Babylonian Altar Cloth - Nergal Lord of the Underworld Sigil

This altar cloth features a one sided print with hemmed edges. Care instructions: Cold water delicate cycle, hang to dry. No bleach. 24" x 24" inches

"The Deific Mask of Nergal is one which embodies several types of power and phenomena in nature and mankind. Known also as Erra, Nergal is a god of pestilence, war and ruler of the dead in the underworld; his lordship and role in an essential aspect in both the natural world and within humanity.

The planet of Nergal is Mars (salbat-anu) and is associated with spreading plague. The month of Nergal is Kislim/Kislev (November-December) which he comes out from the Underworld. During the Assyrian period, Nergal is associated with the planet Saturn, whose month was Kislev. Nergal’s days are the 14^th and 28^th are his “evil days” and 14 is consistently his number. Kettle drums were used in his celebrations in praise of Mars and Saturn.

In the Assyrian army, Nergal and Adad are represented by Standards which accompany the Assyrian army on campaign. As the god of death and war, Nergal is recognized as being the same as Resheph, Emu, Kammus (Chemosh) and Sugab.

Nergal is associated with the bull’s head, a natural symbol for the conquering war-god whose horns impale his enemy. Another animal associated with Nergal is the Lion, described as having raised paws, rampant and violent and who sharpens his teeth on his enemy. Nergal’s primary weapon is a scimitar and a three-headed mace which is the earlier form of the double lion scimitar. Nergal is also depicted with a double lion mace, a symbol of his might and strength....The poem describes Erra as being awoken by the Seven Evil Gods, Sebitti (meaning the Seven) who are created by Anu and Ki to be destructive weapons guided by Erra (Nergal). The Sebitti rouse Erra for the purpose of waging war against humanity. Like Tiamat and Qingu in the Enuma Elish, humanity are making constant ‘noise’ and disturbing the sleep of the gods. This is because the ‘dreaming’ or ‘astral’ plane is where the Deific Masks exist, their method of primary communication and power resides.

         Erra is a Semitic God of Death who is a manifestation of Nergal from Kutha at the beginning of the Old Babylonian period onward. In Pre-Sargonic times Erra appears and increases in the region over time. One epithet of Nergal is d-GIR-ra, spelled also as ‘Dinger-ir-ra’, ‘The Strong God’ which may draw some associations to the Canaanite epithet of Mot, being the later Hebrew ‘Azazel’. Erra was written ‘Er-ra’ and is from the Semitic root of HRR, ‘To Scorch’. Erra was not recognized by the old Akkadian kings, Nergal by name was elevated to head of the army. Naram-Sin had a special importance placed upon Nergal as he was named ‘Maskim’ which becomes a title of demons later on. - SEBITTI by Michael W Ford (used with permission)