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Kutulu: Man of the Underworld
It’s quite unfortunate that in the Information Age we find such a high level of ignorance in the modern-day occult community. No greater place can this be seen than in discussions concerning the Necronomicon by Simon. To date, I have not seen a valid critique of the Simon tome. In most cases, these criticisms are presented by people who are advocates of Franchise Occultism, as the Necronomicon by Simon could stir many to cancel their memberships in mainstream occult groups, or by sincere individuals who just don’t understand the history of the greater mysteries.
Due to the exploits of franchise occultism, the would-be occult scientist ignorantly thinks that self-transformation equates to their advancement in an organization and how well they fit into the group.
Dan Harms is a good friend of mine. Though I do not know John Wisdom Gonce III, I believe they approached the idea of the Necronomicon Files, a book that claims the Necronomicon by Simon as a hoax, in sincerity, but a lot of the “facts” found in their book are not consistent with ancient Sumerian spirituality. One example of this can be found in the book’s editorial on the subject of Kutulu. In an effort to critique the Simon Necronomicon, we find the authors of the Necronomicon Files making the following statement on page 148 of their publication:
“Simon’s most infamous violation of Sumerian syntax is probably his claim that Lovecraft’s Cthulhu is found among the ancient Mesopotamians in association with the town of Kutu (sometimes known as Cutha), which he refers to as “KUTU,” Simon further states that “KUTU” is a Sumerian name for the underworld. Thus he claims that “KUTU-LU” or “Cuthalu” means “the man of the underworld” or man of Cutha.” First, the proper Sumerian idiom would be LU-KUTU.”
The authors of the Necronomicon Files made an error in their calculations. It is true that we do find terms such as LU.GAL, which literally translates as man, big and was a title held by rulers of the Sumerian city-states, there are words that supports the term KUTULU as a proper Sumerian term. One example of this appears in Assyrian and Babylonian Literature by Robert Francis Harper, which was first published in the late 1800’s. In this text we find the title of Ereshkigal, shar, meaning queen, appearing after the word KUTU, or netherworld. In translation of a PRAYER TO NERGAL, we read:
“O MIGHTY lord, exalted, first-born of NU.NAM.NIR,
Chief of the Anunnaki, lord of battle,
Offspring of KU.TU.SHAR, the great queen,
Nergal, most powerful of the gods, beloved of NIN.MIN.NA”
We can easily see that the syntax of KU.TU.LU is in accord with Sumerian grammar. On course a grimoire is not going to have a perfect knowledge. It is not a book for beginners. In the Introduction of the Simon Necronomicon, we read:
“These were the sorcerer’s handbooks, and generally not meant as textbooks or encyclopedias of ceremonial magick. In other words, the sorcerer or magician is supposed to be in possession of the requisite knowledge and training with which to carry out a complex magickal ritual, just as a cook is expected to be able to master the scrambling of eggs before he conjures an “eggs Benedict”; the grimoires, or Black Books, were simply variations on a theme, like cookbooks, different records of what previous magicians had done, the spirits they had contacted, and the successes they had. The magicians who now read these works are expected to be able to select the wheat from the chaff, in much the same fashion as an alchemist discerning the deliberate errors in a treatise on his subject.”
2 thoughts on “KUTULU Is Proper Historical Sumerian Syntax”
The term KUTULU is most definitely referring to Dingir Nirgal. Nirgal’s temple (E-Meslam) was situated at a site in Babylonia known as Cutha, or Kutu (as stated in Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia by Jeremy Black and Anthony Green, at page 135). Cutha is also the name for the capital of the Sumerian Underworld, known as Irkalla.
The word LU might have more than one meaning, but the most interesting meaning that I could find is “bull” (Page 51 of Ludlul Bel Nemeqi – The Standard Babylonian Poem of the Righteous Sufferer by Amar Annus and Alan Lenzi – State Archives of Assyria Cuneiform Texts Volume VII).
KUTULU may then take on the meaning of “Bull of the Underworld”, which is most certainly a title of Nirgal, who is often called, in various prayers and hymns, “Great Steer”, or “Black Bull”.
The Necronomicon itself even gives us a variation on the word KUTULU and thereby clearly stating that it is referring to the Underworld.
“To the Black Earth, the Land of CUTHA She set forth”
“To the House of No Return she set her foot”
And:
“To ABSU ISHTAR set forth”
“Where sleeps the dread CUTHALU”
(Page 167 of the Simon Necronomicon)
As for the issue if it should be LU-KUTU, or KUTU-LU, I would have to do some more research, but it is very possible that the term LU can be used as a suffix rather than a prefix.
The term KUTULU is most definitely referring to Dingir Nirgal. Nirgal’s temple (E-Meslam) was situated at a site in Babylonia known as Cutha, or Kutu (as stated in Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia by Jeremy Black and Anthony Green, at page 135). Cutha is also the name for the capital of the Sumerian Underworld, known as Irkalla.
The word LU might have more than one meaning, but the most interesting meaning that I could find is “bull” (Page 51 of Ludlul Bel Nemeqi – The Standard Babylonian Poem of the Righteous Sufferer by Amar Annus and Alan Lenzi – State Archives of Assyria Cuneiform Texts Volume VII).
KUTULU may then take on the meaning of “Bull of the Underworld”, which is most certainly a title of Nirgal, who is often called, in various prayers and hymns, “Great Steer”, or “Black Bull”.
The Necronomicon itself even gives us a variation on the word KUTULU and thereby clearly stating that it is referring to the Underworld.
“To the Black Earth, the Land of CUTHA She set forth”
“To the House of No Return she set her foot”
And:
“To ABSU ISHTAR set forth”
“Where sleeps the dread CUTHALU”
(Page 167 of the Simon Necronomicon)
As for the issue if it should be LU-KUTU, or KUTU-LU, I would have to do some more research, but it is very possible that the term LU can be used as a suffix rather than a prefix.