![]() The obverse explains the divine powers which are controlled and symbolised by the various substances and utensils employed in the rituals and also the only information we have yet recovered concerning the mystic meanings of metals. Further study revealed the interesting fact that we have here the most extensive information hitherto recovered from the mystagogues of the Assyro-Babylonian religion. The legend on the tablet in the University Museum showed that the contents belonged to the secret teaching of the priests of Nippur. Let the knowing teach the knowing and he that does not know shall not read, for that is an abomination unto Nebo and Lugal.” The scribe’s note reads as follows : “Let the knowing instruct the knowing and let him that does not know not read: that is an abomination unto Anu and Enlil.” (Heaven and earth gods.) A tablet of the same collection explains the prophetic signification of signs on a sheep’s liver and carries a similar passport to the initiated: “It is the secret of the diviners. Nabunadinabi, son of Arkatilānidamikti the priest of mysteries, for his peace wrote it and placed it in Ezida.”Īn astrological tablet from the library of Asurbanipal explains the hidden names of Jupiter in each of the twelve months, together with other similar information. Long clay tablet property of the temple Ezida. ![]() According to its original it has been written and collated. “Let him that knows instruct the knowing. It belonged to the temple of Nebo, god of wisdom, at Barsippa and has the following library note. A few of the star names are explained and their significance commented upon. The constellation of Scorpio symbolises Mara, deity of water animals. Sirius is the stellar symbol of Ishtar, goddess of love and battle. It teaches how each star is the manifestation of the power of one of the gods. A tablet from the late period discovered in Babylonia and brought to the British Museum contains the hidden meanings of the stars. Some of these books, especially those which taught the rules for divining the future by the stars or by the livers of sheep, those which revealed the mystic meanings of animals, plants, metals and of cult utensils, carry this forbidding phrase. Each temple possessed its sacred Library, books on rituals of all kinds, liturgies, astrology, medicine, law and other important subjects. It is the warning phrase which sealed the mystic books to the untaught and uninitiated. ![]() It is the property of the temple Shumera.” The first sentence of this colophon recalled at once the identical phrase which occurs at the end of a few tablets in the great library of Asurbanipal of Nineveh, discovered by Layard, Rassam and others, and now in the British Museum. Ninurtanasir, son of Iluikiša the priest of mysteries, has written it according to its original. “Let the knowing instruct the knowing, and let him that does not know not read. When I was examining a certain tablet of the Nippur collection in the Museum for the purpose of entering its number and contents in the catalogue, the library note of the Babylonian scribe arrested my attention. ![]()
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