Posted on 11/08/2004 11:52:36 AM PST by blam
Ruins of Manichean center discovered in West Azerbaijan
Tehran Times Culture Desk
TEHRAN (MNA) –- The ruins of what is believed to be the center of Mani (216-276 C.E.), the founder of Manicheanism, was discovered during the seventh stage of excavations at the ancient site of Qalaychi Hill in West Azerbaijan Province which began last month.
Experts used to believe that Hasanlu Mound was the major early Manichean center, but the recent excavation seems to prove otherwise.
An inscription found at Qalaychi Hill last year showed that Qalaychi Hill, not Hasanlu Mound, was probably Mani’s early center.
After the most recent excavations at Qalaychi Hill, many archaeologists became convinced that the site was in fact the early Manichean center.
According to Mohammad Kharrazi of the archaeological team, many archaeological questions were answered during the recent stage of excavations.
“The architecture of the site proves that it was Mani’s center as well as a place for performing ritual ceremonies,” he said.
Several shards discovered at the site will also help to reveal the history of the place, he added.
Kharrazi pointed to the remains of aqueducts discovered at the site and their building style, in which large uncut pieces of stone were used, as examples of the early Manicheans’ talent.
Experts plan to continue their research at the site for the next twenty days.
The 100-meter Qalaychi Hill is located near Bukan. Archaeologists have so far only excavated the northern part of the hill, but believe that the site was once a large city.
Mani proclaimed himself the last prophet in a succession that included Zoroaster, Buddha, and Jesus, whose partial revelations were, he taught, contained and consummated in his own doctrines. Besides Zoroastrianism and Christianity, Manicheanism reflects the strong influence of Gnosticism.
GGG Ping.
St. Augustine of Hippo was a famous ex-manichean.
Please help me out with the grammar here. Does this sentence mean that Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Manicheanism reflect strong influence from Gnosticism; or does it mean that Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Gnostism strongly affected Manicheanism?
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
The latter.
Interesting!!
ping
The tale of the Star of Bethlehem could be a cryptic tale (I say cryptic because if it was written openly Rome could call Christians treasonous allies of enemy Persia) of Jews in Babylon sending support via the Magi as agents of the Shah to a group of Jews centered around Mary and Joseph's clannish resistance to Herod and thus to Rome. Is it an accident that Jesus' first cousin John the Baptist also fled to live in the wilderness? The slaughter of the innocents may be explained as Herod eliminating a rebel clan by killing the male heirs (only a few dozen?) with only a few like Jesus and John the Baptists escaping.
Also probably why Jesus "brother" James was the leader of the Apostles in Jerusalem. James, be he first cousin or step brother via Joseph's first wife before Mary would have given James a royal lineage.
My theory - working on it.
"Zoroastrianism seems to have had a direct impact on Judaism"
Or vice-versa; and both were part of wider cultural trends. There were pre-Zoroastrian trends towards monotheism in Mesopotamia and Egypt that emerged alongside Judaism.
No, I'm not saying that the concept of monotheism was pushed on Judaism by Zoroastrianism. smatterofact, Zoroastrianism believes in a number of Gods, but has two main gods -- so it is a dualistic religion, NOT a monotheistic religion -- Ahura Mazda and the othe guy (can't remember his name, God of Darkness) are on equal levels.
The Manichean Candidate?
Early Zoroastrianism was more monotheistic than later Zoroastrianism, which is what I was getting at there.
The god of darkness you're trying to think of is Angra Mainyu or Ahriman.
Akhriman. Any Nietzscheans here?
WEll, i don't think too much of Nietszche -- he does seem to have slipped into dementia quite often. Shoudl speak (spake) to a Zoroastrian fire temple priest to get hte real low down on the gatas
Dualism is pretty common. Unknown to many, Islam originally had Allah and Allat (a female deity).
You may wish to read more about his people of ressentment.
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