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Diwan Abatur
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The Diwan Abatur (ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ‎; "Scroll of Abatur") is a Mandaean religious text. It is a large illustrated scroll that is over 20 ft. (6.1 m) long.[1]

A similar illustrated Mandaean scroll is the Diwan Nahrawata ("The Scroll of the Rivers"), a lavishly illustrated geographical treatise which translated into German and published by Kurt Rudolph in 1982.[1]

Manuscripts and translations

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An English translation of the text was published by E. S. Drower in 1950 A.D., which was based on manuscript 8 of the Drower Collection (abbreviated DC 8).[2]

A manuscript of the Diwan Abatur, MS Borgiani Siriaci 175 (abbreviated BS 175), is held at the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana in Vatican City.[2] A facsimile copy of the manuscript, photographed by B. Pörtner, was published by Julius Euting in 1904.[3]

In 2024, Bogdan Burtea completed a translation project for the Diwan Abatur.[4][5]

Contents

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The Diwan Abatur mentions a heavenly tree called Shatrin (Šatrin) where the souls of unbaptized Mandaean children are temporarily nourished for 30 days. On the 30th day, Hibil Ziwa baptizes the souls of the children, who then continue on to the World of Light. The tree has a length of 360,000 parasangs according to the Diwan Abatur.[6]

Additionally, the Diwan Abatur mentions a ship called Shahrat (Šahrat; lit. "she kept watch") that ferries souls from Tibil across the Hitpun and into the house of Abatur.[2]

The Scroll of Abatur lists several matartas belonging to the sons of Ptahil, namely Raglʿil, Sharhabiel, El-Sfar, Nbaṭ, Bhaq, and Shitil. There are also illustrations and descriptions of matartas belonging to each of the seven planets, with each matarta having an area of 2,000 parasangs and being 2,000-3,000 parasangs away from the next matarta.[2]

In the Diwan Abatur, the sons of Ptahil who each rule different matartas are:[2]

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  • An 18th-century manuscript of the Diwan Abatur in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. The illustration on top depicts the ship Shahrat ferrying Mandaean souls towards the house of Abatur, while the lower illustration shows the tree of Shatrin with the souls of unbaptized children.
    An 18th-century manuscript of the Diwan Abatur in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. The illustration on top depicts the ship Shahrat ferrying Mandaean souls towards the house of Abatur, while the lower illustration shows the tree of Shatrin with the souls of unbaptized children.
  • Image of Abatur from the Diwan Abatur
    Image of Abatur from the Diwan Abatur
  • Image of Abatur at the scales (Abatur Muzania), from the Diwan Abatur
    Image of Abatur at the scales (Abatur Muzania), from the Diwan Abatur

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
  2. ^ a b c d e Drower, Ethel S. (1950). Diwan Abatur or Progress through the Purgatories. Studi e Testi. Vol. 151. Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana.
  3. ^ Euting, Julius (1904). Mandäischer Diwan nach photographischer Aufnahme von Dr. B. Pörtner. Strasbourg: Trübner.
  4. ^ "Diwan Abatur: Ein Text über die Jenseitsreise der Seele nach den Vorstellungen der Mandäer. Edition, Übersetzung, Kommentar". DFG (in German). Retrieved 2024-07-29.
  5. ^ "Diwan Abatur: Ein Text über die Jenseitsreise der Seele nach den Vorstellungen der Mandäer. Edition, Übersetzung, Kommentar. - Research Portal of the HU Berlin". Research Information System of HU Berlin (in German). 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
  6. ^ Nasoraia, Brikha H.S. (2021). The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought. New Delhi: Sterling. ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4. OCLC 1272858968.
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