At the end of the month of Abu, during last week at the disappearance of the moon, this ceremony was held. This was a time when ghosts ascend to the world of the living and then return to the netherworld. The ceremony was a time of judgment. A time when the ghosts gathered up unclaimed souls, taking them back to the netherworld.
The month of Abu was from the start of new moon in July to the ending moon in August.
The ritual itself was, at first, only 10 incantations plus rituals, and it was held in the early morning.
Images of the unclaimed or criminals that needed to be judged, were created.
1: Statues of the persons were raised up to Shamash and then placed on a brazier.
2. Nusku, the lamp, is addressed; a matchstick is lit in a flame.
3. the brazier is set ablaze by the application of the matchstick, and the statues are ignited.
4. wool is knotted and unknotted and then cast into the fire.
5. flour and other items are burned and then thrown into the fire.
6. the brazier is stired with an ashwood branch.
7/8. water is poured on the glowing coals.
9. a mountain stone is set atop (the censer which had previously been placed on) the opening of the brazier.
10. a magic circle is drawn with flour; the ashes are disposed of.
The fire and water has specific cultic meaning:
Both are judges; the gods Girra (destructive fire) and Ea or Enki (fresh water, underground water). This is where the European idea of burning and drowning witches comes from. The fire and water effectively ‘deals’ with the guilty. In the middle east, someone who’s body is not buried cannot go to the underworld. To not go to the underworld was a horrifying thought. It meant that the soul was unable to keep in contact with the family and to help guide them. To be burned, the ashes or smoke raising to heaven, was a bad thing because the soul dissipated.
An example of this is in the incantation for #8:
“Fierce, raging, furious,
Overbearing, violent, wicked are you!
Who but Ea can dampen you?
Who but Asalluhi can cool you?
May Ea dampen you,
May Asalluhi cool you.
My mouth is water, your mouth is fire;
May my mouth extinguish your mouth,
May the curse of my mouth extinguish
the curse of your mouth,
May the plot of my heart extinguish the
plot of your heart!”
Eventually, this ritual grew to 100 incantations over a three-day period.