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The tablet of Muššuˀu ritual is a conflation of sources interpolating different healing events. It is performed in case of either headaches or afflictions of the trunk and limbs. A parallel support comes from the writings of Celsus.
Muššuˀu ritual (Akkadian) 5-15:
When [you perform] the ritual of [Muššuˀu] … The incantation “Head disease from the Ekur temple” - you rub his temples/his forehead. You bind a rush around his forehead. The incantation “Head disease, star, like in heaven” - you rub his temples. The incantation “Head disease, neck muscle, neck muscle” - you rub his neck. The incantation “I recite the incantation” - you rub his right hand. The incantation “Ninisina” - you rub his left hand. The incantation “Evil death” - you rub the area around his navel. The incantation “Enki, lord of the life-giving spell” - you rub his hips. The incantation “Paralysis ditto” - you rub his right waist down to his knee. The incantation “Hated evil machinations” - you rub his knee down to his foot. The incantation “When heaven and earth” - you rub his left waist down to his knee. The incantation “Fierce Fire” - you rub his knee down to his foot.
Celsus 2.14.1-2, 8:
Now concerning rubbing Asclepiades as if he were the inventor of the practice has treated it in his volume entitled “Common Aids”, at such great length, that, though making mention of three such aids, namely Rubbing, Water-drinking, and Rocking, yet he has taken up the greatest part with the first-named subject. … And it cannot be disputed that Asclepiades has taught when and how rubbing should be practiced, with a wider application, and in a clearer way, although he has discovered nothing which had not been comprised in a few words by ancient writer Hippocrates, who said that rubbing, if strenuous, hardens the body, if gentle relaxes, if much, it diminishes, if moderate fills out. … For both headaches are relieved by rubbing of the head, although not at the height of the pain, and any partially paralysed limb is strengthened by being itself rubbed. Much more often, however, some other part is to be rubbed than that which is the seat of the pain and especially when we want to withdraw material from the head or trunk, and therefore rub the arms and legs.
Sources (list of abbreviations) (source links will open in a new browser window)
Muššuˀu ritual (Akkadian) 5-15
Celsus 2.14.1-2
Celsus 2.14.8
Bibliography
| Böck 2003, 7-16 | Böck, Barbara. “"When you perform the ritual of 'rubbing'." On Medicine and Magic in Ancient Mesopotamia.” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 62 (2003) 1-16. [JNES (requires subscription)] |
Amar Annus
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