| Ab father; Aba Saba white-haired father (a reverential address); Abatur divine name (Third Life, Father of Ptahil and the ‘utria); Abahatan Qadmaija “Our First Fathers” (among the commonest of prayers, in the form of a litany). Adam Abu-l-Farag a proper noun (a human figure who arrives to help the Mandaeans). Adiaura (divine) helper. Ahl al-kitab a people of the book (an Arab term that indicates a population enjoying a special status of religious tolerance). ‘aina spring; proper noun of divine hypostasis. Alma (p1. almia) world Andiruna ritual hut (built for weddings and the ordination of priests) Anhar female proper noun (wife of Sum; wife of Iahia luhana) Anus Enos; Anus Utra the name of a revealer; Anus bar Danqa the name of a Mandaean dignitary at the time of the Islamic invasion Asganda sganda (p1. -ia) acolyte; proper name (an ancient scribe) Asut Malkia “Greetings to the kings” or “Greetings of the kings” (prayer) Bar, br son Bimandia see manda Bnia lamin sons of lamin (proper noun of a Jew and of a male convert) Daiua (p1. daiuia) demon Diuan (p1. diuanan) scroll; explanation Dmuta image; proper noun of a divine hypostasis Drapsa, drabsa (p1. -ia) ceremonial standard with a support in the form of a cross. Drasa (p1. drasia) book; words. Dukrana commemoration (for the dead). Ganzibra (p1. ganzibria) great priest; “bishop.” Gap monstrous divinity of the abyss, brother of Ruha. Ginza Treasure; library; the name of a holy book. Habsaba Sunday;. proper name of a divine hypostasis. Halala (p1. halalia) a man in the state of purity. Hamra a surrogate for wine. Haran Gauaita “Inner Harran” (the title of a written text). Hibil Abel; Hibil Ziua Abel Radiance (the proper noun of a celestial revealer). Hiia life (literally, “the living,” plural). Hsuka darkness. Humarta (p1. humria) demon. Iahia John (from the Arabic). Ialupa (p1. ialupia) cultured secular layman. lam the name of a son of Nu. Iamin a proper noun (the ancestor of the Jews?). Iapit Japheth. Iardna (p1. iardnia) free-flowing water; the Jordan. Iauar Radiant One (?); the proper name of a celestial figure. Isu Jesus. luhana John. lurba (lao rba?) divine name (lao the Great?) lusamin (lao has-sammaym?) a divine name (lao of the heavens?). Kana (d-zidqa) the whole (of the offerings); celestial hypostasis. Kanta cultic edifice of the Kantaiia Kantaeans. Kasia (p1. kasiia) hidden; secret; mystical. Kenoma lack;.emptiness (Greek). Kibla submission; conquest. Kilia (p1. klilia) a small crown of myrtle. Krun, Akrun a monster of the darkness. Kusta right; truth; celestial hypostasis Laupa (p1. laupania) community; in the plural, communion; sacred meal. Lilita (p1. liliata) female demon. ‘Lizar Eleazar. Madda knowledge. Malaka (p1. malakia) angel. Malka (p1. malkia) king; celestial spirit. Maluasi (p1. malusiia) sign of the zodiac; in the plural, zodiac. Mambuha holy water used for ceremonies. Mana (p1. mania) receptacle; spirit; primordial highest spirit. Manda knowledge; dwelling place; cultic hut (bimanda, bit manda “house of manda”); Manda d-Hiia Knowledge/Dwelling Place of the Life (the name of the principal celestial revealer). Mandaia (p1. mandaiia) Mandaean (he of the manda). Mandi holy areas where the manda is found, together with the pool for ablutions. Mar Toma Nazrani Christians of St. Thomas. Mara lord Mara d-Rabuta Lord of Greatness (divine epithet). Margna a priestly staff made of olive wood. Markabta celestial chariot Masbuta (p1. masbutiata) solemn baptism. Masiqta elevation (a ceremony that helps a soul) Maskna ceremonial hut. Masknaia (p1. masknaiia) synonym of Mandaean (he of the maskna) Matarta (p1. matarata) heavenly house of punishment. Mdudia a plural term of unknown meaning; Mdudia d.-Qudsa m. of the sacrament (particles of the catholic communion?). Misa oil; unguent; Moses. Msiha Messiahs Anointed one Christ (proper noun of Jesus). Msunia Kusta the chosen ones of the Truth (collective plural, it indicates a kind of earthly paradise). Nahra (p1. nahrauata) river. Namusa, nimusa law (Syriac translation loan of the Greek nomos). Mandaean or Judaic (Torah). Napaqa someone departing (the definition of someone dying in the ceremony called ‘ngirta). Nasiruta knowledge of the Nasureans. Nasuraia (p1. nasuraiia) Nasurean. ‘Ngirta (p1. ‘ngiriata) the ceremony of the ordination of the ganzibra. ‘Nhura light. ‘Nisbai Elizabeth. Nisimta (p1. nismata) soul. Niska (p1. niskia) a unit of measurement. Nitupta drop; sperm (epithet of good female personages). Nu Noah. Nuraita (Nhuraita, Anhuraita) wife of Noah or of Sum. Pagra (p1. pagria) body; (d-)pagria bodily physical (adjectival locution; e.g., Adam pagria). Paisaq dedassed priest. Panga the “five” -days that are supernumerary in the calendar; the feast on the occasion of their recurrence. Paruanaiia see Panga. Patira (p1. patiria) a kind of tiny loaf or tiny biscuits (usually sixty-six in number) prepared in certain ceremonies. Pihta holy bread. Piriauis a name of the celestial Iardna. Pleroma Fullness (Greek); the world of the divinity. Pras the Euphrates (arthly or celestial); Pras Ziua the Euphrates Radiance (a. name of the celestial Iardna). Ptahil demiurge creator (son of Abatur) , Fourth Life. Qadmaia (p1. qadmaiia) first. Qaptan commander (Arabic, from the Spanish capitan); any European (in Turkish). Rabuta greatness. Ram the name of the first male ancestor of the second age of the world. Rasta ceremonial garment made up of seven parts. Ratna neo-Mandaic dialect. Rba.(pl. rbia) great. Ris head; ris ama (p1. ris amia) Mandaean ethnarch. Risaia the first. Risama, rusuma complete ablution. Rud the name of the first female ancestor of the second age of the world. Ruha spirit; Ruha d-Qudsa female Holy Spirit (of the Christians). Sa (pl saia) a little flat bread roll in use in the nuptial ceremonies. Sabi’un, Sabi’ah Sabei (Arabic). Sarh explanation, commentary. Satt al-’Urdunn (Arabic) name of the Jordan. Sayh Sheik; the title of the Mandaean priest. Sganda see asganda. Sidra book; synonym of Ginza the “Book” par excellence. Simat treasure; Simat Hiia Treasure of Life, epithet of female celestial entity. Sindirka date palm; the proper noun for a divine hypostasis. Sitil Seth; his celestial hypostasis. Skandula a powerful talisman, made up of a knife joined by a little chain to a ring with apotropaic images engraved on it (the whole of it in iron). Skinta (p1. skinata) house, dwelling place, temple; celestial house; celestial world; this world; divine hypostasis. Spar book; Spar Maluasia Book of the Zodiac. Sualia, asualia disciple, candidate for the priesthood. Subbi (p1. Subba) Mandaean (Arabic name). Sum (bar Nu) Shem (the son of Noah); Sum Iauar Ziua name (Shem-Iauar-Radiance) of the priestly ring. Sup Zaba Sea of Reeds (the biblical Red Sea); the Euphrates; infernal water. Surbai name of the first male ancestor of the third age of the world. Surhab’il name of the first female ancestor of the third age of the world. Surta ritual isolation (especially on the occasions of childbirth, menstruation, and weddings). Taga ritual priestly crown. Tamasa tumusata baptismal immersion (without a priest). Tan(n)a vapor, cosmic cloud; female celestial entity; container; primordial or original spiritual reality. Tarmida (p1. tarmidia) priest, disciple. Tibil the created world. Tura d-Madai Mount of the Media, a mountain of the Mandaeans Ur monster of the abyss, a son of Ruha. ‘Utra (pl utria) wealth; name by which the entities of the world of Light are defined. Zahr’il negative spiritual entity; the sister of Ruha. Zakria Zacharias. Zidqa (brika) offerings (blessed); the name of a ceremony. Ziua radiance; epithet of celestial personages. Zuta small. |
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| Mandaean Glossary This glossary is found in: The Mandaeans: The Last Gnostics (Italian Texts and Studies on Religion and Society) Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.; November 2001 |
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