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The Six Stars of the Orient


Megalommatis

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The Six Stars of the Orient -

A Cultural and Historical Itinerary in South-Eastern Turkey

by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis

 

Published in Greek, in 1994 (DOMOS Publishing House, Athens - Greece), 240 p., the book consists in a very unusual Itinerary linking History, History of Religions, description of monuments and archeological places with personal tourist experience, as well as with transcendental contacts the author seems to have had while traveling in, studying and exploring the area of todays South-Eastern Turkey in the middle and late 80s.

 

This unusual and odd travel guide book presents six cities and/or provinces of Eastern Turkey, namely Urfa (Edessa of Osrhoene), Commagene, Amida (Diyarbakir), Mardin (Margdis), Nisibis (Nusaybin) and Thospitis (Van), at two levels, present time (middle to late 80s to be precise) and Antiquity, covering the real, daily and physical, as well as the transcendental levels of existence, of understanding and of events, in all aspects of human achievements carried out in that area, from architecture to government and from thought to faith, en passant by the activities and the works of some Grand Masters of the Intuition and the Initiation; reference is also made to part of these works that seem to have taken place under the surface of the Earth, which is presumably inhabited in its inner parts, according to the author.

 

In the Preface, the author attempts to familiarize with the area of Eastern Turkey his average Greek readers, who have been accustomed with political conflicts between Greece and Turkey for decades, and were led to a status of ignorance about their neighboring country. Yet, many Greeks have been born in Turkey and, surprisingly but truly, Turkish was for many decades the first foreign language in Greece, much more practiced than French or English. This was due to the fact that the exchange of populations between Turkey and Greece in 1925 drove to Greece more than 1.5 million Christians of Anatolia, who were all fluent in Turkish, since Turkish was the state language, the school medium and/or the mother's tongue for these people, whereas their knowledge of Greek before their arrival in Greece was questionable. The mention of similar issues may make now this book look political of content, but it has nothing to do with politics whatsoever. From the very beginning of the first chapter the average reader may realise this very easily.

 

1. Edessa of Osrhoene

 

Edessa of Osrhoene, today's Urfa in South - Eastern Turkey, is the central point of the first chapter. Already we discover there all the fundamental characteristics and the major trends of Megalommatis' itineraries. After describing monuments and archeological remains, he gives a great part of consideration and effort to present in a very vivid way several, selected moments of the Edessene past, i.e. various glorious pages of the history of Edessa of Osrhoene, as well as and the entire province of Harran.

 

The picture of the rival, Egyptian and Babylonian, armies of Nechao and Nebukadnezzar observing each other from the opposite river shores of Euphrates at Karkhemish is very strong and rich. Certainly, the greater area of Harran was the cross point par excellence between Mesopotamia, Syria, Phoenicia and Anatolia for thousands of years.! Megalommatis refers to Harran and its monuments, moving throughout History, from Abraham's crossing to the Islamic times.

 

Extremely fascinating are the details offered about the Sabians, the astrosymbolists of Sumatar. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis considers them as initiated experts in subjects related to the End of Time, and to the arrival of the Messiah. He states that they seem to have been recently dispersed in order to pursue their positively evaluated work during his lifetime. The question therefore comes to the average reader: are we living at the times of the Messiah?

 

2. Commagene

 

The second chapter concerns Commagene, and within this long presentation of the small Anatolian state that was ultimately annexed to the Roman Empire, Megalommatis dedicates a lot of pages to his philosophical, ideological, historical and esoteric approach to the raison d etre of the monumental and superb site of Nemrut Dagh, i.e. the famous and sublime "Ierothesion Koryfes" (peak sanctuary) of the Commagene kingdom.

 

A very unusual comparative approach is extensively discussed here with regard to Nemrut Dagh and Takht - e Suleyman, the presumably "rival" holy place in Persia. Out of the former emanated an iconolatrous polytheism, whereas the latter emitted an aniconic monotheism, and for this reason was always revered by the monotheistic Sassanid Iranian court as the holiest place throughout Iran. Before comparing the quintessence of both sanctuaries ideologies and the functionality of the two different systems at the social level of the average believers, Megalommatis, who had already published numerous academic contributions with respect to Mithraism, goes through a vast analysis of the historical and ideological, artistic and philosophical background of Mithraism, the system that prevailed in Commagene.

 

The historical background of the polytheistic Mithraic opposition to the monotheistic Zoroasterian orthodoxy of the Achaemenid Persian court is presented by Megalommatis in a meticulous way, and the same analytical method is used by him in making a synthesis of historical and philosophical understanding with regard to the Arsacid and the Sassanid times in Iran. All this gives already the impression of how important the Persian radiation and influence throughout the Greco-Roman world has been, since Mithraism was not only diffused among Greeks and Romans, but also became the official religion of the Roman Empire itself. Even more surprising is the way Megalommatis attempts to make of all this stuff an important component of our lives today; the end of the chapter, bringing the subject at a rather ethical philosophical level, he offers an excellent advise for anyone of us, namely to kill our inner Commagene. It is obvious that Commagene becomes like this a synonym for pessimism, deviation, devastation or negative spirit.

 

3. Amida

 

In the books third chapter Megalommatis presents Amida, the present day city of Diyarbakir, the great Kurdish capital of Turkey. Very interesting visions from Daniel's book of prophecy are to be met here, since the river Tigris is considered as the common vehicle of intuitive ideas and powerful images of the End of Time. A striking juxtaposition between Edessa and Amida leads the reader to the fundamental characteristics of the nature and to the basic aspects of the souls of these two cities. Edessa is presented as the city of the family life calmness next to the blessed waters of the lake, whereas Amida is depicted as the city of the sexual passions and pleasures in the bars and the brothels next to the virulent flow of the most aggressive river, Tigris.

 

Even more fascinating pages are dedicated to a symbolic description of the initiation the author had in the historical and esoteric mysteries of Amida, at the Mansion of the Amidian Black Lady and Diachronic Mistress. This Domus seems to be an Amidian permanent atelier of the Oriental Free Masonry, where she apparently had difficult exercises adjusted to the author. She then offered him answers to many historical questions of his

 

Diyarbakir is the correct place to speak extensively about Kurds. That is why in this chapter Megalommatis presents in a very literary way the Ancient, the Islamic and the Modern History of Kurds, adding much insightful information about the Yezidis, a Kurdish religious minority living mostly around Mosul, in Northern Iraq, and believing in a Gnosticist - Manicheist religious system that absorbed many elements from Islam, preserving however its genuine character, autonomy and Holy Book, the renowned Mashaf-e Ras, the Black Holy Book, to which Megalommatis also refers, including also a few excerpts. The vision of the Sublime Nineveh, as the ultimate capital of the Kurds, heralding the Celestial Jerusalem, closes the chapter.

 

4. Nisibis

 

The great caravan city center of Philosophy, Theology and Ideology, Nisibis Nusaybin, comes next! It is an excellent occasion for the author to offer us a deep understanding and a theoretical diagram regarding the most famous and the most controversial Gnosticist system of the Late Antiquity, i.e. Manicheism, the system set up by Mani to which so extensively Islamic historians like Tabari referred (Manawiyah).

 

This presentation takes the form of a rather imaginative discussion the author, being now depicted as a member of an old times caravan, had had with a very particular traveler, the Manichaeist Magician and philosopher Bardesan. The ideological extrapolation helps the reader to understand not only the basic concepts and the real dimensions of the system established by Mani, but also to get historical viewpoints over this philosophy and religion, as well as the theoretical refutations of Mani, as compiled by high priests and philosophers of rather Iranian Mazdeist background.

 

Of no lesser interest are the strong, vivid and colourful descriptions and images Megalommatis offers his readers; the meticulous portrait of the Manicheist Bardesan itself, including his turban, his aura and his eyes, is closer to painting than to literature. A good knowledge of the Manicheist temples frescos of Turfan (at the Central Asiatic deserts of Eastern Turkestan or Sin Kiang, actually in the North - Western Chinese province) seems to have served here as source of inspiration for Megalommatis. All this happens, as if we have been transported to past times, and more precisely in the era of the Sassanid Empire.

 

All the important monuments of Nusaybin, Mar Augen and the Tur Abdin area are referred to and described, and after this passage, Megalommatis attempts to offer to the average reader the opportunity of another transfer in time, in this case through a discussion with a Yemenite merchant, Daud Reydan, who visits us here, at Nisibis, by means of a phenomenal mirage!

 

5. Mardin

 

As a matter of fact, the fifth chapter of the book focuses on Mardin, Margdis. After a historical spectrum and an attractive narration of the architectural scenery, the old and aristocratic houses of the Mardenes, their schools, mosques and castles, Megalommatis refers to the Assyrian days of glory of that city, Marida, as well as to the Assyrian excellence in underground construction and building.

 

The most fascinating part of the chapter follows, and the author refers to an unusual experience of initiation he had in one of the Mardene mansions, from where he seems to have had access to deeply hewn underground corridors, as well as to landscapes of a hollow Earth, a notion that we meet in Jules Verne and in Umberto Eco! Megalommatis places all his experience under the auspices, the theoretical ideological coverage and emblem of Sin, the Moon symbol of the Assyrian Sargonid monotheism.

 

Symbolic bas-reliefs related to the ancient Assyrian concepts of Ishtar or Adad were reportedly met in those odd corridors as well. The author advanced further; then, after describing his thoughts about and approach to long underground corridors that lead to faraway places, being built by the monotheistic Assyrians and the polytheistic Babylonians (both acting always in the sense of outmaneuvering the adversary's work), he proceeds by narrating a great vision he had had.

 

A dark circle, containing the faces of leading Monophysitic theologians and clergy, and more particularly those of Peter the Gnafeus, Severus and Jacob the Baradaius, and a golden like, bright, circle encompassing the faces of the Nestorian vanguard, Narses, Yihiba and Barsuma, the son of Fasting, seemed to be in a terrible clash. This fighting rays vision ends with the encounter the author had with a centuries old Wise Man, who introduced himself as follows:

 

"Abdisho, Holy of Knowledge of the Great Assyrian Church of the Orient, Seal of Knowledge of Jesus, Augustus Fighter, Treasurer of the Wisdom of Nestorius and of Theodorus of Mopsuestia, High Judge of the Balance of Barsuma, Grand Master of the Drishane Class of Errants, Follower of the Preaching of the Great Grand Master Sergius Bahira, who taught the Truth to Muhammad of the Arabs, Afraat Speeches Memorizing Award, Member of the Natar Kurshia, Interpreter of Nuhara Tismshatha and Humble Soldier of Jesus and the Prophets against the Society of Evil".

 

Even more intriguing are the historical references Abdisho pointed out to the author. In a way of narrating the Monophysite Nestorian conflict that shaped all major developments within the Oriental Christianity, Abdisho seems to describe details and give explanations about all the important intellectual, ideological and cultural developments in the History of Christianity at the East: Tatianus, Bardesan, the rise of the Sassanids in Iran, and its impact on the Oriental Christianity, the ideological and religious systems of the Sassanid Iran, Afraat and his fight against Manicheism, Shapur's effort to consolidate Mazdeism and his double fight against Manicheism and Oriental Christianity, the opposition between Dabisho and Far Boht, the persecutions of the Oriental Christians by Yazdgerd II, details from the Chronicle of the Karkha of Bet Selok, the great work of Nestorius, the Bet Lapat synod, and the continuation of Nestorius' work by Barsuma. All is narrated, as if lived by a person contemporaneous of the aforementioned events and developments, who was deeply involved in all these issues. The overall scenery is narrated in very vivid and literarily great terms.

 

6. Thospitis / Van

 

The last chapter of the book covers Thospitis, Van as is called the lake city at the easternmost confines of Modern Turkey, not far from the borders with Persia and Iraq. The chapter also relates to the famous Hakkari province, which is superb in terms of natural environment, high rocky mountains, narrow passages, cold water rivers, great caverns, wild forests and, generally speaking, inhospitable frontier zone.

 

The chapter actually starts with a very strong and a most fascinating picture, a narration of Assyrian soldiers attending Assurbanipal's fight against lions in what can be an early November freezing and glacial morning in that area that the Assyrians had called Hubushkia. These are very unusual passages for what is known as Modern Greek literature; the text is full of intriguing archaic words and outbursts a very striking atmosphere. Later on, Megalommatis mentions his own personal experience and wintertime traveling adventures he had in the area; then we find references to Prophet Jeremiah's passing by that area during his trip from the Holy Land to an island at the Western confines of the world!

 

The Eighth military and cultural Campaign of Sargon of Assyria, the departure of the Assyrians and the ten tribes of Israel, and their way through that area to the Eastern, the Northern and ultimately the Western part of Europe, the Kurdish and the "Assyrian" Aramaic Nestorian presence (the Kutshanus Patriarchate), the importance of the area for the Great Powers during World War I, and their involvement in the then terrible local developments cover consequently many pages.

 

A great part of narration refers to the final expedition of Heraclius (that started from Trabzon) against Iran's Khusraw Parvez. After a very detailed location of Heraclius' points of passing, Megalommatis draws the conclusion that even the boldest attempt must leave the area of Hakkari aside; so inhospitable and dangerous it is!

 

A far-reaching personal experience of the author has been intermingled with another historical event that may have happened in this very area during the past, and more precisely in the Sassanid times. Details of the Zaradosht teachings, a balanced system that tried to pull Manicheists back to the Mazdaism and to the Sassanid Court official version of Zoroasterianism, as well as several other crucial points of the Sassanid era are given through a very fascinating interlocution the author may have had with Ulughash, an Iranian scribe of the days of Varahran II.

 

Then, we are led to Hosap, Cavustepe and other important archaeological places of the area, always with historical and modern bibliographical references. At the end, we reach Van, the Assyrian Tushpa, capital of the pre-Armenian kingdom of Urartu that consists in a great period of Anatolian History during the fist pre-Christian millennium. In this regard, the author takes a clear pro-Ottoman position and criticizes the political errors of the Armenians, who attempted to betray their country (i.e. the Ottoman Empire), and then were kicked out from their homes, since they were living in a militarily sensitive zone nearby the receding Ottoman front to the Tzarist Russian armies. In their way through Kurdish villages, thousands of Armenians have been slaughtered, but this cannot be called genocide, it is not the fault or the crime of the Ottomans, it is only the consequence of the way the Armenian populations of the Ottoman Empire became a tool at the hands of an enemy, i. e. Tzarist Russia.

 

Then comes the most beautiful part of the chapter, a conversation the author had with an Old Wise Man within a huge pearl at the bottom of the Thospitis Lake. The Wise Man initiated him in the Universalist and Pacificist Dream of Sammurammat, the famous Assyrian Queen, rather known as Semiramis within Western literatures environment thanks to Herodotus. In this part of the book, we come to meet an entire course of History of Religions, a full revelation of the Assyrian Monotheism, and a complete analysis of the Assyrian mythical symbols. The author closes the chapter with a reference to the European peoples, whom he identifies as the descendants of the Assyrians and the Ten Tribes of Israel, stating that nowadays the real Orient is in the Occident! The chapter closes with the verses:

And until the Orient returns

to the East,

whatever I liked more in Thospitis,

was Hakkari.

 

As Epilogue Megalommatis mentions details of his initiation in the Order of the Kurds Quattuor Coronati, plus terms of the Order, and the importance of the year 2005 for the Order. Maps and Vocabulary complete this great book.

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