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In alchemy, nigredo (blackness) means putrefaction or decomposition. As the first step in the path to the philosopher's stone, nigredo corresponds to findings by groundbreaking analytic psychologist and alchemical scholar Carl Jung. Colors of Alchemy: Rubedo Magnus Opus Black Pigments of Ancient Artisans What is the Philosopher's Stone? Sylvia Rose Books In alchemy, the process of nigredo begins when all alchemical ingredients are cleansed and cooked to a uniform black matter. It breaks down of impurities and catalyzes the transformation of the base material into a purified state, ready for further refinement. In spirituality nigredo is a metaphor for "the dark night of the soul, when an individual confronts the shadow within." This stage represents a period of inner turmoil and introspection, where one faces deep fears and unresolved issues. Parabalani: Medics & Murderous Mobs Zosimos: First Golden Age of Alchemy Alchemy: Science, Philosophy, Magic Sylvia Rose Books The color progression in alchemy can be three or four steps. Besides nigredo, the colors are albedo (whiteness), citrinitas (yellowness), and rubedo (redness). In advancement toward self-realization in alchemy and psychology, nigredo signifies a crucial phase of transformation and rebirth. It is a necessary process of breaking down the old to make way for the new, or face the darkness within to find the light. Chrysopoeia - Turning Lead into Gold Hypatia: Scholar & Martyr Alexandria Khaos: Primal Goddess of Greek Myth Sylvia Rose Books Through this stage of darkness and decay, where all seems lost and desolate, there lies a profound opportunity for transformation and enlightenment to emerge. In the realm of alchemical symbolism this phase is often referred to as the "nigredo" stage. It is a period of deep introspection and contemplation, where one may feel engulfed in an "uncomfortable night of nothingness" (Thomas Browne 1605 - 1682). Within this darkness seeds of change are sown, waiting to blossom into newfound understanding and wisdom. Women of Alchemy - Mary the Jewess Aether: Born of Darkness, God of Light Prima Materia: Elements of Alchemy Sylvia Rose Books The concept of nigredo symbolizes a necessary process of purification and renewal, akin to decomposition of matter before new life can emerge. It is a time of shedding old beliefs, habits, and perceptions, allowing space for the birth of fresh insights and perspectives. Just as a seed must break through the darkness of the soil to reach the light, so too must individuals navigate through inner darkness to attain enlightenment. It is a period of discomfort and uncertainty, where one may feel lost in confusion and doubt. Amentet Goddess of Death Egypt Cleopatra the Alchemist of Alexandria Nüwa: Chinese Primordial Snake Goddess Sylvia Rose Books Yet, it is precisely in these moments of darkness that the spark of change ignites, guiding the individual towards a brighter, more enlightened path. A stage of darkness and decay is a crucial stepping stone towards personal growth and achievement of the quintessence. Reflection and inner work pave the way for profound change and spiritual evolution. Just as alchemists seek to transmute base metals into gold, so individuals transmute inner struggles into personal growth and enlightenment through the transformative power of nigredo. Golden Ages of Alchemy: Renaissance Cyrene: Huntress Queen of Greek Myth Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Sylvia Rose Books "But (the human) is a Noble Animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave, solemnizing Nativities and Deaths with equal luster, nor omitting Ceremonies of bravery, in the infamy of one's nature. Life is a pure flame, and we live by an invisible Sun within us." From: Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial, or, a Discourse of the Sepulchral Urns lately found in Norfolk; Sir Thomas Browne, pub. 1658 AD Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Aesculapian Snakes: Nature & Lore Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Sylvia Rose Books Nigredo, a term deeply rooted in alchemy, holds a significant place in literary works, notably in the sonnets of William Shakespeare. The symbolism associated with "ghastly night" mirrors the essence of nigredo as a stage of transformation and renewal. In the realm of alchemical storytelling, William Yeats masterfully weaves the concept of nigredo into his tales, inviting readers to delve into the narrator's inner turmoil and confrontation with the shadow self. Iah: Cryptic Ancient Moon God Egypt Emerald Tablet - Sacred Alchemy Text Song of the Loreley: Lethal Attraction Sylvia Rose Books The phrase "to struggle again with the shadow, as with some older night" evokes a sense of introspection and duel with one's own darkness. In literature, nigredo themes are metaphors for complexity of the human psyche and the journey to self-discovery and enlightenment. Alchemy and Jungian Psychology Groundbreaking Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875 - 1961) asserts, "the rediscovery of the principles of alchemy came to be an important part of my work as a pioneer of psychology". Jung is known for his theories of the collective unconscious, originating in texts from 1916. Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Vermilion - Scarlet Pigment of Death Hermes Trismegistus: Alchemy & the Occult Sylvia Rose Books As students of alchemy, he and his followers "compare the 'black work' of the alchemists (the nigredo) with the often highly critical involvement experienced by the ego, until it accepts the new equilibrium brought about by the creation of the self." Jungians interpret nigredo in two main psychological senses. The first sense represents a person's initial state of undifferentiated unawareness, "the first nigredo, that of the unio naturalis, is an objective state, visible from the outside only ... an unconscious state of non-differentiation between self and object, consciousness and the unconscious." Ouroboros Glyph: Snake Eating its Tail Žaltys: Sacred Snake & Serpent Queen Cleopatra the Physician of Greece Sylvia Rose Books Here the subject is unaware of the unconscious, also defined as connection with the instincts. In this context, "the nigredo of the process of individuation on the other hand is a subjectively experienced process brought about by the subject's painful, growing awareness of the inner shadow aspects." Horse in Dreams - Meaning of Horses Chinese Alchemical Elixir Poisoning Mercury: Miracle Metal of Madness Sylvia Rose Books It could be described as a moment of maximum despair, that is a prerequisite to personal development. As individuation unfolds, so "confrontation with the shadow produces at first a dead balance, a standstill that hampers moral decisions and makes convictions ineffective or even impossible ... nigredo, tenebrositas, chaos, melancholia." C. G. Jung, Mysterium Coniunctionis (London 1963) Women Scientists of the Ancient World Cinnabar (Mercury Sulfide) Red Death Agrippina & Son: Poisonous Plots of Rome Sylvia Rose Books Here is "the darkest time, the time of despair, disillusionment, envious attacks; the time when Eros and Superego are at daggers drawn, and there seems no way forward ... nigredo, the blackening." Christopher Perry, The Cambridge Companion to Jung Magic of the Circle: Spirituality & Lore Pentagram: Drudenfuß, Five Point Star Jet Black - Ancient World Gemstones Sylvia Rose Books Only subsequently would come "an enantiodromia; the nigredo gives way to the albedo ... the ever deepening descent into the unconscious suddenly becomes illumination from above." C. G. Jung, "Psychology of the Transference", Collected Works 1950 Honey Mead: Most Ancient Ambrosia Butter - Food of Peasants & Barbarians White Pigments of Ancient Artisans Sylvia Rose Books The colors involved in the steps of the alchemical opus are: nigredo (blackness) which represents putrefaction and spiritual death albedo (whiteness), which represents purification citrinitas (yellowness), the solar dawn or awakening rubedo (redness), the final and crucial stage Citrinitas may be a step in itself, or in the three-phase paradigm can create a bridge of completion between albedo and rubedo. Mad Honey - What's the Buzz? Mugwort (Wormwood) Herbal Lore Woad, the People's Blue: Ancient Pigments Sylvia Rose Books Jung also finds psychological equivalents for many other alchemical concepts, with "the characterization of analytic work as an opus; the reference to the analytic relationship as a vas, vessel or container; the goal of the analytic process as the coniunctio, or union of conflicting opposites." Robert H. Hopeke, A Guided Tour of the Collected Works of C. G. Jung The Anxious Victorian - Mental Health Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Rise of Pan: Fertility Goat God Péh₂usōn READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Back to Top

Saturnalia, an ancient Roman festival, is originally held on 17 Dec. Festivities are later extended to Dec 23 to align with other seasonal celebrations. Saturn is the revered but paranoid agricultural Titan god who eats his children so they won't usurp him. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Jump to: Saturn, Titan God Io Saturnalia! Slaves Unchained: Freedmen of Ancient Rome Pagan Solstice Fests: Mithras & the Sun A Viking Christmas Yule Sylvia Rose Books Saturn, Titan God Back to Top Saturn is an ancient energy. He's equated with Cronus in Greek lore, a Titan born of Uranus and Gaia. Saturn / Cronus overthrows his father by slicing off his testicles with a sickle, and takes command of the skies. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure With the Goddess Rhea (Greek Ops) he fathers several children. As it's prophesized one of his children will usurp him, as he usurped his father, he devours each infant at birth. Khaos: Primal Goddess of Greek Myth Herbology & Lore: Poison Hemlock Kumarbi - Castration Gods of Creation Sylvia Rose Books In the artwork above Saturn savagely eats his son. Goya swerves from the tradition of Saturn swallowing his children whole. This is one of his "dark" paintings, not for public viewing, done on a wall of the artist's home. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series When Zeus is born, Rhea wraps a rock in a blanket to deceive Saturn. Saturn tells her to nurse the infant once more before he devours him. As she pretends to nurse the substitute baby her breast milk sprays into the heavens to become the Milky Way. Agrippina & Son: Poisonous Plots of Rome Prima Materia: Elements of Alchemy Iah: Cryptic Ancient Moon God Egypt Sylvia Rose Books As Saturn wonders why his youngest child is so hard to chew, Rhea spirits young Zeus off to a cave by the sea in Crete. There he's nursed by a she-goat, Amalthea. In another version she's a nymph tending goats, who gives him goat's milk to nurture his growth. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure When Zeus grows up he returns to Saturn and forces him to disgorge the rock, and the gods and goddesses who are kin of Zeus. He then cuts off Saturn's testicles, or cuts him into bite-sized bits, or banishes him to the darkest part of Hades, and rises to rule. Aether: Born of Darkness, God of Light Chun Yuyan & Death of Empress Xu Wolfsbane (Aconitum) Ancient Poisons Sylvia Rose Books During and after the Roman conquest of Greece in 31 BC, Saturn is combined with the Greek Titan Cronus. Saturn takes the Cronus mythology and the two are regularly interchanged or conflated. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series The deities he fathers are Jupiter (Gr. Zeus), Neptune (Poseidon), Pluto (Hades), Juno (Hera), Ceres (Demeter) and Vesta (Hestia). When Jupiter / Zeus frees his siblings they take their rightful places among the Gods. Eschenfrau: Wicked Ash Tree Woman Castle Frankenstein - Legend & Lore Reiker For Hire, Victorian Era & Nixies Sylvia Rose Books In ancient Rome Saturn is a god of time, generation, dissolution, abundance, wealth, agriculture, cycles of renewal, and liberation or freedom. Despite his child-eating ways, the mythological reign of Saturn is considered a Golden Age of peace and prosperity. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The feast of Kronia in July / August is a harvest celebration dedicated to Cronus, who retains his status as an agriculture deity of abundance and wealth. In the rising shadow of Saturn he is ultimately assimilated. Tannenbaum - About the Yule Fir Tree Poppaea Sabina: Child Bride to Roman Empress Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Io Saturnalia! Back to Top Saturnalia festivities begin with a blood sacrifice at the temple of Saturn, followed by a public banquet. People exchange gifts, usually joke gifts, or figures of wax or pottery known as sigillaria. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries The noun Sigillaria corresponds to the last day of Saturnalia. In ancient times a street in Rome, Via Sigillaria, is occupied by shopkeepers who make and sell the figurines. On Saturnalia they hit their best sales figures of the year. German Traditions - the Linden Tree Asclepius: Greek Medicine Snake God Gramophone, Player Piano & Motion Pictures Sylvia Rose Books Dec 17 through to the 23rd celebrations continue day and night. Excess is expected. People dance, drink and gamble. Roles of rich and poor, slave and master are reversed. Men and women often switch gender. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series The cry "Io, Saturnalia!" resounds through the streets and palaces of pleasure. It signals the beginning of the celebration, or the celebration itself. It can also follow the punchline of a joke. During the reign of Claudius it defuses a mutiny. Narcissus the Freedman Imperial Rome Slaves Unchained: Freedmen of Ancient Rome Messalina: Death & Desire in Ancient Rome Sylvia Rose Books The freedman Narcissus is devoted to Emperor Claudius. When he hears of revolt in the ranks, Narcissus steps onto the balcony to address the soldiers. Seeing him in place of his "Master", one in the crowd calls out "Io Saturnalia!" and amid laughter the mutiny dissolves. For Saturnalia a King is elected, who gives ridiculous orders such as banning blue clothes. Masters set up dining tables for slaves and everyone feasts together as equal. Similar fests include Lord of Misrule in England and the Feast of Fools or Narrenfest in Germania. Lora Ley Adventures - Feast of Fools Nature Spirits of German Mythology Parabalani: Medics & Murderous Mobs Sylvia Rose Books According to Greek writer Athenaeus, other festivals incorporating the concept of masters dining with slaves include the Athenian festival Anthesteria, dating back to the 10th or 11th century BC, and the Spartan feast of Hyacinthia. A festival ancient even in the time of Classical Antiquity, Athesteria occurs over three days in January or February. Hyacinthia commemorates the death of Hyacinthus, a lover of Apollo. Apollo kills him by accident and immortalizes him as the hyacinth flower. Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Zosimos: First Golden Age of Alchemy Edelweiss: Alpine Flower of True Love Sylvia Rose Books Symbolically Hyacinthus is in Hades for the winter, and emerges as one of the first blossoms of spring. The first day of Hyacinthia is for mourning, and the others are a celebration of his resurrection. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries According to the Latin writer Macrobius of Late Antiquity, Saturnalia is a festival of light leading up to the winter solstice. Many candles are lit, symbolizing the quest for truth and knowledge. Reishi or Lingzhi - Mushroom Magic 12 Days of Zagmuk: Chaos & the King Alchemy: Science, Philosophy, Magic Sylvia Rose Books Number of days celebrated varies, first seven, then three to five, until Caligula, brother of Agrippina the Younger, decrees the event should be five days. It's now returned to the time-honored tradition of seven days. Io Saturnalia! In the later Roman Empire the renewal of light and approach of the new year is celebrated as Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, or "Birth Day of the Unconquerable Sun" on 25 December. The festival continues into the 4th century, when the Romans invent Christmas 357 AD. Ullikummi - Rock Monster of Legend Industry & the Age of Monsters The Wild Hunt - A Lora Ley Novella Sylvia Rose Books Saturnalia predates and influences the pagan Festival of Yule, which is originally an  extended Scandinavian harvest festival. Holly leaves, vines and wreaths are popular Saturnalia decorations. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Holly stays green, its berries plump and red, long after other plants wither in winter. The berries are toxic to people and pets, a good reason to let them color the season instead of the stomach. Some birds can eat them. Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe Visigoths, King Alaric & the Ruin of Rome Rhinestones: Treasures of the Rhine Sylvia Rose Books During Saturnalia the statue at Saturn's temple has its feet wrapped and tied in wool. The wrappings are later taken off to symbolize liberation. While mythic golden days of the reign of Saturn are over, the festival is still celebrated today. Io Saturnalia. 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The parabalani (parabolini) range throughout Alexandria from the plague times of the 3rd century AD to the 6th century of Justinian. Christian volunteers, the parabalini care for the sick, knowing they too might die. It's a noble premise. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Brunhilde: Tragic Germanic Warrior Queen Asclepius: Greek Medicine Snake God Bosporus: Black Sea Nature & Greek Myth Sylvia Rose Books Much of the activity of the parabalani is obscure, partly because they don't quite fit a niche. Their origin is sketchy. The occasional historical mention is not flattering. They may be formed during the Plague of Cyprian, a pandemic in the Roman Empire c. 249 - 270 AD. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The "volunteers" are the healthy poor and outcasts of society. Though ostensibly Christian, they take no clerical vows and join no orders. They're tasked with care of the sick, removal of corpses from the street and burial of the dead. Rome views this as a job creation project. Slaves Unchained: Freedmen of Ancient Rome Agrippina & Son: Poisonous Plots of Rome Pagan Solstice Fests: Saturnalia Sylvia Rose Books The plague is the second in as many centuries, the first being a world-wide epidemic in which it's said up to 2000 people die per day by the time it hits Rome in 189 AD. In 249 AD another deadly plague breaks out. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series Pope Dionysus the Great writes: Now, alas! all is lamentation, everyone is mourning, and the city resounds with weeping because of the numbers that have died and are dying every day. As Scripture says of the firstborn of the Egyptians, so now there has been a great cry: there is not a house in which there is not one dead - how I wish it had been only one! Zosimos: First Golden Age of Alchemy Chicken Soup: Chickens in German Folklore Hermes Trismegistus: Alchemy & the Occult Sylvia Rose Books The most brilliant festival of all was kept by the fulfilled martyrs, who were feasted in heaven. After that came war and famine, which struck at Christian and heathen alike ... but when both we and they had been allowed a tiny breathing-space, out of the blue came this disease, a thing more terrifying to them than any terror, more frightful than any disaster whatever... Amentet Goddess of Death Egypt Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Ereshkigal & the Mesopotamian Underworld Sylvia Rose Books The plague creates widespread food and military shortages, greatly weakening the empire. The modern name of the plague comes from St. Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage, an early Christian writer who witnesses and documents the effects. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series According to Pontius of Carthage, biographer of St. Cyprian: " ... excessive destruction of a hateful disease invaded every house in succession of the trembling populace, carrying off day by day with abrupt attack numberless people, every one from his own house. Ogdoad - Primordial Gods of Egypt Visigoths, King Alaric & the Ruin of Rome Rabbit Fever Plague & Warfare: Hittites Sylvia Rose Books All were shuddering, fleeing, shunning the contagion, impiously exposing their own friends, as if with the exclusion of the person who was sure to die of the plague, one could exclude death itself also. There lay about the meanwhile, over the whole city, no longer bodies, but the carcasses of many, and, by the contemplation of a lot which in their turn would be theirs, demanded the pity of the passers-by for themselves. Serket - Scorpion Goddess of Egypt Striped Hyena - Bronze Age Wild Khaos: Primal Goddess of Greek Myth Sylvia Rose Books No one regarded anything besides his cruel gains. No one trembled at the remembrance of a similar event. No one did to another what he himself wished to experience." READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The exact cause of the plague remains uncertain due to limited sources. Scholarly suggestions range from smallpox and measles to viral hemorrhagic fever (filoviruses) such as the Ebola virus. Queen Eleanor and the Calamitous Crusade Shennong Primordial Farmer & Healer Women Scientists of the Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books When the parabalani are created, Rome is embroiled in a widespread event later called the Crisis of the Third Century (235–285 AD). Due to recurring foreign invasions, civil wars, plagues, famine and economic upheaval, the Empire staggers and nearly falls. By 268, Rome splits into three competing states: the Gallic Empire (Gaul, Britannia and, briefly, Hispania); the Palmyrene Empire (eastern Syria, Palaestina and Aegyptus); and, between them, the Italian-centered Roman Empire proper. Aether: Born of Darkness, God of Light Prima Materia: Elements of Alchemy Ouroboros Glyph: Snake Eating its Tail Sylvia Rose Books The Cyprian plague ends in 270 AD. Between 270 - 275 AD Emperor Aurelian brings the Empire back under control in Italy and Rome, by defeating the two splitter states. With disaster barely averted, what's to become of the parabalani? The parabalani are considered members of the clergy despite no specific orders joined. Although they come from the lower classes of society, they enjoy the same clerical privileges and immunities as an official religious functionary. Bau - Healing Goddess of Babylonia Dromedary Camel: Animals of Ancient Arabia Black Hellebore: Toxins, Health & Lore Sylvia Rose Books They are however forbidden by law to attend public gatherings or theaters, as they are reputed to cause riots and bring "terrors" upon a town. At times they take an active part in ecclesiastical affairs. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series In Alexandria, besides mercy work they also take up mercenary work as a bodyguard for the Bishop. They take vows before the Bishop and are officially under his control, due to their religious affiliation. Plight of the Lutzelfrau - A Lora Ley Novella Narcissus the Freedman Imperial Rome Hermes Trismegistus: Alchemy & the Occult Sylvia Rose Books However, in their military role as bodyguard they are legally under command of the praefectus augustalis, the imperial governor of Roman Egypt. In 416, after the brutal murder of Hypatia, the law restricts the number of parabalani in Alexandria to 500. Hypatia is an esteemed philosopher and teacher of Neo-Platonism, who schools Christians and pagans alike. She gains power and influence in Alexandria until she's tortured and killed by a mob of Christian parabalani in 415 AD, probably for political reasons. Hypatia: Scholar & Martyr Alexandria Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation Death Cap Mushrooms: Deadly Poison Sylvia Rose Books She's an advisor of Orestes, governor of the diocese of Egypt. He feuds with Bishop Cyril of Alexandria, for whom the militant parabalani work. The Church spreads rumors that she stops Orestes from reconciling with Bishop Cyril by means of evil magic. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series The murder of Hypatia not only alarms philosophers, who are supposedly protected, but stirs up paranoia among the elite. If these men can drag a woman from her carriage into a temple in broad daylight and savagely rip her to shreds, what might they do to others? Cleopatra the Alchemist of Alexandria Epic of Erra - Plague God of Babylon Moon Magic - the Feminine Principle Sylvia Rose Books By 418 the number of parabalani in Alexandria grows to 600. In Constantinople, however, the number falls from 1100 to 950. At the time of reforms by Byzantine Emperor Justinian (r. 527 - 565 AD), the parabalani are known to be "a problem". Eventually they're phased out. Thrace - Tribal Mythology & Lore Cyrene: Huntress Queen of Greek Myth Giresun (Aretias): Isle of the Amazons Back to Top

Hypatia is a Neoplatonist philosopher and mathematician c. 350 - 415 AD in Alexandria. She's both a scholar and teacher. Daughter of a mathematician, she instructs people of all faiths and gains wide renown. She's brutally murdered in 415. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Women Scientists of the Ancient World Asclepius: Greek Medicine Snake God Aether: Born of Darkness, God of Light Sylvia Rose Books Hypatia lives in Alexandria, Egypt. In her time it's part of Eastern Rome, an Empire in trouble. Alexandria is a center for scientists, thinkers and developments in alchemy and other fields. In Alexandria Hypatia teaches philosophy and astronomy. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure She's preceded in mathematics by Pandrosion, an Alexandrian mathematician. Not as much is known about Pandrosion though she's identified as female though her writings. Hypatia is considered the first female mathematician whose life and death are fairly well recorded. Zosimos: First Golden Age of Alchemy Khaos: Primal Goddess of Greek Myth Agrippina & Son: Poisonous Plots of Rome Sylvia Rose Books Hypatia is known to use astronomical instruments and alchemical apparatus. She's the first person traditionally associated with the hydrometer which measures liquid density. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series In a letter, Synesius of Cyrene asks his teacher Hypatia to make a hydrometer for him: "The instrument in question is a cylindrical tube, which has the shape of a flute and is about the same size. It has notches in a perpendicular line, by means of which we are able to test the weight of the waters. A cone forms a lid at one of the extremities, closely fitted to the tube. The cone and the tube have one base only. This is called the baryllium. Whenever you place the tube in water, it remains erect. You can then count the notches at your ease, and in this way ascertain the weight of the water." Lake Van: Fate of a Primeval Salt Lake Prima Materia: Elements of Alchemy Victorian Health: Sea Water Hydrotherapy Sylvia Rose Books Renowned as a wise counselor, she's a mathematician, historian, philosopher, editor and probably knows alchemy, a popular practice in Alexandria in her time. In Islamic writings alchemy is defined as a "divine secret" inherited from "our father" Adam. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series Adam passes it on to his sons, the wizards and the philosophers of Islam, through the honorable awliya' (saints) and great prophets. Alchemy divides into two sciences: the elixir, which deals with "fixing of the corrupted," and al-mizan, regarding the theory of balance. Amentet Goddess of Death Egypt Golden Ages of Alchemy: Renaissance Romanesque - Magic of Light & Stone Sylvia Rose Books Her murder is related to her vast knowledge, popularity, influence and pagan Neoplatonist belief system. Records show Hypatia is beloved by pagans and Christians alike. She also has influence with the political elite in Alexandria. Hypatia teaches people of all religions. A dedicated Neoplatonist, she upholds the original teachings of Plotinus, rejecting later interpretations. Hypatia gains recognition for her exceptional teachings, attracting students from across the Mediterranean region. Iah: Cryptic Ancient Moon God Egypt Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Amazons - Warrior Women History & Myth Sylvia Rose Books As recounted by Damascius, the esteemed Athenian Neoplatonist, Hypatia delivers lectures on the works of Plato and Aristotle. Damascius also notes her practice of strolling through Alexandria clad in a tribon, a philosopher's cloak, giving spontaneous public lectures. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Alexandria is a center of philosophy during this era, rivaling Athens as the philosophical capital of the West. Various schools of Neoplatonism exist, but Neoplatonists essentially believe perfection and happiness can be found in this world, without need of an afterlife. Aesculapian Snakes: Nature & Lore Shennong Primordial Farmer & Healer Mercury: Miracle Metal of Madness Sylvia Rose Books The attainment of perfection and happiness is viewed as synonymous and can be realized through profound philosophical contemplation. It is believed that all individuals ultimately reunite with the One, the source from which they originate. Founder of Neoplatonism, Plotinus (304 - 270 BCE), says the first principle of reality is "the One", an utterly simple, ineffable, and unknowable subsistence. This is both the creative source of the Universe, and the end of all existing things. Sulfur - Treasures of the Underworld Chinese Alchemical Elixir Poisoning Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Sylvia Rose Books Acknowledging there's no true name for the first principle, Plotinus deems "the One" or "the Good" as most appropriate. The One is so simple it transcends existence and being, much as the creative force of all things is beyond being, a concept from Plato's Republic. Plato, in his analogy of the Sun, describes the Good as surpassing being in power and dignity. In Plotinus' conceptualization of reality, the One stands as the origin of the entire realm of reality. Baltic Amber in Folklore and Myth Stymphalian Birds & Greek Heroics Myrrh - Mystique, Death & Divinity Sylvia Rose Books Subsequent Neoplatonists adhere in general to Plotinus' cosmological framework. However, later developments in the tradition diverge significantly from his teachings on key philosophical matters, such as the nature of evil. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Christian historian Socrates of Constantinople, a contemporary of Hypatia, describes her in his Ecclesiastical History: There was a woman at Alexandria named Hypatia, daughter of the philosopher Theon, who made such attainments in literature and science, as to far surpass all the philosophers of her own time. Having succeeded to the school of Plato and Plotinus, she explained the principles of philosophy to her auditors, many of whom came from a distance to receive instruction. Old Prussians of the Baltic Coast Pagan Solstice Fests: Saturnalia Cyrene: Huntress Queen of Greek Myth Sylvia Rose Books On account of the self-possession and ease of manner which she had acquired in consequence of the cultivation of her mind, she not infrequently appeared in public in the presence of the magistrates. Neither did she feel abashed in going to an assembly of men. For all men on account of her extraordinary dignity and virtue admired her the more. Philostorgius, a Christian historian and contemporary of Hypatia, asserts she surpasses her father in mathematics. Furthermore, the lexicographer Hesychius of Alexandria notes that, like her father, she demonstrates exceptional talent in the field of astronomy. Pentagram: Drudenfuß, Five Point Star Asteria - Starry Gems of Myth & Magic Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Sylvia Rose Books Damascius writes that Hypatia is "exceedingly beautiful and fair of form" but nothing else is known about her physical appearance. No image of her survives. According to Damascius Hypatia is a lifelong virgin. When one of the men at her lectures tries to court her, she attempts to soothe his lust by playing the lyre. When he fails to abandon his pursuit, she is forthright in her rejection. Nüwa: Chinese Primordial Snake Goddess Magic of the Circle: Spirituality & Lore The Igigi - Why Humans are Created Sylvia Rose Books She shows her bloody menstrual rags, saying "This is what you really love, my young man, but you do not love beauty for its own sake." Damascius notes the young man is so traumatized, he immediately abandons all desire for her. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Writings of seventh-century Egyptian Coptic bishop John of Nikiû allege Hypatia engages in satanic practices and intentionally interferes with the church's influence over Orestes (governor of the diocese of Egypt): And in those days there appeared in Alexandria a female philosopher, a pagan named Hypatia, and she was devoted at all times to magic, astrolabes and instruments of music, and she beguiled many people through her Satanic wiles. Witches & Witchcraft: Ancient World Jimson Weed, Witches & Zombies Queen Eleanor and the Calamitous Crusade Sylvia Rose Books And the governor of the city honored her exceedingly; for she had beguiled him through her magic. And he ceased attending church as had been his custom ... And he not only did this, but he drew many believers to her, and he himself received the unbelievers at his house. During the Christian season of Lent in March 415, a mob of Christians under the leadership of a lector named Peter raid Hypatia's carriage as she travels home. They drag her into the Kaisarion, a former pagan temple converted into a Christian church. Sacrifice of the Male: Temple at Uppsala Elderberry Tree: Germanic Nature Lore Shamhat: Sacred Prostitute & the Wild Man Sylvia Rose Books There, the mob strips Hypatia naked and flays her alive her with ostraka, translated as pot sherds (shards), or pieces of pottery (ostraka are often used to vote, giving rise to the term "ostracism" in the 17th century). Damascius adds the killers also cut out her eyeballs. They tear her body to pieces and drag her limbs through the town to a burial place called Cinarion, where they set them on fire. This is how Alexandrians carry bodies of the worst criminals beyond city limits to cremate them, as a way of symbolically purifying the town. Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure Fire Men & Lights Errant: German Lore Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Sylvia Rose Books While Hypatia's murderers are never specifically identified, they are thought to be members of the parabalani. Originally a Christian charity for nursing the sick, parabalani later become predatory groups of vigilantes, arousing fears of prominent Romans. In the Greco-Roman world, philosophers are legally given a certain amount of protection from murderous mobs and other attacks. Killing philosophers is completely taboo. Otherwise we'd have fewer of them to ponder upon today. Poison Hemlock: Herbology & Lore Eschenfrau: Wicked Ash Tree Woman Women of Alchemy - Mary the Jewess Sylvia Rose Books Thus the death of Hypatia strikes to the core of the late classical belief systems. Post-mortem attempts to demonize her instead help to make her a martyr. Writers such as Socrates Scholasticus believe the killing of Hypatia is for political reasons. She steadily gains power and prestige at a time the Roman Empire is collapsing, with the sack of Rome by Alaric and the Visigoths in 395 CE. Visigoths, King Alaric & the Ruin of Rome Brunhilde: Tragic Germanic Warrior Queen Fuxi: Chinese Primordial Emperor God Sylvia Rose Books Hypatia is popular enough that her murder sends shock waves through the known world. She's considered a "martyr for philosophy". Her death incites future Neoplatonists such as the historian Damascius to become increasingly passionate in opposition to Christianity. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries During the Middle Ages, Hypatia is presented as a symbol of Christian virtue. Scholars believe she's part of the basis for the legend of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. During the Age of Enlightenment, she becomes a symbol of opposition to Catholicism. Ruby, Rubies: Passion, Blood and Fire Wandering Womb - Ancient Medicine Figs - Food of the Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books In the nineteenth century, European literature, especially Charles Kingsley's 1853 novel Hypatia, romanticizes her as "the last of the Hellenes". In the twentieth century, Hypatia is seen as an icon for women's rights and a precursor to the feminist movement. Song of the Loreley - Lethal Beauty Anqi Sheng & the Elixir of Immortality Honey Mead: Most Ancient Ambrosia Back to Top

The Bronzing of Europe introduces new tools and weapons, harder than copper and less brittle than stone. Bronze is made with about 88% copper and 12% tin and possible other alloy metals. Originally, bronze is an alloy of copper and arsenic or arsenic-bearing metals. The earliest tin-copper-alloy artifact dates to c. 4650 BCE in Serbia. See also: Weapons & Warfare of Bronze Age Europe 2 Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Roads Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Bronze is the second of three metal ages, the first being the Copper or Chalcolithic Age from 3500 - 3300 BCE. The third, the Iron Age, begins 1200 BCE as sources of tin deplete and full scale migrations interfere with trade. While traditions, materials and skills develop locally, many come into general European use during the far-reaching Bronze Age. Weapons and warrior essentials use old and new techniques. Bronze Age weapons include: Axes - from stone to bronze, hand axes, battle axes, tools and weapons Bows and Arrows - bows of wood evolve, and arrows get bronze tips, sometimes Dirks and Daggers - bronze daggers in Eurasia from 3300 - 3000 BCE Halberds - scythe-like blade attached to wood handle at right angle Shields & Armor - beaten bronze techniques develop in the Bronze Age Spears - early spears are sharpened flint or stone tied to a wooden shaft. Swords - first appear 1700 - 1600 BCE; tapered like an elongated dagger. Wooden Clubs & Mallets - objects of weaponry & tools found preserved in bogs See also: Before the Viking Age - Gods of the Sámi Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Ziu - Ancient Sky God of Germania The metal ages overlap, with copper being used into the Bronze age and bronze tools and weapons still made in the Iron Age. For some time iron is considered inferior to bronze. Bronze is a favorite metal in artwork. Many marble statues are copies of earlier bronze works melted down for currency. Evidence indicates some young men of the Proto-Indo-European Bronze Age Steppe cultures leave home and live in the wild with an older man, who instructs them in hunting, warfare and raiding. Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books They're called wolves of the Steppe. After a few years of 'wild' living the men return to settle down and have families. In artwork bronze is a cherished casting metal. The oldest bronze statue dates to 2500 BC in the region of today's Pakistan, and bronze is still the most common medium for statuary and metal art. See also: Immortal - Quest for the Elixir of Life German Myth - the Lutzelfrau Great 19th Century German Woman Artists Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In and after the Bronze Age, bronze is popular for tools, weapons, armor and building materials. To make bronze, the tin-bearing ore must be mined and smelted to extract tin. The tin is then added to hot copper. During the Bronze Age major advances such as standardized trade routes take form. The horse, domesticated by people of the Cambric steppes about 3800 BCE, arrives in Europe c. 2000 BCE to become a popular form of transport and valuable in trade. Previously, people use oxen or donkeys for work or travel. In the East, the camel is domesticated c. 3000 BCE, leading to the birth of empires. See also: Nature Spirits of German Mythology Bronze Age Culture - Rise of Heavy Metals The Many Faces of Frau Holle Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Bronze Age is marked by steady progress in Eurasia, facilitated by the Amber Road from the northern Baltic to the balmy Mediterranean, and the early Steppe trade routes. People, goods and information travel like never before. Luxuries like Baltic amber and Egyptian Blue Faience become coveted items of trade. With advances in metallurgy weapons became stronger and faster. Chain-mail and plate armor protected vulnerable bodies. The earliest bronze armors were found in Greece dating from the late Mycenean period (1750 - 1050 BCE). See also: Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Sacrificial Creation Myths: Early People Visigoths, King Alaric & the Ruin of Rome Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Bronze Age armor might include the body cuirass, made of breast and back plates fastened together; shoulder guards, breast plates and lower protection plates. Earlier armor is created from hardened leather or fabrics. Metal body armor makes its debut c 1400 BCE among the Mycenaean Greeks. Chain mail doesn't appear until much later, in the 4th century BCE, following scale armor. See also: Mythic Fire Gods - Vulkan of Germania Myth & Metallurgy - Metals of Antiquity Blood Sacrifice, Twin Brothers & Creation Back to Top

Amentet (Imentet) is a goddess of the dead in ancient Egypt. She wears a red sheath dress and lives in a tree near the entrance of Duat. Amentet gives the deceased food and drink. The drink may be a mix of sea and fresh water, from which all life originates. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Serket - Scorpion Goddess of Egypt Khonsu - Moon God of Ancient Egypt Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt Sylvia Rose Books Occasionally in a psychopomp role like Anubis, Amentet is a helper to the deceased. Her name means "She of the West". A necropolis or city of the dead is usually on the west bank of a river such as the Nile. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series East attunes to birth and the land of the living. West is associated with death. The place of the setting sun is called amenti (or amentet), the entrance to the Underworld. Later the term is related to graveyards and tombs. The Way to Aaru - Egyptian Paradise Ammit - Eater of the Heavy Heart Owl - Death, Messages, Mystic Wisdom Sylvia Rose Books Her primary role is to invigorate the deceased with food and drink, so the person can take the tests required before entering Paradise. Connected to Goddess of Death Nepthys and underworld form of Isis, Amentet may be interpreted as an aspect of one of these. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure She's usually shown in a red sheath dress wearing the hawk hieroglyph for "west" on her head. She holds a scepter and ankh. She may also appear in tombs welcoming the deceased into the afterlife, sometimes with wings of a kite (bird). Khet, the Body: Death Rites of Ancient Egypt Mot - Death & the Ugarit Underworld Magic: Heka & the Ka in Ancient Egypt Sylvia Rose Books In this aspect she's easily confused with the sisters Nephthys and Isis, who may also have wings or appear as kites. Other winged goddesses include vulture deity Nekhbet, winged cobra goddess Wadjet, sky goddess Nut and Ma'at, personification of justice. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries The consort of Amentet is Aqen, an obscure ancient Egyptian deity of the underworld. He's first mentioned in the Book of the Dead (2nd millennium BCE). He guides the sun god Ra as underworld protector of Ra's celestial barque, "bringing the shen-ring to his majesty". Nekhbet - Vulture Goddess of Egypt Wadjet - Winged Snake Goddess of Egypt Shen Rings Egypt - Divine Protection Sylvia Rose Books He's also called the "mouth of the time", from which the gods and demons pull the "rope of time", described in the tomb of king Seti I (r. 1290-1279 BCE). Above, falcon god Ra or Horus holding shen rings in its talons. Iah: Cryptic Ancient Moon God Egypt Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Elderberry Tree: Germanic Nature Lore Back to Top

The prima materia, materia prima or first matter of alchemy and philosophy is the omnipresent substance needed to create the Philosopher's Stone. It's the primitive formless base of all matter, similar to chaos, the quintessence or aether. See list of names. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure What is the Philosopher's Stone? Ouroboros Glyph: Snake Eating its Tail Nüwa: Chinese Primordial Snake Goddess Sylvia Rose Books Aether ( æther, aither, and ether) is equated with the fifth element or quintessence. This material fills the part of the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series In Homeric Greek aether (aithḗr) means "pure, fresh air" or "clear sky". In Greek mythology, aether is the pure essence breathed by the gods, as air is breathed by mortals. It's deified as Aether, the son of Erebus and Nyx in Greek mythology. Ambrosia: Divine Nectar & Immortal Gods Iah: Cryptic Ancient Moon God Egypt Tiamat - Queen of Chaos & the Sea Sylvia Rose Books The origin of prima materia is attributed to Aristotle, although early threads of concept are found in the philosophy of Anaxagoras (c. 500 - 428 BCE). A pre-Socratic scholar, Anaxagoras describes the Nous or Cosmic Mind as a force of order in relation to chaos. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The Sicilian philosopher Empedocles (c. 494 – c. 434 BCE) helps define the alchemical and environmental view of nature. He is the originator of the four elements Water, Air, Fire and Earth, a concept shaping civilizations and fundamental belief systems of humans. Rhododendron & the Toxic Ambrosia Agrippina & Son: Poisonous Plots of Rome Fire Men & Lights Errant: German Lore Sylvia Rose Books He also suggests forces he calls Love and Strife. These mix (love) and separate (strife) the elements. Empedocles develops a doctrine of reincarnation, the alchemical transmigration of the soul in the quest for eternal life. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Empedocles is considered the last Greek philosopher write his ideas in verse. He petitions against animal sacrifice and condemns killing animals for food. He's possibly influenced by Pythagoras (c. 570 - 490 BCE), the first documented vegetarian. Asclepius: Greek Medicine Snake God Aesculapian Snakes: Nature & Lore Figs - Food of the Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books As alchemy develops in Greco-Roman Egypt on the bases of Greek philosophy, it centers around the concept of prima materia. According to physician Arnaldus de Villa Nova (c. 1240–1311): "... That there abides in nature a certain pure matter, which, being discovered and brought by art to perfection, converts to itself proportionally all imperfect bodies that it touches." Shennong Primordial Farmer & Healer Serket - Scorpion Goddess of Egypt Book of the Heavenly Cow - Myths of Egypt Sylvia Rose Books Alchemical drawing above shows the omnipresence of philosophical matter. From Michael Maier's Atalanta Fugiens. 1617: "The Stone that is Mercury, is cast upon the Earth, exalted on Mountains, resides in the Air, and is nourished in the Waters." Aether: Born of Darkness, God of Light Quest for Immortality - Qin Shi Huang Egyptian Alchemy - Power of Eternity Sylvia Rose Books Although descriptions of the prima materia have changed throughout history, the concept has remained central to alchemic philosophy. Esoteric alchemists describe the prima materia using simile, and compare it to concepts like the anima mundi. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series The anima mundi (Latin) psychḕ kósmou (Greek), world soul, or soul of the world is an intrinsic connection among all living beings. Various systems of belief teach its relation to the world similar to the way animating force or immortal soul connects to the human body. Mulberry Tree (Morus): Uses, Folklore & Myth Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Horse in Dreams - Meaning of Horses Sylvia Rose Books The anima mundi appears in the concept of the collective unconscious, a term coined by Carl Jung. The idea of a world soul originates in classical antiquity and has a great influence on progressive writers and thinkers. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Alchemical authors use similes to describe the universal nature of the prima materia. With a tendency toward secrecy, alchemical writers conceal its true name. Serket - Scorpion Goddess of Egypt Flooding of the Nile - Nature & Myth Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Sylvia Rose Books Since the prima materia has the qualities and properties of elementary things, the names of all kinds of things were assigned to it. A similar account can be found in the Theatrum Chemicum: "... They have compared the "prima materia" to everything, to male and female, to the hermaphroditic monster, to heaven and earth, to body and spirit, chaos, microcosm, and the confused mass; it contains in itself all colors and potentially all metals; there is nothing more wonderful in the world, for it begets itself, conceives itself, and gives birth to itself." Comparisons have been made to Hyle (matter), the primal fire, Proteus (synonymous with first matter), Light, and Mercury. Hermes Trismegistus: Alchemy & the Occult Mercury: Miracle Metal of Madness Wandering Womb - Ancient Medicine Sylvia Rose Books By the Late Renaissance over fifty terms exist. According to compiler Martin Ruland the Elder, "the philosophers have so greatly admired the Creature of God which is called the Primal Matter, especially concerning its efficacy and mystery, that they have given to it many names, and almost every possible description, for they have not known how to sufficiently praise it." Cinnabar (Mercury Sulfide) Red Death Sulfur - Treasures of the Underworld Emerald Tablet - Sacred Alchemy Text Sylvia Rose Books More are added later. Martin Ruland the Elder compiles the possible names for the Prima Materia in his 1612 alchemical dictionary, Lexicon alchemiae sive dictionarium alchemistarum: Back to Top A Spiritual Blood Angel of Violet Light Bath Boiling Milk Bride, Spouse, Mother, Eve Chamber Chaos Clouds Dew Dissolved Refuse Dragon Dung Eagle Stone Fiery and Burning Water Fog Healer Heart of the Sun Heaven Honey Indian Gold Lead Lye Magnesia Magnet Marble, Crystal, Glass Matter of All Forms Medicine Mercury Metallic Entity Microcosmos Milk of Fig Milk of Virgin Moon Nebula Ore Permanent Water Philosophical Stone Poison Pure & Uncontaminated Virgin Rainbow Salt of Niter and Saltpeter Scottish Gem Serpent Shade Soul and Heaven of the Elements Spirit Spittle of the Moon Stella Signata and Lucifer Sulphur of Nature Tartar of the Philosophers Tin Urine Venom Venus Vinegar Water of Life White Ethesia White Moisture White Smoke READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Back to Top

The God Ishum is the sukkal or divine attendant of Nergal, Lord of the Underworld, death and disease. Like many deified sukkals, Ishum has other duties. He's a divine night watchman and benevolent fire god of Mesopotamia. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Epic of Erra - Plague God of Babylon Sylvia Rose Books His origin springs from the Akkadian Empire (c. 2350-2150 BCE). Akkad is the first major Empire after the Sumerians (c. 5000-2300 BCE). They dominate Mesopotamian regions such as today's Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Levant, Saudi Arabia and Oman. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The Akkadian King Sargon the Great is considered the first ruler of the Akkadian Empire. His armies wreak a swath of conquest through Sumerian cities such as Ur, Eninmar, Lagash and Umma. Abzu - Primal Waters of Creation Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love What is a Ziggurat? Sylvia Rose Books During this time Ishum is a popular deity. Son of the Sun God Shamash and Aya, Goddess of Dawn, he's associated with fires of the hearth but not considered a true fire god like Gibil. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series On his nightly rounds he can warn of fire danger. His symbol is a torch, representing illumination, security and protection. For the people it's a comfort to think of his vigilance in the streets while they slumber. Gibil - Fire God of Mesopotamia Kur - Underworld of Mesopotamia Queen Eleanor & the Calamitous Crusade Sylvia Rose Books Although he's lower in the pantheon than some gods, Ishum is a popular figure of worship. An older deity, divine night watchman Hendursaga of the Sumerians, may have passed the torch to him. Hendursaga keeps his worshipper base for close to three thousand years and is often equated with Ishum. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Ishum's wife is Ninmug, a goddess of artisans. Among her epithets is tibira kalamma, "Metalworker of the Land." The working of metals, fire and magic of the earth connects her to the Underworld. She's also associated with birth. Myth & Metallurgy - Metals of Antiquity Shakhar & Shalim: Divine Twins of Ugarit Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Sylvia Rose Books The possible son of Ishum and Ninmug is Šubula (Shubula), a god of the Underworld. He may appear in the court of Nergal with his father. His name means 'to dry' or 'to be dry', which could be an association with drought, or the dusty wastelands of Kur. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Ishum appears in the Epic of Erra as a god connected with fire, called a 'firebrand'. Erra himself is an Akkadian deity of mayhem, plague, pestilence and political confusion. A fierce warrior god, Erra hates being awakened and flies into a murderous rage. Disease Demons & Doctors: Ancient Mesopotamia Caspian Tiger: Bronze Age Wild Predators Epic of Erra - Plague God of Babylon Sylvia Rose Books Similarly the Greek God Pan, modeled on an older Proto-Indo-European goat god, is in a terrible mood if he's woken from his slumber. His roar is so mighty it sends humans and beasts into a state of panic. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series Besides Divine Night Watchman, the many epithets of Ishum include Herald (nimgir) of the Street Headman of the Street Hero who Goes about at Night Minister (sukkal) of the Night Herald of the Night, Lord of the Street Puduhepa - Queen of the Hittites Ancient Arabia - Stone Age to Bronze Lisin - Medicine Goddess of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books Ishum is also popular as a household protection god. Unlike similar domestic deities he guards the household from outside. Ishum patrols the streets, casts light into the shadows and repulses evil both mortal and demonic. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Worship of Ishum goes back to the third millenium BCE. Theophoric names, or personal names incorporating that of a god, are common attestations to Ishum in the Early Dynastic period (c. 2900 - 2350 BCE). He's also a common figure on cylinder seals. Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Road Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Sylvia Rose Books In the Middle Babylonian period (c. 1595 - 1155 BCE) a shrine of Ishum is attested in Nippur (south central Iraq, above). He's also worshiped in Tarbiṣu, Assyria. There, he receives offerings beside Nergal and Laṣ, Nergal's sometime consort. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series During the Neo Assyrian Period (c. 911 BCE), the popularity of Ishum rises again. His traits of protection and connection to resolution of chaos correspond to times of upheaval and war. Nergal - Ancient Underworld Gods Khaos: Primal Goddess of Greek Myth Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Sylvia Rose Books Ishum is a force of intervention in arguments and wars, seeking a peaceful solution. In the myth Ishum and Erra, he pacifies the bloodthirsty rage of Erra and lets the god take the credit. He also acts as Erra's conscience. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Sukkals always tend toward diplomacy. When Nergal is married to Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld, their legendary fights often require the divine intervention of Ishum or Ereshkigal's sukkal, the disease demon Namtar. See also: Scorpion Men of Babylonia Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Edimmu: Evil Demons of Vengeance Sylvia Rose Books As the sukkal of Nergal, Ishtum is immortalized in The Underworld Vision of an Assyrian Prince (7th century BCE). The hero is about to be killed by Nergal, who believes he insulted Nergal's wife, Ereshkigal. Only the intervention of Ishum saves the prince. Bes: Household Protector God of Egypt Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World Kushuh (Kušuḫ) Hurrian Moon God Back to Top

In the beginning, nothing exists but Khaos (Chaos). A female primordial entity, she personifies the time before creation, and exists beyond and within creation. Khaos is a vital force in ancient Greek cosmology. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Aether: Born of Darkness, God of Light Prima Materia: Elements of Alchemy Ouroboros Glyph: Snake Eating its Tail Sylvia Rose Books The word khaos means "gap" or "chasm" referring to space between heaven and earth. Khaos (Chaos) is first of the primordial gods (protogenoi) emerging at the dawn of creation. She gives birth to Gaia (Gaea, Earth), Tartaros (the Pit Below) and Eros (Procreation). READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure She appears with some variations over time and regional mythologies. Khaos is part of the lower atmosphere surrounding the earth. This area holds the invisible air and the dark gloom of fog and mist. Ereshkigal & the Mesopotamian Underworld Iah: Cryptic Ancient Moon God Egypt Nüwa: Chinese Primordial Snake Goddess Sylvia Rose Books Khaos is mother and grandmother of the other misty essences. Erebus (mists of netherworld darkness) and Nyx (night) are her children. Her grandchildren include Aither (the ethereal air of the Heavens) and Hemera (personification of the day). READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Like her daughter Nyx and granddaughters the Moirae (Moirai) she's also a goddess of fate. Associated with air, Khaos is mother of birds. Gaia, Earth, is mother of all land creatures; Thalassa, Sea, is mother of fish and water creatures. Thalassa's male counterpart is Pontus. Great Cormorant: Wild Birds & Mythic Beasts Ba Bird & Sacred Ram - Ancient Egypt Ornithomancy - Prophecy by the Birds Sylvia Rose Books Late classical authors redefine Khaos as the chaotic mix of elements existing in the primordial universe, equating it with the primal "Mud" of the Orphic cosmogony. Orphism is a set of beliefs centered on the mythical Thracian bard Orpheus. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Orpheus descends to the Greek Underworld and returns, in a type of journey venerated as a katabasis. Orphics also revere God Dionysus, who descends to the Underworld and returns; and Goddess Persephone who goes to the Underworld every year for a season, and returns. Cyrene: Huntress Queen of Greek Myth Aesculapian Snakes: Nature & Lore Thrace - Tribal Mythology & Lore Sylvia Rose Books According to ancient Greek poet Hesiod (c. 700 BCE), Khaos is personified in mother aspect to bear children (Erebos and Nyx). Khaos is also a place, far away in the gloomy underground. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series Beyond this dwell the Titans. The region of Khaos is not isolated and can be affected by the thunderbolts or lightning of Zeus, for better or worse. Perkūnas: Baltic Storm & Fertility God Baal (Ba'al): Storm God & Love Demon Khnum: Ram Headed Potter God Egypt Sylvia Rose Books What's the difference between thunderbolts and lighting? Thunderbolts are flashes or bolts of lightning with thunder at the same time. Lighting is the brilliant flash or streak which can precede thunder or occur in the absence of thunder. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series In the definition of Chaos, Ovid equates it with a confused mass, containing the elements of all things formed out of it. Some later poets use the word Chaos in the general sense of the airy realms of darkness or the lower world. Fuxi: Chinese Primordial Emperor God Women Scientists of the Ancient World Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Sylvia Rose Books "Verily at the first Khaos [Air] came to be, but next wide-bosomed Gaia, the ever-sure foundations of all the deathless ones who hold the peaks of snowy Olympos ... From Khaos (Chaos) came forth Erebos (Darkness) and black Nyx (Night)." Hesiod, Theogony - Greek epic 8th or 7th century BCE Ishum: Night Watchman & Fire God Abzu - Primal Waters of Creation Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Sylvia Rose Books "At the beginning there was only Khaos [Air]; Nyx (Night), dark Erebos (Darkness), and deep Tartaros (the Pit). Firstly, black-winged Nyx lays a germless egg in the bosom of the infinite deeps of Erebos, and from this, after the revolution of long ages, sprang the graceful Eros (Desire) with his glittering golden wings, swift as the whirlwinds of the tempest. He mates in deep Tartaros with dark Khaos, winged like himself, and thus hatched forth our race [the birds], which was the first to see the light." Aristophanes, Birds - Greek comedy 5th to 4th century BCE Women of Alchemy - Mary the Jewess Stymphalian Birds & Greek Heroics Hermes Trismegistus: Alchemy & the Occult Sylvia Rose Books "And he [Epicurus] says the world began in the likeness of an egg, and the Wind [the entwined forms of Khronos (Chronos, Time) and Ananke (Inevitability)] encircling the egg serpent-fashion like a wreath or a belt then began to constrict nature. As it tried to squeeze all the matter with greater force, it divided the world into the two hemispheres, and after that the atoms sorted themselves out, the lighter and finer ones in the universe floating above and becoming the Bright Air [Aither (Aether)] and the most rarefied Wind [probably Khaos (Chaos, Air)], while the heaviest and dirtiest have veered down, become the Earth (Ge) [Gaia], both the dry land and the fluid waters [Pontos the Sea]." Orphica, Epicuras Fragment (from Epiphanius, 4th century AD) Asclepius: Greek Medicine Snake God Herbs & Natural Remedies - Ancient Egypt Magic of the Circle: Spirituality & Lore Sylvia Rose Books Finally, from Ovid: "Ere land and sea and the all-covering sky were made, in the whole world the countenance of nature was the same, all one, well named Chaos, a raw and undivided mass, naught but a lifeless bulk, with warring seeds of ill-joined elements compressed together. No Titan [Helios the Sun] as yet poured light upon the world, no waxing Phoebe [Selene the Moon] her crescent filled anew, nor in the ambient air yet hung the earth, self-balanced, equipoised, nor Amphitrite's [the Sea's] arms embraced the long far margin of the land. Moon Magic - the Feminine Principle Electrum: Metal of Money & Myth Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Sylvia Rose Books Though there were land and sea and air, the land no foot could tread, no creature swim the sea, the air was lightless; nothing kept its form, all objects were at odds, since in one mass cold essence fought with hot, and moist with dry, and hard with soft and light with things of weight. This strife a God (Deus) [perhaps Khronos (Chronos) or the primordial Eros], with nature's blessing, solved; who severed land from sky and sea from land, and from the denser vapors set apart the ethereal sky; and, each from the blind heap resolved and freed, he fastened in its place appropriate in peace and harmony. Casting the Bones - Astragalomancy Inara & the Dragon - Purulliya Festival Lammašaga: Sumerian Angel Goddess Sylvia Rose Books The fiery weightless force of heaven's vault flashed up and claimed the topmost citadel; next came the air in lightness and in place; the thicker earth with grosser elements sank burdened by its weight; lowest and last the girdling waters pent the solid globe. So into shape whatever god it was reduced the primal matter and prescribed its several parts. Then first, to make the earth even on every side, he rounded it into a mighty disc, then bade the sea extend and rise under the rushing winds, and gird the shores of the encircled earth." Ovid, Metamorphoses (Roman epic c. 1st century BCE to 1st century AD) Nigella Sativa: Black Seed of Healers Honey Mead: Most Ancient Ambrosia Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Sylvia Rose Books Flat Earth is a common archaic view of Earth as a plane or disk shape. Many ancient cultures hold this concept. The spherical Earth appears in the philosophy of Pythagoras (6th century BCE). People scoff. By 3rd century BCE, only illiterati think the world is flat. Cleopatra the Alchemist of Alexandria Feast of Fools - A Lora Ley Adventure Immortal - Quest for the Elixir of Life Back to Top

Aether is the primordial god of light and the bright blue ether of the heavens. His fog and mists fill the space between the solid dome of the sky, ouranos, and the transparent wisps of earth-bound air, khaos (Khaos) and aer. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Prima Materia: Elements of Alchemy Cyrene: Huntress Queen of Greek Myth Asclepius: Greek Medicine Snake God Sylvia Rose Books Tales of Aether vary over time and region. Aether (Aither, Ether) is the god of light in Greek mythology. His parents are Erebus (Darkness) and Nyx (Night). Aether is one of the primordial deities of Greece. He's the personification of ambrosial air breathed by the Gods. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series Aether is considered one of the elementary substances from which the Universe is made. In the Orphic hymns Aether appears as the soul of the world, from which all life emanates. This idea is adopted by some early Greek philosophers. Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Iah: Cryptic Ancient Moon God Egypt Aesculapian Snakes: Nature & Lore Sylvia Rose Books According to Epiphanius of Salamis (310 - 403 AD), the world begins as a great cosmic egg, encircled by Time (Chronos) and Inevitability (Ananke, powerful primordial goddess of necessity, compulsion and fate) both in Serpent form. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Together they constrict the egg, squeezing with great force, until the world divides into two hemispheres. The finer, lighter atoms float above and become Bright Air (Aether and/or Ouranos) and the Rarefied Wind. Horse in Dreams - Meaning of Horses Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Sylvia Rose Books Khaos (Chaos) is the feminine principle known as the first primordial diety (protogenos) to emerge at the dawn of creation. In countless cosmologies the world is born of Chaos. From Khaos of the Greeks emerge Gaia (Earth), Tartaros (the Pit Below) and Eros (Procreation). READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series Erebus and Nyx are children of Khaos. They in turn give birth to Aether and his sister wife Hemera, the personification of day. Reishi or Lingzhi - Mushroom Magic 12 Days of Zagmuk: Chaos & the King Alchemy: Science, Philosophy, Magic Sylvia Rose Books In ancient Greek myth the day and night are seen as separate from the sun. Aether is one of the three "airs". The lower air is erebos, mists of darkness, which occupy the shadow places underneath the earth and in the realm of the dead. The middle air is aer or khaos (Khaos), a colorless mist surrounding the mortal world. The essence of Khaos also appears in the darkness. Nüwa: Chinese Primordial Snake Goddess Nimrod: Lord of Chaos & Creation Atum of Egypt - Dawn of the Gods Sylvia Rose Books The third is the upper aither, mist of light heavenly air. The aither encompasses mountain peaks, clouds, stars, sun and moon. Heavier, dirtier atoms of creation sink and became the Earth (Gaia) and the Ocean (Pontos and/or Oceanus). READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Aether's female counterpart is Aithre (Aethra). A Titaness, she personifies the clear blue sky. Her children are the sun and moon. Baltic Ancient Mythology & Folklore Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Sylvia Rose Books In the evening Aether's mother Nyx draws her veils across the sky, obscuring the ether and bringing the shadows of night. In the morning his sister wife Hemera disperses the fogs of darkness, revealing the clear brilliance of daylight. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series The children of Aether and Hemera are Land, Heaven and Sea. From Aether's connection with the Earth arise all vices. They destroy the human race, as well as the Giants and Titans. Lotan - Chaos Sea Dragon of Ugarit Owl - Death, Messages, Mystic Wisdom Ereshkigal & the Mesopotamian Underworld Sylvia Rose Books Another origin comes from Athenian scholar Damascius (458 - 550 AD). Siblings Aether, Erebus and Chaos are children of Chronos (Father Time). According to that of Hyginus he was, together with Night, Day, and Erebus, begotten by Chaos and Caligo (Darkness). READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries In later times Aether is regarded as the wide space of Heaven, the residence of the gods. Zeus becomes the Lord of the Aether, or Aether itself personified. Elderberry Tree: Germanic Nature Lore Baltic Amber in Folklore and Myth Electrum: Metal of Money & Myth Sylvia Rose Books In ancient and medieval science or alchemy, aether is the fifth element or quintessence. It's the material filling the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. The concept of aether is used theoretically to explain natural phenomena, such as propagation of light, and gravity. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Back to Top

Asclepius (Aesculapius) is a Greek hero and Divine Physician, god of medicine in ancient Greek myth. Son of Apollo, he learns healing herbs from his father, and is later mentored by the revered centaur Chiron. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Aesculapian Snakes: Nature & Lore Ruby, Rubies: Passion, Blood and Fire European Grass Snake: Nature & Lore Sylvia Rose Books Originally called Hepius, Asclepius receives his name when he cures Ascles, ruler of Epidaurus, of a chronic affliction in the eyes. Asclepius is married to Epione, personification of pain relief and recovery care. Their daughters, the Asclepiades, are: Hygieia - personification of health, healthiness, Iaso - healing, recovery, goddess of recuperation from illness. Aceso - goddess of the healing process. Aegle - goddess of good health Panacea - goddess of universal remedy. Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Reishi or Lingzhi - Mushroom Magic Is Cherry Laurel Poisonous? Sylvia Rose Books Panacea heals the sick with a mystical poultice or potion. In the 16th century the term is first used in literature, referring to the concept of the panacea in medicine, a substance to cure all disease. Finding a panacea is a primary goal for alchemists. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Asclepius also has four sons. They are Machaon, a warrior mentioned in the Iliad as a esteemed surgeon, along with his brother Podalirius. Telesphoros is a child-god of healing thought to be Celtic in origin. Aratus is his son by another mother, and has a hazy history. Tooth Worms of Ancient Mesopotamia Herbs & Natural Remedies - Ancient Egypt Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Sylvia Rose Books Asclepius is associated with Roman/Etruscan god Vediovis (Vejovis). Romans consider Vejovis one of the first gods born. Also equated with deified Egyptian Imhotep (c. 2667 - 2648 BCE), Asclepius shares with his father Apollo the epithet Paean (the Healer). READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series Asclepius has a half-brother, Aristaeus, a legendary hero god credited with the discovery of many rural practical arts and handicrafts. He's patron god of bee-keeping and bee-keepers. The father of Aristaeus is also Apollo. His mother is huntress Cyrene, companion of Artemis. Honey Bees (Apidae): Nature & Myth Mad Honey - What's the Buzz? Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Sylvia Rose Books Origin stories of Asclepius himself are various. In the most popular version his mother is Coronis, a Thessalonian princess. Apollo is madly in love with her. She's pregnant with his child. When he's away she cheats on him, and in a rage he kills her. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Immediately he regrets his action and tries to revive Coronis, but cannot. He adorns her with jewels and myrrh and places her on the funeral pyre. As the fires burn, at the last moment Apollo takes the infant Asclepius from her womb. Eileithyia: Birth Goddess of Ancient Greece Kotharat - Bronze Age Birth Goddesses Magic of the Circle: Spirituality & Lore Sylvia Rose Books Apollo raises him according to the boy's early talents. He teaches healing herbs to his son, and later sends him to the centaur Chiron, the wisest of all centaurs, to instruct him in the medical arts. The rod of Asclepius, a snake twining around a staff, is his popular symbol. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Asclepius is associated with the non-venomous Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus). According to legend, in return for a kindness by Asclepius, a snake licks his ears clean and teaches him sacred hidden knowledge. Žaltys: Sacred Snake & Serpent Queen Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Sylvia Rose Books Creation of the staff or Rod of Asclepius happens when Asclepius is imprisoned in a tomb. King Minos of Crete orders him to restore the life Minos' son Glaucus, who has drowned in a honey vat, and also occupies the tomb. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series While Asclepius wonders and worries, a snake slithers near. Asclepius kills it with his staff. Another snake comes with an herb and puts it upon the head of the dead snake, which returns to life. In spiritually the snake is equated with rebirth and resurrection. Horse in Dreams - Meaning of Horses Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Sun God of Heaven - Hittite Solar Deity Sylvia Rose Books Asclepius is amazed and swears never to harm another snake. Using the same herb he brings Glaucus back to life. The non-venomous Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus) is named for the the Divine Physician. Asclepius is the patron deity of physicians and healers. In antiquity his followers are known as the Therapeutae of Asclepius. The Therapeutae are a recognized association of the physicians, their attendants and support workers. Great Cormorant: Wild Birds & Mythic Beasts Benu - Ba Heron God of Ancient Egypt Crocodilopolis - Sobek Crocodile God Sylvia Rose Books The Therapeutae assemble in the grand temples of Asclepius, known as healing temples or Asklepions. It's believed Asclepius heals the sick through dreams, leading to the widespread custom of sleeping in his temples in Epidaurus, in Southern Greece. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Asclepius appears in Greek heroic legend such as the Calydonian Boar hunt. He's also part of the legend of Jason and the Argonauts. In 293 BCE his worship spreads to Rome, where he's revered under the Latinized name Aesculapius. Arcadia - Greek Lands of Ancient Gods Bosporus: Black Sea Nature & Greek Myth Black Hellebore: Toxins, Health & Lore Sylvia Rose Books Asclepius becomes a greater healer than either Chiron or his father Apollo. Not only can he defeat death himself, but bring others back from fatal disease and land of the dead. The growing number of humans and fear they will be immortal makes Zeus take ruthless action. Zeus kills Asclepius with a thunderbolt. At the death of Asclepius the tears of his father, sun god Apollo, fall into the divine river Eridanos and form drops of gleaming amber. Amber is a sacred gemstone and item of trade since Neolithic times. Baltic Amber in Folklore and Myth Baltic Amber - Gold of the North Klabautermann - Germanic Sea Kobold Sylvia Rose Books In spirituality, the snake is associated with rebirth, the earth, secret knowledge or sacred wisdom, sensuality, prosperity, healing, yin. Snakes can also awaken primal fears. They may be shown as tricksters and liars. In some countries, snake wine is considered medicinal. Lotan - Chaos Sea Dragon of Ugarit Lindwyrm, Mare & Pig Demons: German Myth Mugwort (Wormwood) Herbal Lore Back to Top

Iah (Ancient Egyptian: jꜥḥ) is a primeval lunar deity in ancient Egyptian religion. The word jꜥḥ simply means "Moon". Iah is among the first gods. Associated with Osiris and Thoth, he's later absorbed into the cult of moon god Khonsu. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Thoth - Ibis Scribe Moon God of Egypt Khonsu - Moon God of Ancient Egypt The Way to Aaru - Egyptian Paradise During the New Kingdom (16th - 11th century BCE), Iah is less prominent as other gods with lunar associations such as Thoth and Khonsu. Nonetheless, there is a functional relationship between them. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Iah can be linked to either deity and more. His joint deific names include Iah-Djehuty, with Djehuty being an aspect of Thoth; Iah-Khonsu and Osiris-Iah. He's closely connected to the Egyptian God of Death and the Realm of the Dead, Osiris. Sin (Suen, Nanna): Moon God of Mesopotamia Kushuh (Kušuḫ) Hurrian Moon God Inara & the Dragon - Purulliya Festival Sylvia Rose Books Iah is sometimes considered an adult version of Khonsu the child moon god, and gradually becomes intertwined with him. Khonsu is the god who plays senet with Thoth so primordial goddess Nut can give birth. One of her children is Osiris. Iah continues to appear in amulets and occasional representations, resembling Khonsu with lunar symbols on his head and similar clothing.  Like other Egyptian moon gods Iah keeps the passage of time. Magic: Heka & the Ka in Ancient Egypt Khet, the Body: Death Rites of Ancient Egypt Creation, Cattle & the Cosmic Cow Sylvia Rose Books Iah may wear the Atef crown of Osiris (white crown of Upper Egypt with ostrich feathers), topped by another symbol. While Khonsu's fertility powers govern the crescent moon, Iah transforms into Iah-Djehuty, representing the "god of the new moon". READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series In this role, he embodies the lunar aspect of Thoth, Egyptian polymath god of wisdom, the moon, architecture, scribes and later alchemy. Moon phases are also used as fractional symbols in writing and appear in hieroglyphs. Alchemy: Science, Philosophy, Magic Moon Magic - the Feminine Principle Scribes & Writing - Ancient Egypt Sylvia Rose Books Ancient Egyptians have two calendars. One's based on solar cycles. An earlier calendar is built upon the travels of the moon. The night and "Dark Earth" into which the moon seems to disappear relate to the realm of the dead. Invention of the lunar calendar is attributed to Iah. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries The Egyptian lunar calendar comprises twelve months, differing in length according to the duration of the full lunar cycle (29 - 30 days). Each lunar month starts with the new moon. The month begins on the first morning the waning crescent becomes invisible. Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt Benu - Ba Heron God of Ancient Egypt Hermes Trismegistus: Alchemy & the Occult Sylvia Rose Books New Year’s Day is marked by the annual heliacal rising of the Dog Star Sothis (Sirius), the brightest star in the night sky. Ancient Egyptians notice the pre-dawn rise of the star Sirius always occurs a short time before the yearly flooding of the Nile it September. In astrology and spirituality the new moon is a time to gather energy, take introspective journeys and tend to personal health. It brings a blessing of beginnings. It's a good time to clean and organize one's space. Ruby, Rubies: Passion, Blood and Fire Herbs & Natural Remedies - Ancient Egypt Eye of Ra Egypt - Wrath of the Woman Sylvia Rose Books Each lunar month hosts a different festival, which gives its name to the month. Since the lunar calendar is 10 - 11 days shorter than the solar a 13th month called Thoth is inserted every few years. Thus the lunar calendar calibrates with the agricultural seasons and feasts. READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series Disappearance and rebirth of Iah relates him to Osiris, the god of the dead. Thoth has underworld links as the divine scribe who records results of the weighing of the heart of the recently deceased. Khonsu too has a chthonic aspect. Ammit - Eater of the Heavy Heart Ninazu: Healing, Death, Snakes & War Cyrene: Huntress Queen of Greek Myth Sylvia Rose Books During the new moon the sun, moon and planet earth aligned so Earth's shadow covers the moon, and the moon seems to disappear. Because of the stronger force of gravity at this time, applied by the Sun, tides on Earth are especially high or low on new and full moons. In contrast to new moon alignment, during the full moon, the sun, planet earth and moon are lined up with Earth in the middle and ecliptic longitudes of Sun and Moon differ by 180°. The lunar hemisphere facing Earth is fully lit by the Sun and appears as a circular disk. Baltic Ancient Mythology & Folklore Women of Alchemy - Mary the Jewess Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Sylvia Rose Books In civilizations such as ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia the underworld is a place of death but also fertility. It may be home to vegetation gods who nourish plants from the deep earth. Although Iah is not well documented he's mentioned in historical literature. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries From the Papyrus of Ani (c. 1250 BCE) "A spell to come forth by day and live after dying. Words spoken by the Osiris Ani: O One, bright as the moon-god Iah; O One, shining as Iah; This Osiris Ani comes forth among these your multitudes outside, bringing himself back as a shining one. He has opened the netherworld. Lo, the Osiris Osiris [sic] Ani comes forth by day, and does as he desires on earth among the living." Chapter 2 Asclepius: Greek Medicine Snake God Eye of Ra Egypt - Wrath of the Woman Apep - Chaos Snake God of Egypt Sylvia Rose Books "[A spell to] cross over into the land of Amentet by day. Words spoken by the Osiris Ani: Hermopolis is open; my head is sealed [by] Thoth. The eye of Horus is perfect; I have delivered the eye of Horus, and my ornament is glorious on the forehead of Ra, the father of the gods. Osiris is the one who is in Amentet. Indeed, Osiris knows who is not there; I am not there. I am the moon-god Iah among the gods; I do not fail. Indeed, Horus stands; he reckons you among the gods." Chapter 18 Ereshkigal & the Mesopotamian Underworld Velnias - Baltic Devil God of Death Lammašaga: Sumerian Angel Goddess Sylvia Rose Books Amentet is an Egyptian goddess, friend of the dead and personification of the Land of the West, 'Amenti'. It's she who welcomes the deceased into the afterlife. She may occupy a tree near the entrance of the netherworld Duat, which is the first step to Aaru, or Paradise. Humbaba: Giant Mountain Forest Man Pentagram: Drudenfuß, Five Point Star Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Back to Top