go to the eduba, and begin lessons for the day. These include reciting texts learned previously and forming new tablets to inscribe. Scribe schools are regularly held in private houses. Punishment for misbehavior such as talking out of turn, going out at the wrong time or poor writing style can be harsh. In one account, a student claims to be beaten seven times in a day. Students commonly use bribery or flattery to avoid a beating. See also: Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Hashamili - Metal Work & Smith God The Shekelesh - Bronze Age Mysteries Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books After a day at school, the student goes home again to his parents. He might tell them about his day or explain his homework assignments. Such reports in the eduba literature are entertaining, often sympathetic stories about life or an Old Babylonian scribal student. They may be fictionalized or exaggerated by the teller. See also: Ningizibara: Sumerian Balaĝ Music Goddess Mamu - Sumerian Goddess of Dreams Linen, Hemp & Cotton - Fabrics of Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Merchants also make enthusiastic use of writing. It is after all their invention. The first trade records are created by placing an identifying token into a sealed clay sphere. The token indicates the type and number of goods delivered to the buyer. The letter below covers all available space on a clay cushion shaped tablet. Shown are the obverse, reverse and all four sides of the letter. It's written in Akkadian, language of trade and commerce in lands of Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Levant and even Egypt. See also: Scribes & Writing: Ancient Beginnings Butter - Food of Peasants & Barbarians Kanesh (Kultepe): Kārum City of Trade Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books After writing a missive, the person places the clay tablet in the sun. Once dry, the tablet is delivered to its recipient by someone going that way. The idea of a postal service has yet to take form. The letter above is from a merchant in one city advising a less experienced merchant, who is in the busy trade town Kanesh. The letter details the trade of precious metals. It also warns, "This is important; no dishonest man must cheat you! So do not succumb to drink!" See also: Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Myth & Metallurgy - Metals of Antiquity Spiritual Alchemy: Obsidian Volcanic Glass Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Firing the inscribed clay tablets becomes a widespread practice as it hardens clay better than air-drying. Humans have been firing clay since c. 29,000 BCE. In the ruined city Ebla archaeologists discover over 20,000 preserved clay tablets 'fired' by the burning of the town. Firing alters the structure of the clay. The clay particles bond together and make the material stronger. This is desirable in a more permanent ware. Higher firing temperature can make clay impervious to water as in stoneware pottery. See also: Bitumen - Tarry Trade in Perfect Pitch Sailing - Bronze Age Sails & Sailcloth Gibil - Fire God of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Unfired or sun-dried clay can be moistened, wiped clean and used again. Soaked, it soon returns to its moldable damp earth state, which fired clay cannot do, due to the transmutation of elements. Although clay is the medium of choice, scribes experiment with papyrus, parchment, tools and custom writing tablets. Scribal students copy such literary works as the Epic of Gilgamesh (written or collected c. 2150 - 1400 BCE). See also: Enki (Ea) God of Water & Creation The Igigi - Why Humans are Created Asherah: Goddess of Childbirth & Fertility Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Nearly all known Sumerian literary works come from apprentice or student scribes. Besides writings of literature and entertainment, texts include lists of words, grammar forms, name lists and personal names. Scribes learn and copy syllabaries, sets of written letters representing syllables. The curriculum in scribal schools starts with a study of lists and syllabaries. See also: Tin Mining in the Bronze Age c 3300 - 1200 BCE Gold - Precious Metal of the Sun Humbaba: Giant Mountain Forest Man EVOLUTION OF EARLY WRITING Traveling scribes play a vital part in the spread of literary works, poems, songs, religious or secular music and ritual writings. Copying epics such as that of Gilgamesh or the tale of Telipinu are also part of the curriculum. Toward the end of the 3rd millennium BCE, disputations are popular in Sumerian literature. These include the Debate between Bird and Fish; the Debate between Summer and Winter, in which Winter wins. See also: Animal Spirits - Frog, Cat, Bull Kish: Glory Days in Ancient Babylonia Care & Feeding of Ancient Gods - Enlil Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Other debates include those between cattle and grain, tree and reed, silver and copper, the pickaxe and the plow, and the millstone and the gul-gul stone. Stories, accounting and religious texts found their way into the scribe schools and preserved as copies. Metrology or the science of measurement is part of the scribal curriculum, as are formulas for writing legal contracts, common sayings or proverbs. Students then advance to the structures of praise poems. See also: Kulla - God of Bricks & Building Goddess Nisaba - First Lady of Writing Sphinx - Mythical Monster of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Eventually they evolve to copying or inscribing more complex literary works. Apart from mathematics, a discipline involving years of study for a scribe, the Babylonian scribal education concentrated on learning to write Sumerian and Akkadian using cuneiform. A large part of scribal training involves learning conventions for the writing of letters, contracts and accounts. Scribes learn through a variety of media, such as listening to spoken language and writing the syllable sounds / words / symbols. See also: Aya - Goddess of Dawn, Mesopotamia Cult of the Bull - Prehistoric Aurochs Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Ability to memorize glyphs, forms and styles is paramount. In the beginning scribes are under the patronage of the Sumerian goddess Nisaba. Her symbols include a tablet of lapis lazuli and golden stylus. Apart from literature and writing she is a goddess of grain, accounting and surveying. As time goes on her place is taken by the god Nabu. See also: Nabu (Nabû) - Ancient God of Scribes Ḫulbazizi - Ancient Exorcism Ritual Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass