Canon Status
Canonical in Mandaeism. Not recognized by any other religious tradition.
Date & Provenance
Composed in the Islamic period, with Babylonian origins.
Language & Manuscripts
Mandaic manuscripts, including D.C. 31 in the Drower Collection.
Why It Matters for Study
The primary Mandaean astrological text. Used to determine a person's baptismal name and to understand the influence of the zodiac on human life. Important for understanding Mandaean astrology and numerology.
" The zodiac has twelve signs, and each sign has its own power." — Asfar Malwāshē (paraphrase)
Read the Text & External Resources
Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.
- " The zodiac has twelve signs, and each sign has its own power." — Asfar Malwāshē (paraphrase) " The zodiac has twelve signs, and each sign has its own power." — Asfar Malwāshē (paraphrase)
External links open in a new tab. Sources are chosen for public-domain or open-access availability; always verify edition and translation when citing in academic work.
Further Reading
Drower, E. S. The Book of the Zodiac (Sfar Malwašia). Royal Asiatic Society, 1949.
Rochberg, F. " The Babylonian Origins of the Mandaean Book of the Zodiac." ARAM 11 (1999): 223–236.
Book of the Zodiac — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_the_Zodiac|Background and scholarly discussion.