A wise woman who turned fish eggs into beasts: meet an ancient witch from Mesopotamia
Ancient evidence tells us that belief in witchcraft – and feat of witches – is more than 4,000 years old.
Long before Halloween costumes and broomsticks, the concept of witchcraft and sorcery can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamia, around 4,500 years ago. This region, encompassing modern-day Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria, birthed several influential cultures and empires, including Sumerians, Akkadians and Babylonians. Home to the earliest known writing systems, Mesopotamia offers a treasure trove of historical accounts, including a fascinating tale of a witch battle.
In the epic Sumerian story, The Tale of Enmerkar and Ensuḫkešdanna, two kings clash over power. To resolve the dispute, both kings send agents to represent their cause. One agent, a "wise woman" named Saĝburu, fights for Enmerkar, while an unnamed sorcerer supports Ensuḫkešdanna. The battle unfolds as both Saĝburu and the sorcerer conjure magical creatures by tossing fish eggs into the Euphrates River.
Over the course of five rounds, Saĝburu consistently creates larger, more formidable animals than the sorcerer – a wolf vs. a lamb, a lion vs. a cow, a mountain leopard vs. an ibex, and a lion and tiger versus a gazelle. The tale concludes with Saĝburu trapping the sorcerer and hurling him into the Euphrates River, ending the confrontation with his demise.
The story of Saĝburu's victory offers a unique perspective on ancient witchcraft. Uniquely, Saĝburu is not labeled as a witch or sorceress but rather as a "wise woman." The unnamed sorcerer, in contrast, is only referred to as a sorcerer, maš-maš. This distinction highlights the complexity and historical depth of the witchcraft concept, which emerged well before medieval European trials and the infamous water trials.
The fear of witchcraft and its consequences further escalated in Mesopotamia during the 1st millennium BCE. A manual called the Maqlû was created for specialized priests known as the ašipu. Tasked with fighting against witchcraft and purifying bewitched individuals, the ašipu priest conducted a one-night ritual called the Maqlû.
The Maqlû involved a set of incantations and rituals aimed at returning any malevolent spells back to the bewitcher. This ancient practice demonstrates the significance Mesopotamians placed on combating witchcraft and the severe repercussions for those who dared to practice it.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
