Greetings! I would like to Papers in the Attic blog page. If this is your first time here, please take the time to review some of our previous articles and share your experiences, thoughts, and insights. Stay blessed!
I would like to thank everyone for their support over the years. It has definitely been a historic journey to say the least. Before the blog page started, the idea of a “Necronomicon Tradition” was highly-criticized by other “occult groups” who are often persecuted for their stance and beliefs, go figure. Today, however, we see the rise of a Tradition that has a deeper understanding of the Greater Mysteries than many online organizations. Yet, these groups refuse to admit the progress that has been made, probably in fear of losing business and members.
It was recently announced that we will be closing the blog page until the year 2015. However, there are still many resources about the Necronomicon Tradition available online. The reason for closing the blog page temporarily was explained in a recent article. However, our readership should also be aware that this falls in line with the instructions given by the Mad Arab, upon which this post is entitled. Confused? Let’s take a look at the words of the Mad Arab in his Second Testimony:
“Beware of the Cults of Death, and these are the Cult of the Dog, the Cult of the Dragon, and the Cult of the Goat; for they are worshippers of the Ancient Ones, and forever try to let Them in, for they have a formulae of which it is unlawful to speak. And these cults are not strong, save at their seasons, when the heavens open up to them and unto their race.”
Many have wondered about the identification of the “Cults of Death” mentioned by the Mad Arab. They are described as “worshippers of the Ancient Ones,” something which the Mad Arab considered to be unlawful. Yet in still, understanding what these cults represent may clear up some of the recent confusion, about how the Simon Necronomicon is to be worked with and what its true purpose really is.
“This cult of the goat appears to be of very ancient origin, and the strange thing is that it seems to have found its way into mediaeval and even into modern magic and pseudo-religion.”
Prior to this passage Spence identifies the “goat god” and leader of the Cult of the Goat:
“The goat, too, seems to have been peculiarly sacred, and formed one of the signs of the zodiac. A god called Uz has for his name the Akkadian word for goat. Mr. Hormuzd Rassam found a sculptured stone tablet in a temple of the sun-god at Sippara on which was an inscription to Sin, Shammash, and Ishtar, as being “set as companions at the approach to the deep in sight of the god Uz.” This god Uz is depicted as sitting on a throne watching the revolution of the solar disc, which is placed upon a table and made to revolve by means of a rope or string. He is clad in a robe of goat-skin.”
Spence identifies the ancient god Uz, as the “goat god.” He is described as the god of the Goat Cult. However, while he is not readily known by the name “Uz,” he must have been an important god for in the sculpture found by Rassam, he is seen sitting on a throne. When we investigate the identity of the Akkadian god Uz, we will see further why the Mad Arab wrote that one needed to “Beware of the Cult of the Goat.”
James F. K. Hewitt in Primitive Traditional History, published in 1907, gives us a full detailed history as to who this god Uz really was:
“This Pole Star goat was in Akkadian Mythology Azuga Suga, the Supreme Goat of Mul-lil, lord of dust, and his ministers-the Akkadian priests wore the goat-skin dresses which were the national garment of the Indian caste of Vaishyas or Villagers, which they still wear at their initiation. Also this god Uz is depicted in Babylonian engraved pictures as watching the revolutions of the sun’s disc. This Pole Star goat was called Azaga-siqqa, the highest horned one, also Uz-makh, the mighty goat of Mul-lil, and he became the special god of Gudua and Kutha, the city cemetery of the Akkadian race. He was called Ner-gal, whose Akkadian name Nerra or Ner is translated by Assyrian tribes as the Strong and the Great Bright One,”
Here we can clearly see that the god Uz, the god of the Cult of the Goat, in none other than Nergal. So when the Mad Arab speaks about the Cult of the Goat, he is referring to the Cult of Nergal.
“Tiamat is the head of the tanninim (“sea- monsters, whales”), and is called in Akkadian: Bis-his (“Dragon“),”
Tiamat’s identification as the “dragon” referred to by the Mad Arab’s term Cult of the Dragon is well-known. Christine Preston in a book entitled The Rise of Man in the Gardens of Sumeria, writes:
“EL is a powerful matriarch gifted with occult powers deified during her own life and the ruler of the indigenous Old Chaldean world, who controls a dragon-serpent cult, and demands blood sacrifices…..The slaying of the dragon in Indo-European poetics was symbolic of the eradication of the serpent-dragon cults as a result of a great battle fought by Aryan Goths against the matriarchal ruler in Eden in about 3,000 BC and their victory…..Waddell’s interpretation also sheds light on the Killing of Tiamat by Marduk in Mesopotamian tradition.”
This would identify the dragon as Tiamat, and Simon confirms Preston’s words in the introduction of the Simon Necronomicon:
“In the West, the conjuration, cultivation, or worship of this Power was strenuously opposes with the advent of the Solar, Monotheistic religions and those who clung to the Old Ways were effectively extinguished.”
The “power” that Simon is referring to is that of the dragon, but also Tiamat. Thus, we can see when the Mad Arab is referring to the Cult of the Dragon, he is referring to the Cult of Tiamat.
“There is a royal text dating from the Semitic first dynasty of Isin (2017-1794 B.C.) of the Old Babylonian period that deals with dedication of a “dog house” for Ninisina, who was patron goddess of the city. Excavations near the temple have uncovered clear evidences of a dog cult, among them more than thirty dog burials, as well as copper pendants with engravings of dogs; a human being on its knees and embracing a dog; and bronze or clay dog figurines, one of which bears a prayer “to Gula, a lady of life, great physician,..”
In an online article entitled “Going to the Dogs”: Healing Goddesses of Mesopotamia by Johanna Stuckey, we read:
“Nin-Isina’s city must have been a kind of Mesopotamian Lourdes, a place of pilgrimage for the sick, maimed, and dying. The temple also provided midwives (Leick 1998: 133). The precinct of the E-gal-makh must have been an extremely busy and noisy place, with sufferers seeking treatment, priests performing rituals and incantations, and dogs barking. Like Lourdes, it would have been crowded with votive and dedicatory objects. During festivals in the goddess’s honor, her statue would have been carried through the city to the sounds of music and rejoicing. Nin-Isina’s precinct also housed a sanctuary called “Dog-House,” probably a “sacred dog kennel” (George 1993: 156 #1182). There the goddess’s alter ego would have enjoyed a luxurious life, until, perhaps, it became a sacrifice. During excavations, many dog burials were unearthed in the cult area (Fuhr 1977: 136), probably remains of votive and ritual sacrifices. A very important deity, Nin-Isina was worshiped all over Mesopotamia and had temples or shrines in most major cities (George 1993: 88 #320-321, 152 #1123).”
The goddess of the Cult of the Dog is Gula, who is known in the Simon Necronomicon mysteries as Nindinugga. Education In Early 2nd Millennium Babylonia by Alexandra Kleinerman, states:
“On a smaller scale this connection may also be seen in instances such as the occurrence of the healing goddess Nintinuga, the Nippur manifestation of the Isin goddess, Gula.”
It seems interesting to know that the Cult of the Goat, the Cult of the Dragon, and the Cult of the Dog, are references to the cults of Nergal, Tiamat, and Nintinugga. Why would the Mad Arab write in his second testimony that we should “beware” of such cults? I am sure that our readers will be able to see why when we re-open in 2015.
We would now like to present our concluding digital-theatre presentation:
I would like to thank everyone for their support over the years. It has definitely been a historic journey to say the least. Before the blog page started, the idea of a “Necronomicon Tradition” was highly-criticized by other “occult groups” who are often persecuted for their stance and beliefs, go figure. Today, however, we see the rise of a Tradition that has a deeper understanding of the Greater Mysteries than many online organizations. Yet, these groups refuse to admit the progress that has been made, probably in fear of losing business and members.
It was recently announced that we will be closing the blog page until the year 2015. However, there are still many resources about the Necronomicon Tradition available online. The reason for closing the blog page temporarily was explained in a recent article. However, our readership should also be aware that this falls in line with the instructions given by the Mad Arab, upon which this post is entitled. Confused? Let’s take a look at the words of the Mad Arab in his Second Testimony:
“Beware of the Cults of Death, and these are the Cult of the Dog, the Cult of the Dragon, and the Cult of the Goat; for they are worshippers of the Ancient Ones, and forever try to let Them in, for they have a formulae of which it is unlawful to speak. And these cults are not strong, save at their seasons, when the heavens open up to them and unto their race.”
Many have wondered about the identification of the “Cults of Death” mentioned by the Mad Arab. They are described as “worshippers of the Ancient Ones,” something which the Mad Arab considered to be unlawful. Yet in still, understanding what these cults represent may clear up some of the recent confusion, about how the Simon Necronomicon is to be worked with and what its true purpose really is.
The Cult of the Goat
In the classic work by Lewis Spence entitled Myths and Legends of Assyria and Babylonia, we find the following description of the Cult of the Goat existing in ancient Mesopotamia, on pages 292-293:“This cult of the goat appears to be of very ancient origin, and the strange thing is that it seems to have found its way into mediaeval and even into modern magic and pseudo-religion.”
Prior to this passage Spence identifies the “goat god” and leader of the Cult of the Goat:
“The goat, too, seems to have been peculiarly sacred, and formed one of the signs of the zodiac. A god called Uz has for his name the Akkadian word for goat. Mr. Hormuzd Rassam found a sculptured stone tablet in a temple of the sun-god at Sippara on which was an inscription to Sin, Shammash, and Ishtar, as being “set as companions at the approach to the deep in sight of the god Uz.” This god Uz is depicted as sitting on a throne watching the revolution of the solar disc, which is placed upon a table and made to revolve by means of a rope or string. He is clad in a robe of goat-skin.”
Spence identifies the ancient god Uz, as the “goat god.” He is described as the god of the Goat Cult. However, while he is not readily known by the name “Uz,” he must have been an important god for in the sculpture found by Rassam, he is seen sitting on a throne. When we investigate the identity of the Akkadian god Uz, we will see further why the Mad Arab wrote that one needed to “Beware of the Cult of the Goat.”
James F. K. Hewitt in Primitive Traditional History, published in 1907, gives us a full detailed history as to who this god Uz really was:
“This Pole Star goat was in Akkadian Mythology Azuga Suga, the Supreme Goat of Mul-lil, lord of dust, and his ministers-the Akkadian priests wore the goat-skin dresses which were the national garment of the Indian caste of Vaishyas or Villagers, which they still wear at their initiation. Also this god Uz is depicted in Babylonian engraved pictures as watching the revolutions of the sun’s disc. This Pole Star goat was called Azaga-siqqa, the highest horned one, also Uz-makh, the mighty goat of Mul-lil, and he became the special god of Gudua and Kutha, the city cemetery of the Akkadian race. He was called Ner-gal, whose Akkadian name Nerra or Ner is translated by Assyrian tribes as the Strong and the Great Bright One,”
Here we can clearly see that the god Uz, the god of the Cult of the Goat, in none other than Nergal. So when the Mad Arab speaks about the Cult of the Goat, he is referring to the Cult of Nergal.
The Cult of the Dragon
An investigation into the Cult of the Dragon will validate the information concerning the Cult of the Goat and its god as we will quickly see. Unlike the Cult of the Goat, the “dragon” is easy to identify. Social-Science Commentary on the Book of Revelations, states the following on page 174:“Tiamat is the head of the tanninim (“sea- monsters, whales”), and is called in Akkadian: Bis-his (“Dragon“),”
Tiamat’s identification as the “dragon” referred to by the Mad Arab’s term Cult of the Dragon is well-known. Christine Preston in a book entitled The Rise of Man in the Gardens of Sumeria, writes:
“EL is a powerful matriarch gifted with occult powers deified during her own life and the ruler of the indigenous Old Chaldean world, who controls a dragon-serpent cult, and demands blood sacrifices…..The slaying of the dragon in Indo-European poetics was symbolic of the eradication of the serpent-dragon cults as a result of a great battle fought by Aryan Goths against the matriarchal ruler in Eden in about 3,000 BC and their victory…..Waddell’s interpretation also sheds light on the Killing of Tiamat by Marduk in Mesopotamian tradition.”
This would identify the dragon as Tiamat, and Simon confirms Preston’s words in the introduction of the Simon Necronomicon:
“In the West, the conjuration, cultivation, or worship of this Power was strenuously opposes with the advent of the Solar, Monotheistic religions and those who clung to the Old Ways were effectively extinguished.”
The “power” that Simon is referring to is that of the dragon, but also Tiamat. Thus, we can see when the Mad Arab is referring to the Cult of the Dragon, he is referring to the Cult of Tiamat.
The Cult of the Dog
Finally we come to the Cult of the Dog. For those of us who have done their study proper, this cult is not at all difficult to identify. Eat Not This Flesh by Fredrick Simoons, page 245, states:“There is a royal text dating from the Semitic first dynasty of Isin (2017-1794 B.C.) of the Old Babylonian period that deals with dedication of a “dog house” for Ninisina, who was patron goddess of the city. Excavations near the temple have uncovered clear evidences of a dog cult, among them more than thirty dog burials, as well as copper pendants with engravings of dogs; a human being on its knees and embracing a dog; and bronze or clay dog figurines, one of which bears a prayer “to Gula, a lady of life, great physician,..”
In an online article entitled “Going to the Dogs”: Healing Goddesses of Mesopotamia by Johanna Stuckey, we read:
“Nin-Isina’s city must have been a kind of Mesopotamian Lourdes, a place of pilgrimage for the sick, maimed, and dying. The temple also provided midwives (Leick 1998: 133). The precinct of the E-gal-makh must have been an extremely busy and noisy place, with sufferers seeking treatment, priests performing rituals and incantations, and dogs barking. Like Lourdes, it would have been crowded with votive and dedicatory objects. During festivals in the goddess’s honor, her statue would have been carried through the city to the sounds of music and rejoicing. Nin-Isina’s precinct also housed a sanctuary called “Dog-House,” probably a “sacred dog kennel” (George 1993: 156 #1182). There the goddess’s alter ego would have enjoyed a luxurious life, until, perhaps, it became a sacrifice. During excavations, many dog burials were unearthed in the cult area (Fuhr 1977: 136), probably remains of votive and ritual sacrifices. A very important deity, Nin-Isina was worshiped all over Mesopotamia and had temples or shrines in most major cities (George 1993: 88 #320-321, 152 #1123).”
The goddess of the Cult of the Dog is Gula, who is known in the Simon Necronomicon mysteries as Nindinugga. Education In Early 2nd Millennium Babylonia by Alexandra Kleinerman, states:
“On a smaller scale this connection may also be seen in instances such as the occurrence of the healing goddess Nintinuga, the Nippur manifestation of the Isin goddess, Gula.”
It seems interesting to know that the Cult of the Goat, the Cult of the Dragon, and the Cult of the Dog, are references to the cults of Nergal, Tiamat, and Nintinugga. Why would the Mad Arab write in his second testimony that we should “beware” of such cults? I am sure that our readers will be able to see why when we re-open in 2015.
We would now like to present our concluding digital-theatre presentation:
The Goat is venerated by a tribe known as عنزة or Aniza.
This Arab tribe thrived in the region of Iraq and the Levant prior to the advent of Islam. Perhaps, this is the cult that the Mad Arab warned us about. This very same cult was mentioned in the book, The Sufis, by Idries Shah.
@Majid Abdullah…Thank you for your comment. The Cult of the Goat worship and practices attributed to the god Uz, later known as Nergal, was adopted by many nations that succeeded Sumer and Babylonia. However, the Mad Arab was very clear that it was the god Uz and its priesthood that he was referring to as the Cult of the Goat by the description that he writes about them in his Second Testimony:
“And of the Cult of the Dragon, what more can I say to thee? They worship when that Star is highest in the heavens, and is of the Sphere of the IGIGI, as are the Stars of the Dog and the Goat.”
While the Mad Arab is addressing the Cult of the Dragon in the above passage, he does show that they are connected by a specific star, and sphere of the Igigi, or zodiac sign. Later, he identifies this zodiac sign in his writings:
“For when comets are to be seen in the neighbourhood of CAPRICORNUS, His cults will rejoice and the spells will increase from their quarter.”
Interestingly, Capricornus is the sphere of the Igigi mentioned by the Mad Arab in his Second Testimony, as he writes about no other zodiac sign.. However, it is with no “coincidence” or surprise that we read the following concerning the god Uz in Christianity and Mythology by John M. Robertson, writes on page 345:
“Uz. The Akkadian Sacred Goat was at once a God and the Capricorn of the Zodiac ; and on early Chaldean cylinders the goat and the gazelle alike frequently.”
There are many references that illustrate that the god Uz, was also identified with the zodiac sign of Capricorn, and it is no coincidence that the Mad Arab mentioned this constellation in connection with the Cult of the Goat. Yet this brings up another feature. The god Uz became known in history as Nergal , which literally means the “Great Watcher.” Based on this we can now understand another passage mentioned in the Mad Arab’s writings:
“And the Lord of the Watchers dwells, it is said, among the Wastes of the IGIGI,”
So while other peoples adopted the practices of the Cult of the Goat, we know specifically who the Mad Arab was talking about. I’m done.