Natib Qadish: Rediscovering the Ancient Gods of Canaan

Natib Qadish: Rediscovering the Gods of Ancient Canaan

So what happens when you hear the call of a deity you never knew existed? What do you do when that deity is Canaanite? Yes, I said Canaanite.

The general heading that many of us fondly, yet with debate, entitle “Paganism” or “Neo-Paganism” includes a myriad of different religions from many different parts of the world. Yet it seems that the heaviest concentration of information falls under a more specific category of Western European Paganism or Heathenry, while other Pagan world cultures have not had as much exposure. Information, research, sharing ritual practices, trading philosophical ideas are essential for a thriving Pagan tradition and nourishing to the solitary Pagan practitioner; information and sharing information defines the nature of a Pagan path. For a follower of an ancient Near Eastern form of Paganism, the path becomes decidedly more difficult, obscure, and seemingly covered in the sands of time. For example, a Kemetic/Egyptian Pagan, for which many scholarly works are available, would still have difficulty finding information on the modern-day Kemetic’s path.

Pen and ink, computer colored image of a kappu palm in violet with a gold four-pointed star in the palm. Because of this dearth of information, very few people outside of scholarly circles even know of the ancient Canaanites, and even fewer people know of their ancient Pagan religion. Even scholarly journals demonstrate a dearth of information simply because the culture is so ancient with much of their literature and artifacts lost, and their society overshadowed by other great contemporaneous cultures such as the Hebrew, Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cultures. There are many of us out there who hear the call of the ancient Canaanite deities and their ways, yet because of the lack of information may remain oblivious to this Pagan path, or reluctant to trek through the wilderness to find the path. That path, the spiritual journey, defines Canaanite Paganism – it is the Natib Qadish, the “sacred path.”

The History of Canaan

The ancient Canaanites had a rich culture, a connection to nature and the changing seasons, and a Pagan religion complete with a Pantheon. The path of the modern Qadish, Canaanite Pagan, is difficult due to a lack of information in scholarly works and modern Pagan works, yet it can be a very fulfilling way of life. We will explore together some aspects of Natib Qadish: the ancient Canaanites, the deities, the literary texts, modern beliefs, and modern holidays. Please keep in mind that because Natib Qadish is not widespread, the facets of practice presented here may or may not demonstrate what other Qadishuma, Canaanite Pagans, practice. In fact, the Canaanites of ancient days also differed from one city-state to another as to how they practiced their religion and revered their Deities.
The Canaanite gave birth to the Phoenician culture and later the Carthaginians, and influenced and contributed to the ancient Hebrew culture and literature. The Canaanites shared a somewhat common culture and language-family from roughly 3000 B.C.E. to 1200 B.C.E.1 They were an urban society and based much of their prosperity on agriculture, their craftsmanship, and a thriving merchant trade industry.2 They lived in the Levantine area of the Near East which includes parts of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Israel along the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, as a large collection of generally unaffiliated city-states.3
The Canaanites were a people prior to and contemporary to Biblical times, yet they remained a pantheistic Pagan people. In later times, Pagan Canaanite shrines and symbols were burned, pillaged, and destroyed by some Biblical peoples. According to the Bible, the Biblical peoples were instructed to destroy the Canaanites and their religion: “Josiah destroyed cult objects ...he burned a number of them and transported their ashes to Bethel.... Josiah also defiled the high-places.” 4 Historically speaking, the “conquest” of the Canaanites may have been one more of a “gradual synthesis of the Hebrew migrants with the indigenous population.” 5 This “gradual synthesis,” however, was certainly not without conflict.
Archaeologists uncovered much of the information available today about the religion of the Canaanites when they excavated the shrines of Ba’al and Dagan at the ancient city of Ugarit, modern-day Ras Shamra in Syria.6 The first excavations began in Ras Shamra, Syria, in 1928-1929. It is from Ras Shamra, the ancient city of Ugarit, that we have received the bulk of our knowledge and first-hand accounts of Canaanite religion.

Canaanite Mythology

The texts date back to 1200 B.C.E. and are written in Ugaritic cuneiform; the scribes used a wedge-shaped stylus to imprint the letters onto wet clay tablets.7 These tablets form the foundation of the small amount of Canaanite literature and what little we know about their religion. The texts tell of Ba’al and his exploits, legends of royalty, and leave a few tantalizing tidbits of ritual liturgy. These stories involve a large cast of deities, including but not limited to those listed below.

• Athirat, Asherah: She is the Creatress of the Universe, the Mother and Creatress of All Deities (whether she birthed them or not). She is wise and loving. She is Queen. Her symbols include snakes, lions, and the life-giving date-palm tree.

• Il, El: He is the Creator of the Universe, described as benevolent and wise. He is King. His counsel and decision is sought on all matters and he appears in dreams to those who revere him and seek his aid.

• Anat: She is the impetuous adolescent female warrior. She acts first, talks later. She is spirited, rebellious, violent, and defiant, yet loving and loyal.

• Ba’al: He is the Rider on the Clouds, the creator of storms and rain, he who pushes back the forces of chaos and death, he who died and yet returned from the realm of the deceased.

• Yahm: He is the ruler of the rivers and the churning chaotic depths of the ocean. His is a great and ancient dark power, eventually overthrown by Ba’al.

• Mot: He is Deity of Death and Sterility. His appetite for the living is insatiable, his mouth is likened to a grave, or as being so large it extends to the heavens.

• Shapshu: She is the Torch of the Deities, the Sun Goddess, helpful and enlightening.

• Yarikh: He is the Lamp of the Deities, the Moon God, ever providing the fertilizing night dew for his love, Nikkal of the Orchards.

• Shachar and Shalim: They are the Twin Gods, morning and evening star.

• Kothar-wa-Khasis: He is the clever and adroit God of Magic and Craftsmanship.

• Dagan: He is the God of Grain, and father of Ba’al.

• Reshep, Rashap: He cares for the souls of the deceased, the Rapa’uma. He is known for his knowledge of life and death, of burning plague and healing.

This is just a small list of some of the deities that the ancient Canaanites revered, and some of the deities revered by modern Qadishuma. If you are interested in the adventures and the exploits of the deities and some royal Canaanites, see the resources at the end of this article.8

Canaanite Virtues

Stories usually have themes that demonstrate the values of those who wrote them; the texts found in Ugarit are no different. We must keep in mind, however, that when we read these stories, we read them as modern people roughly three thousand years later from perhaps half-way around the world, reading in a different language and with an entirely different cultural perspective. We may find values in the stories that they did not intend and skip over those that the ancients may have considered pivotal. The truth is that we will always be uncertain about the ancients’ values, but we can find qualities in the stories that we value now. We can strengthen these qualities in our lives in order to heal ourselves and our world.
Here are seven themes that are repeated in the stories, with possible coordinating transliterated Ugaritic words from the texts:

• Chukmu: Wisdom, and connection to the Earth.9
• Umatu: Community, strengthening the connection to each other and other living beings.10
• Chalmu: Intuition, divination, and communication of Deities through dreams.11
• Pi’du: Hospitality, sharing of abundance.12
• Dadu: Love.13
• Charshu: Creativity, and artistry.14
• Shalam: Healing and Well-being.15

Each of these concepts evokes images in our minds. Wisdom may be a certain teacher’s patience; community may be a group of people getting together to plant a tree. Intuition is that little voice that told you to look in your other coat pocket for your lost car keys. Hospitality may be the face of a beloved grandmother as she serves you more yummy mashed potatoes, while love may be the warmth of another’s hand in yours. Creativity may be that really nifty paper weight a child made. We may see healing as the image of a person burning a candle for peace.
Whatever the images are, they have meaning; they have value to all of us, and to each of us as individuals. As a meditative practice, we can consider what each word means, how we can manifest that value in our lives, and goals we can accomplish in order to bring about healing in our lives and in the world. As some Qadishuma try to bring these values into their lives, every day becomes an opportunity to celebrate the Universe.

Canaanite Holidays

Holidays are opportunities to celebrate the Universe in a way that brings variety to our day-to-day practices. These holidays may differ from one Qadish to another, and may differ on the exact date that they are celebrated. Indeed, there exists very little information on any ancient Canaanite holiday. Much of the information we have is pieced together from crumbling tablets and filled in with poetry of the heart. A modern cycle of holidays, the Shanat Qadish or Sacred Year, might look something like this:

• Ashuru Mathbatu: Festival of Dwellings. This celebration marks the beginning of the year and occurs during the month of the autumnal equinox. It is called the Festival of Dwellings because the ancients would construct, on the temple rooftops, temporary housing from cut branches. Within these dwellings they would place statues or symbols of the Deities. (September-October, Autumnal Equinox).16

• Ashuru Marzichu: At this time, we celebrate an annual gathering of a group, the Marzichu, dedicated to the veneration of the ancients and the Rapa’uma (deceased ancestors). The celebration features drinking rounds and a feast. (October-November, Full Moon).17

• Ashuru Aru: Festival of Light. The festival of light centers around offerings of presentations (poetry, music, dance, storytelling, etc.). At this time, we venerate Shapshu, the Sun Goddess, and thank Her for spending time in the Underworld bringing Her light to our Rapa’uma. We gently remind Her that we, the living, also need Her light, and encourage Her with our presentations. (December-January, Winter Solstice).18

• Ashuru Shamnu: Festival of Oil. The ancients, at this celebration, made a libation of the “Oil of Well-being,” and would make prayers to Ba’al for protection of the city-state. This is an excellent holiday to make anointing oils: the ancients had an oil scented with myrrh, and an oil perfumed with spices. (January-February, Seventh day after the New Moon).19

• Ashuru Gannu: Festival of the Garden. It’s time to celebrate spring! One of the ancient rites involved sitting in a garden and partaking of fish soup. Perhaps this would help encourage the growth and abundance of the garden, or perhaps it’s just an excellent time for a picnic. (March-April, Vernal Equinox).20

• Ashuru Liyatu: Festival of Garlands. It is time to celebrate the abundance of the first harvest. Almonds and figs have come into season. This is a feasting celebration. (May-June, Full Moon).21

• Ashuru Zabru: Festival of Pruning. It’s time to prune the grapevines, and by extension, sympathetic magic to prune the influences of Mot during the hot summer season. Also, we celebrate the birth of the twin Gods, Shachar and Shalim. (June-July, Summer Solstice).22

• Ashuru Ra’shu Yeni: Festival of New Wine. At the new moon, the ancients would make an offering of a bunch of grapes to El. The actual festival would begin just before the full moon and carry on for several days. This is a celebration of fun, frolic, and fertility to celebrate the successful grape harvest. (Festival of New Wine: New Moon and Full Moon).23

We do know the agricultural cycle of Canaan from this piece called the "Gezer Calendar" from 925 B.C.E. which is printed in the work of James B. Pritchard.

His two months are (olive) harvest,
His two months are planting (grain),
His two months are late planting;
His month is hoeing up of flax,
His month is harvest of barley,
His month is harvest and feasting;
His two months are vine tending,
His month is summer fruit.24

I have combined this ancient text with the monthly calendar and monthly rituals found in the work of Dennis Pardee. Most of the names of the holidays and celebrations have been lost; however, many of the names I have noted above come from the Ugaritic language, as we do have enough words from their language to formulate appropriate names.

Conclusions

The holidays, the literary themes, and the deities are just parts of what it is to be Qadish. We have just begun to dust the sand from the sacred path, the Natib Qadish. We have looked upon a path that can become a way of life, we have renewed our acquaintance with a pantheon of ancient deities; we have remembered a part of our world’s ancestral heritage. By sharing this time together, we revitalized an ancient Pagan way of life. It is made new again, by sharing information and research, and trading ideas.
There is much, much more to celebrate and share in Natib Qadish, and there are some helpful scholarly resources out there. I invite you to do some research and read the stories and legends from this rich, ancient culture. May the deities bless and guide you on whatever path you choose; and if your path is the Natib Qadish, may your sojourn be filled with peace and well-being. Shalam!

References

1. Stanislav Segert, A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language: with Selected Texts and Glossary, University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA, 1984, p. 14.
2. Adrian Curtis, Ugarit: Ras Shamra, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1985, p. 86.
3. Cyrus H. Gordon, The Ancient Near East, 3rd Ed. Revised, Norton Library, Doubleday and Company, Inc., New York, NY, 1965, p. 91.
4. Gordon, The Ancient Near East, pp. 248-249.
5. Jacob Rabinowitz, The Faces of God: Canaanite Mythology as Hebrew Theology, Spring Publications, Woodstock, CT, 1998, p. 17.
6. Curtis, Ugarit, p. 18.
7. Segert, A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language, p. 15.
8. Lowell K. Handy, Among the Host of Heaven: The Syro-Palestinian Pantheon as Bureaucracy, Eisenbrauns, Winona Lake, IN, 1994.
9. Segert, A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language, p. 185. Ugaritic consonants, Arabic vowels. These are the Ugaritic words used in their own cuneiform texts to describe these concepts. I have read the texts of Ugarit, and have noted important ethical themes that are repeated in the texts.
10. John C. L. Gibson, Canaanite Myths and Legends, T. and T. Clark Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland, 1977, p. 143. Ugaritic consonants, Arabic vowels.
11. Segert, A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language, p. 186. Ugaritic consonants, Hebraic vowels.
12. Segert, A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language, p. 197. Ugaritic consonants and vowels intact.
13. Segert, A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language, p. 183. Ugaritic consonants, Akkadian vowels.
14. Segert, A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language, p. 186. Ugaritic consonants, Syriac vowels.
15. Segert, A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language, p. 202. Ugaritic consonants and vowels intact.
16. Dennis Pardee, Ritual and Cult at Ugarit, Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, GA, 2002, pp. 56-65.
17. Pardee, Ritual and Cult at Ugarit, pp. 167-170. This details a Marzichu held by El.
18. Pardee, Ritual and Cult at Ugarit, pp. 41-53.
19. Pardee, Ritual and Cult at Ugarit, pp. 41-53.
20. Pardee, Ritual and Cult at Ugarit, pp. 53-56.
21. James B. Pritchard, Ed., The Ancient Near East: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures, Princeton University Press, NJ, 1958, p. 209.
22. Gibson, Canaanite Myths and Legends, pp. 123-127.
23. Pardee, Ritual and Cult at Ugarit, pp. 56-65.
24. Pritchard, The Ancient Near East, p. 209.

This article was published in issue #44 "Ritual and Ceremony" of PanGaia magazine. It featured inspiring artwork by Chris Beetow. Back issues are available through BBI Media Store.

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