clumsy fingers stuff up again - intended post in a few minutes.
The prophet Mani's crystal seal
by fulltimestudent 2 Replies latest social current
-
-
fulltimestudent
The prophet Mani gave early Christianity a run for its money.
The wikipedia entry notes that:
Mani (in Middle Persian Māni and Syriac Mānī, Greek Μάνης, Latin Manes; also Μανιχαίος, Latin Manichaeus, from Syriac ܡܐܢܝ ܚܝܐ Mānī ḥayyā "Living Mani", c. 216–274 AD), of Iranianorigin, [3] [4] [5] [6] was the prophet and the founder of Manichaeism, a gnostic religion of Late Antiquity which was once widespread but is now nearly extinct. Mani was born in or nearSeleucia-Ctesiphon in Parthian Babylonia [1] (Iraq), at the time still part of the Parthian Empire. Six of his major works were written in Syriac Aramaic, and the seventh, dedicated to the king of the empire, Shapur I, was written in Middle Persian, his native language. [7] He died inGundeshapur, under the Sassanid Empire.
Professor Gulasci's notation that of the three significant founders of early religions, only Mani may have been literate. He wrote his own works, but neither Jesus or the Buddha Sakymuni have any written documents to their name. Interesting comment isn't it? Perhaps Jesus truly never learned to read and write. It's true he quoted OT texts, but he may have learned those by rote, as many people do.
When a personal artifact of a religious leader is discovered nearly 1,700 years after its use, the object provides invaluable historical insights. Zsuzsanna Gulacsi, professor of Comparative Cultural Studies (at Northern Arizona University), has been studying an ancient crystal seal used by prophet Mani, to provide new interpretations and prepare the seal for further research
Ancient seal sheds light on Persian prophet
Posted by TANN
East 5:30 PM
When a personal artifact of a religious leader is discovered nearly 1,700 years after its use, the object provides invaluable historical insights. Zsuzsanna Gulacsi, professor of Comparative Cultural Studies, has been studying an ancient crystal seal used by prophet Mani, to provide new interpretations and prepare the seal for further research
Crystal seal of Mani [Credit: Northern Arizona University]
Mani, a Persian born in 216, established Manichaeism, a religion drawing from the era's dominant religions, including Zoroastrianism and Christianity. Mani stood out among religious leaders of the time, Gulacsi said, because he wrote his own doctrine, compared to Jesus, Mohammad and the historical Buddha who were not known to read or write. The engraved crystal seal was used to authenticate Mani's writings and correspondence.
According to Gulacsi, Mani believed other religious leaders had their teachings distorted because they could not write themselves. "Their disciples did not have the capacity of a prophet, whose clarity of religious insight was believed to surpass that of ordinary human beings," Gulacsi said.
Gulacsi thinks Mani wore his crystal seal as a pendant, a practice of that time. The prophet's only known surviving artifact is about the size of a quarter; the thin quartz seal was likely once encased in gold to facilitate its use.
The rock crystal is flat on one side and rounded on the other, with a sunken carving on one half creating a positive image on the opposite side. Mani is flanked by two people, possibly disciples, and an inscription reading 'Mani, apostle of Jesus Christ' forms the perimeter. "The drills of the time used wound strings to spin a point to create an even carving," Gulacsi said.
In 274, Mani died in prison after being persecuted for his religious teachings. His belongings were likely passed to his successor, but the fate of the crystal seal is not known until it turned up in Paris in 1896, where it was purchased and housed in the gemstone section of the National Library of France.
Despite its historical significance, Mani's engraved crystal seal had escaped attention until recently. Gulacsi has researched and written about the seal, including an article just published in the Bulletin of the Asia Institute. Source: Northern Arizona University [October 30, 2014]
Read more at: http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/ancient-seal-sheds-light-on-persian.html#.VFVhDvmUd8E -
Phizzy
Thanks for another interesting Post FTS. If only Jesus had taken such care, learned to read and write, and then authenticated his own writings !
Then we would not have the arguments about what he actually "said".
But maybe the myth and legend we now have about him may not have happened, and he would be a footnote from the past, as much as Mani is.