Al-Masʿūdī
Meadows of Gold
947 CE
translated by Jason Colavito
2026
|
NOTE |
The Arab historian and traveler Al-Masʿūdī (896-956 CE) sits among the most famous Islamic historians and is often called the “Herodotus of the Arabs.” He wrote a number of books, many lost, including volumes on geography, history, and religion and philosophy. Some were abridgments of his own longer works. His most famous volume, Kitāb Murūj al-Dhahab wa-Ma‘ādin al-Jawhar, or the Meadows of Gold, brought together a lifetime of learning into a historical encyclopedia explaining everything he knew about the world. This book included several chapters on the temples of the ancients, which bear only a passing resemblance to historical reality. The legends, however, are quite colorful, particularly the final account of the Himalayan temple containing a bottomless pit leading to the Archive of Books, containing all knowledge past, present and future. The story, which as no basis in fact, nevertheless bares more than a passing resemblance to the fantasies of Theosophy and early twentieth century weird fiction.
Below I have translated chapters 64 and 67 of the Meadows of Gold. My translation is made from the 1863 French edition of C. Barbier de Meynard and Pavet de Courteille. As I am not a speaker of Arabic, the reader must forgive me if my transliterations of the Arabic names, despite my best efforts to cross-reference with works by scholars of Arabic sources, are not fully up to current standards. |
The Meadows of Gold
CHAPTER LXIV.
ON THE RELIGIOUS EDIFICES OF THE GREEKS.
ON THE RELIGIOUS EDIFICES OF THE GREEKS.
There are three temples whose origins date back to the ancient Greeks. One was located in Antioch, in Syria, situated upon a mountain enclosed within the city’s ramparts. The Muslims subsequently constructed an observation post on this very site, from which sentinels monitor the movements of the Byzantines, both on land and at sea. This temple was held in high veneration, and sacrifices were offered there; it was destroyed upon the advent of Islam. Others claim, however, that it was demolished by Constantine the Great, the son of Helena, that queen who was instrumental in propagating Christianity. It was filled with statues and images fashioned from gold, silver, and precious stones. Still others maintain that it was a vast edifice extending to the left of the Great Mosque of Antioch. The Sabaeans attribute its foundation to Saklabius (Aesclepius). As of the current year—332 of the Hijra (943 CE)—this site is known as the "Bazaar of the Merchants of Lances and Coats of Mail." Thabit ibn Qurra, son of Qurra, son of Karana the Sabaean, and a native of Harran, having traveled to the court of al-Mu'tadid Billah in the year 289 (863 CE) to petition for the eunuch Waṣif, came to visit this temple with the utmost reverence and provided the details just recounted.
The second temple of Greek antiquity was one of the pyramids of Egypt; these are visible from Fustat, from which they lie distant by only a few miles.
The third, according to popular opinion, was the Temple of Jerusalem, which, according to canonical scholars, was begun by David and completed by Solomon after his father’s death. The Magi trace its origins back to Dahhak; they assert that this temple will later become the scene of grave events, and that a powerful king will inhabit it at the time when (Bahram) Chōbīn makes his reappearance, mounted upon a cow of peculiar form and surrounded by a number of men. The endless tales and fabrications to which this prediction has given rise among the Magi do not merit inclusion in our book. God is a sure guide.
The second temple of Greek antiquity was one of the pyramids of Egypt; these are visible from Fustat, from which they lie distant by only a few miles.
The third, according to popular opinion, was the Temple of Jerusalem, which, according to canonical scholars, was begun by David and completed by Solomon after his father’s death. The Magi trace its origins back to Dahhak; they assert that this temple will later become the scene of grave events, and that a powerful king will inhabit it at the time when (Bahram) Chōbīn makes his reappearance, mounted upon a cow of peculiar form and surrounded by a number of men. The endless tales and fabrications to which this prediction has given rise among the Magi do not merit inclusion in our book. God is a sure guide.
CHAPTER LXV.
ON RELIGIOUS EDIFICES AMONG THE ANCIENT ROMANS.
ON RELIGIOUS EDIFICES AMONG THE ANCIENT ROMANS.
Among the edifices held in veneration by the early Romans prior to the advent of Christianity, mention is made, within the Maghreb, of the Temple of Carthage (present-day Tunis), situated beyond Kairouan, in a region that at the time belonged to the Franks. This monument, constructed of marble of various colors, was consecrated to Venus. A second temple, located in the land of the Franks, was likewise held in high veneration by that people. A third could be seen in Macedonia; the beauty of this monument, as well as its history, are matters of well-known record. Moreover, we have already discussed it in our previous works, wherein further details regarding several other temples may also be found.
CHAPTER LXVI.
ON RELIGIOUS EDIFICES AMONG THE SLAVS.
ON RELIGIOUS EDIFICES AMONG THE SLAVS.
Among the Slavs, there were several sacred monuments. One of these was built upon one of the highest mountains on earth, or so the philosophers claimed. Its architecture was highly praised, as were the skillful arrangement and varied colors of the stones employed in its construction; the ingenious mechanisms placed upon the edifice’s pinnacle, designed to be set in motion by the rising sun; and the precious stones and works of art preserved within, objects said to foretell the future and warn against the calamities of fate before they came to pass. Finally, mention is made of the voices (oracles) that could be heard issuing from the heights of the temple, and the profound effect they produced upon those in attendance.
Another temple had been constructed by one of their kings upon the Black Mountain; it was surrounded by wondrous springs, the waters of which differed in color and taste and possessed all manner of beneficial properties. The deity worshipped in this temple was a colossal statue depicting an old man holding a staff, with which he summoned skeletons forth from their tombs. Beneath his right foot, one could discern various types of ants; beneath his left, birds with black plumage, such as crows and similar fowl, as well as men of strange appearance belonging to the races of the Abyssinians and the Zendjes.
A third temple rose upon a promontory encircled by an arm of the sea; it was constructed from blocks of red coral and green emerald. In the center stood a towering dome, beneath which had been placed an idol whose limbs were formed of four precious stones—beryl, red ruby, yellow agate, and rock crystal—while its head was of pure gold. Another statue, positioned opposite it, depicted a young maiden offering it sacrifices and incense. The Slavs attributed the origin of this temple to one of their sages who lived in a distant era. We have recounted his history and adventures within the land of the Slavs, including the enchantments, stratagems, and mechanical devices of his invention, by means of which he knew how to captivate the heart, and to master and dominate the spirit of that people, despite their wild and fickle nature. For these details, please refer to our previous works.
Another temple had been constructed by one of their kings upon the Black Mountain; it was surrounded by wondrous springs, the waters of which differed in color and taste and possessed all manner of beneficial properties. The deity worshipped in this temple was a colossal statue depicting an old man holding a staff, with which he summoned skeletons forth from their tombs. Beneath his right foot, one could discern various types of ants; beneath his left, birds with black plumage, such as crows and similar fowl, as well as men of strange appearance belonging to the races of the Abyssinians and the Zendjes.
A third temple rose upon a promontory encircled by an arm of the sea; it was constructed from blocks of red coral and green emerald. In the center stood a towering dome, beneath which had been placed an idol whose limbs were formed of four precious stones—beryl, red ruby, yellow agate, and rock crystal—while its head was of pure gold. Another statue, positioned opposite it, depicted a young maiden offering it sacrifices and incense. The Slavs attributed the origin of this temple to one of their sages who lived in a distant era. We have recounted his history and adventures within the land of the Slavs, including the enchantments, stratagems, and mechanical devices of his invention, by means of which he knew how to captivate the heart, and to master and dominate the spirit of that people, despite their wild and fickle nature. For these details, please refer to our previous works.
CHAPTER LXVII.
SACRED EDIFICES AND RELIGIOUS MONUMENTS AMONG THE SABAEANS AND OTHER SECTS;
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE SUBJECT ADDRESSED IN THIS CHAPTER.
SACRED EDIFICES AND RELIGIOUS MONUMENTS AMONG THE SABAEANS AND OTHER SECTS;
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE SUBJECT ADDRESSED IN THIS CHAPTER.
Among the Sabaeans of Harran, there were temples consecrated to intellectual substances and to the heavenly bodies, including, among others, the Temple of the First Cause and the Temple of Reason. I do not know whether, by these names, they were referring to the First Reason or the Second Reason. Aristotle, in the third book of his Treatise on the Soul, distinguishes the First (or Active) Reason from the Second Reason. Themistius also discussed this in his commentary on Aristotle’s Treatise on the Soul. Finally, the analysis of the First Reason and the Second Reason is the subject of a specialized treatise composed by Alexander of Aphrodisias and translated by Ishaq ibn Hunayn.
Among the Sabaeans, there were also the Temple of the Moon, the Temple of the Mother, and the Temple of the Soul; these three edifices were circular in form. The Temple of Saturn described a hexagon; the Temple of Jupiter, a triangle; the Temple of Mars, an oblong rectangle; that of the Sun, a square; that of Mercury, a triangle; and that of Venus, a triangle inscribed within an oblong rectangle; the Temple of the Moon was octagonal. These various forms were linked to allegories and mysteries that the Sabaeans never divulged.
A Melkite Christian from Harran named Ibn al-Sharti ibn Sonbat provided information regarding the Sabaeans of Harran, the victims they offered in sacrifice, the incense they burned in honor of the stars, and other details that we shall pass over in silence to avoid prolixity.
Of all the religious edifices erected by them, only the temple known as Maghliya remains standing today in the year 331 of the Hijra (942 CE). It is situated within the city of Harran, near the Gate of Raqqa; the adherents of this sect refer to it as the Temple of Azar, the father of Abraham, the Friend of God, and they recount lengthy legends concerning Azar and his son Abraham, which would be out of place here. The Qadi Abu al-Hasan of Harran, an intelligent and learned man who died sometime after the year 300, composed a long Qasida (ode) detailing the beliefs of the Harranians, commonly referred to as Sabians. Speaking of this temple and its four subterranean chambers, within which stood idols fashioned in the likeness of created beings and celestial deities, this poet reveals to us the mysteries surrounding these idols. He relates that the Sabians would lead their young children down into these subterranean vaults and bring them face-to-face with the idols. A sudden pallor, followed by a flush of terror, would spread across the children’s features as they heard the strange sounds and unintelligible words that seemed to emanate from the idols themselves, an illusion achieved through secret mechanisms and conduits installed for that very purpose. Priests, concealed behind the wall, would utter various pronouncements; the sound of their voices, transmitted via tubes and an intricate apparatus of reeds and pipes terminating within the hollow interiors of these anthropomorphic statues, appeared to issue directly from the lifeless idols. Through this stratagem—a device borrowed from antiquity—they beguiled the intellect, secured the obedience of their devotees, and held sway over both king and commoner alike. The sect known as the Harranians and Sabians counts philosophers among its ranks; however, they are eclectics, the vast majority of whom are far removed from the doctrine of the sages. In designating them as philosophers, we have regard not for the doctrine of which Greece was the cradle, but rather for their shared origin; yet not all Greeks are philosophers, and this title truly befits only their sages.
In Harran, on the doorframe of the temple belonging to the Sabians, I saw an inscription in Syriac characters; it is drawn from Plato and was explained to me by Malik, son of Okboun, and other members of the same sect. It read: “He who knows God, fears Him.” It was Plato, too, who said: “Man is a celestial plant. Indeed, man resembles an inverted tree, whose root is turned toward the heavens and whose branches plunge into the earth” (Timaeus 90a).
The nature of the rational soul—specifically the question of whether it is confined within the body, or whether, conversely, the body is contained within the soul (much as light is within a house, or a house within the light)—is a subject that Plato and his school have treated with profound depth. This subject leads us to address another problem: that of the transmigration of souls. The philosophers who have studied this topic are divided into two schools. To the first belong the ancient philosophers of Greece and India, who reject the authority of any revealed scripture and of any prophet. Such are Plato and his disciples; it is said that these philosophers regarded the soul as an immaterial, living substance, one that knows and discerns by virtue of its own essence. The soul, they maintained, governs bodies composed of terrestrial and heterogeneous elements; its role is to direct them with justice and to guide them toward that state of perfection which results from wise governance and a well-established order, achieved by bringing the disordered movements of the body into perfect harmony. According to them, the soul experiences pleasure, suffers, and “dies,” that is to say, it passes from one body into another, by virtue of a regular, governing law, and following the dissolution of the corruptible body it previously inhabited. Thus, when it is said that the soul “dies,” what is meant is the decomposition of its terrestrial casing and the transmigration of the immaterial principle. They maintain that the soul possesses knowledge inherently, through its own proper substance, and that, by virtue of this substance, it apprehends the Ideas. They also acknowledge that sensible objects are revealed to us through sensation. The elaborations Plato provided for these theories would lead us too far afield, even if their profundity and obscurity did not, in themselves, render such an undertaking impossible. The same holds true for the systems of Aristotle, Pythagoras, and various other philosophers, both ancient and modern. For anyone wishing to master such questions and to truly comprehend them and plumb their depths would find it impossible to do so, owing to the elementary treatises and specialized works these philosophers composed regarding the ancillary sciences required to prepare one for an understanding of their systems and the ultimate objectives they set forth in their writings. Such is the demonstration of the five definitions, namely: genus, species, difference, properties, and accident; followed by the demonstration of the ten categories, specifically: substance, quantity, modality, and relation (or connection). These first four constitute the simple elements; the remaining six are complex, namely: time, place, habit (or acquired quality), posture, action, and passion. From this point, the disciple proceeds to the study of truths of a higher order, arriving gradually at a knowledge of metaphysics, that is, the study of the First Cause and the secondary causes.
But let us return to the cult of the Sabians of Harran and to the authors who have expounded their beliefs and scrutinized their mysteries. Among works of this genre, I have seen a book by Abu Bakr Muhammad, son of Zakariya al-Razi, the philosopher and author of the Kitab al-Mansuri on medicine, among other writings. In the book in question, Razi deals exclusively with the Sabians of Harran and makes no mention of dissident sects, such as that of the Kimarians. The details into which he delves would lead us too far afield and would likely offend a great number of readers. Furthermore, to dwell upon them would be to stray from the main subject of this book, diverting us instead into a study of beliefs and religions. I have consulted Malik, son of Okboun, and several of his co-religionists regarding the matters mentioned herein, or discussed elsewhere. Several of them acknowledged the veracity of certain details, such as those concerning sacrifices, while rejecting the remainder; this included the ceremony of the black bull, which was sprinkled with salt, blindfolded, and then slaughtered so that its limbs might be examined and scrutinized, through their contractions and tremors, for signs of the future events of the coming year. They reject this practice, as well as other mysterious ceremonies associated with their sacrifices.
According to the accounts of several scholars curious to understand this world and to study its history, there stands, on the borders of China, a circular temple surrounded by seven gates and surmounted by a heptagonal dome, a structure remarkable for its scale and elevation. At the very apex of the dome is set a gemstone of sorts, larger than a calf’s head, the brilliance of which illuminates the entire vicinity of the temple. Several kings have attempted, without success, to seize this stone; anyone who approaches within a distance of ten cubits falls down stone dead. If one employs lances or other instruments of similar length, upon reaching that same distance, they turn back upon themselves and fall inert to the ground; projectiles hurled against the stone meet with the same fate. In short, no stratagem of whatever nature can succeed, and anyone who seeks to demolish the temple pays for their audacity with a sudden death. According to certain scholars, this phenomenon is caused by the use of magnetic stones endowed with repulsive properties. The same temple houses a well with a heptagonal opening; anyone imprudent enough to lean too far over its rim is dragged in and plunges headfirst to the very bottom. The well is encircled by a sort of collar bearing an ancient inscription, which I believe to be in Musnad (Ancient South Arabian) characters, that reads: “This well leads to the Archives of Books, wherein are found the chronology of the world, the knowledge of the heavens, the history of the past, and the record of the future. This well leads to the repository of all the treasures of the earth. But the man who seeks to enter therein and draw from its treasures must equal us in power, in knowledge, and in wisdom. Let him who succeeds in reaching the goal know that he is our equal; let him whose attempts fail know that our power is superior to his, our wisdom greater, our knowledge more extensive, our sagacity deeper, and our vigilance more complete.” The temple, along with its dome and the well, rests upon a massive block of flint, steep as a mountain; it is equally impossible to topple it or to excavate within it. The moment one catches sight of the temple, the dome, and the well, one is seized by a sense of dread and sorrow; yet, at the same time, one feels a strange attraction toward this edifice and a fear that it might be damaged or defiled.
Among the Sabaeans, there were also the Temple of the Moon, the Temple of the Mother, and the Temple of the Soul; these three edifices were circular in form. The Temple of Saturn described a hexagon; the Temple of Jupiter, a triangle; the Temple of Mars, an oblong rectangle; that of the Sun, a square; that of Mercury, a triangle; and that of Venus, a triangle inscribed within an oblong rectangle; the Temple of the Moon was octagonal. These various forms were linked to allegories and mysteries that the Sabaeans never divulged.
A Melkite Christian from Harran named Ibn al-Sharti ibn Sonbat provided information regarding the Sabaeans of Harran, the victims they offered in sacrifice, the incense they burned in honor of the stars, and other details that we shall pass over in silence to avoid prolixity.
Of all the religious edifices erected by them, only the temple known as Maghliya remains standing today in the year 331 of the Hijra (942 CE). It is situated within the city of Harran, near the Gate of Raqqa; the adherents of this sect refer to it as the Temple of Azar, the father of Abraham, the Friend of God, and they recount lengthy legends concerning Azar and his son Abraham, which would be out of place here. The Qadi Abu al-Hasan of Harran, an intelligent and learned man who died sometime after the year 300, composed a long Qasida (ode) detailing the beliefs of the Harranians, commonly referred to as Sabians. Speaking of this temple and its four subterranean chambers, within which stood idols fashioned in the likeness of created beings and celestial deities, this poet reveals to us the mysteries surrounding these idols. He relates that the Sabians would lead their young children down into these subterranean vaults and bring them face-to-face with the idols. A sudden pallor, followed by a flush of terror, would spread across the children’s features as they heard the strange sounds and unintelligible words that seemed to emanate from the idols themselves, an illusion achieved through secret mechanisms and conduits installed for that very purpose. Priests, concealed behind the wall, would utter various pronouncements; the sound of their voices, transmitted via tubes and an intricate apparatus of reeds and pipes terminating within the hollow interiors of these anthropomorphic statues, appeared to issue directly from the lifeless idols. Through this stratagem—a device borrowed from antiquity—they beguiled the intellect, secured the obedience of their devotees, and held sway over both king and commoner alike. The sect known as the Harranians and Sabians counts philosophers among its ranks; however, they are eclectics, the vast majority of whom are far removed from the doctrine of the sages. In designating them as philosophers, we have regard not for the doctrine of which Greece was the cradle, but rather for their shared origin; yet not all Greeks are philosophers, and this title truly befits only their sages.
In Harran, on the doorframe of the temple belonging to the Sabians, I saw an inscription in Syriac characters; it is drawn from Plato and was explained to me by Malik, son of Okboun, and other members of the same sect. It read: “He who knows God, fears Him.” It was Plato, too, who said: “Man is a celestial plant. Indeed, man resembles an inverted tree, whose root is turned toward the heavens and whose branches plunge into the earth” (Timaeus 90a).
The nature of the rational soul—specifically the question of whether it is confined within the body, or whether, conversely, the body is contained within the soul (much as light is within a house, or a house within the light)—is a subject that Plato and his school have treated with profound depth. This subject leads us to address another problem: that of the transmigration of souls. The philosophers who have studied this topic are divided into two schools. To the first belong the ancient philosophers of Greece and India, who reject the authority of any revealed scripture and of any prophet. Such are Plato and his disciples; it is said that these philosophers regarded the soul as an immaterial, living substance, one that knows and discerns by virtue of its own essence. The soul, they maintained, governs bodies composed of terrestrial and heterogeneous elements; its role is to direct them with justice and to guide them toward that state of perfection which results from wise governance and a well-established order, achieved by bringing the disordered movements of the body into perfect harmony. According to them, the soul experiences pleasure, suffers, and “dies,” that is to say, it passes from one body into another, by virtue of a regular, governing law, and following the dissolution of the corruptible body it previously inhabited. Thus, when it is said that the soul “dies,” what is meant is the decomposition of its terrestrial casing and the transmigration of the immaterial principle. They maintain that the soul possesses knowledge inherently, through its own proper substance, and that, by virtue of this substance, it apprehends the Ideas. They also acknowledge that sensible objects are revealed to us through sensation. The elaborations Plato provided for these theories would lead us too far afield, even if their profundity and obscurity did not, in themselves, render such an undertaking impossible. The same holds true for the systems of Aristotle, Pythagoras, and various other philosophers, both ancient and modern. For anyone wishing to master such questions and to truly comprehend them and plumb their depths would find it impossible to do so, owing to the elementary treatises and specialized works these philosophers composed regarding the ancillary sciences required to prepare one for an understanding of their systems and the ultimate objectives they set forth in their writings. Such is the demonstration of the five definitions, namely: genus, species, difference, properties, and accident; followed by the demonstration of the ten categories, specifically: substance, quantity, modality, and relation (or connection). These first four constitute the simple elements; the remaining six are complex, namely: time, place, habit (or acquired quality), posture, action, and passion. From this point, the disciple proceeds to the study of truths of a higher order, arriving gradually at a knowledge of metaphysics, that is, the study of the First Cause and the secondary causes.
But let us return to the cult of the Sabians of Harran and to the authors who have expounded their beliefs and scrutinized their mysteries. Among works of this genre, I have seen a book by Abu Bakr Muhammad, son of Zakariya al-Razi, the philosopher and author of the Kitab al-Mansuri on medicine, among other writings. In the book in question, Razi deals exclusively with the Sabians of Harran and makes no mention of dissident sects, such as that of the Kimarians. The details into which he delves would lead us too far afield and would likely offend a great number of readers. Furthermore, to dwell upon them would be to stray from the main subject of this book, diverting us instead into a study of beliefs and religions. I have consulted Malik, son of Okboun, and several of his co-religionists regarding the matters mentioned herein, or discussed elsewhere. Several of them acknowledged the veracity of certain details, such as those concerning sacrifices, while rejecting the remainder; this included the ceremony of the black bull, which was sprinkled with salt, blindfolded, and then slaughtered so that its limbs might be examined and scrutinized, through their contractions and tremors, for signs of the future events of the coming year. They reject this practice, as well as other mysterious ceremonies associated with their sacrifices.
According to the accounts of several scholars curious to understand this world and to study its history, there stands, on the borders of China, a circular temple surrounded by seven gates and surmounted by a heptagonal dome, a structure remarkable for its scale and elevation. At the very apex of the dome is set a gemstone of sorts, larger than a calf’s head, the brilliance of which illuminates the entire vicinity of the temple. Several kings have attempted, without success, to seize this stone; anyone who approaches within a distance of ten cubits falls down stone dead. If one employs lances or other instruments of similar length, upon reaching that same distance, they turn back upon themselves and fall inert to the ground; projectiles hurled against the stone meet with the same fate. In short, no stratagem of whatever nature can succeed, and anyone who seeks to demolish the temple pays for their audacity with a sudden death. According to certain scholars, this phenomenon is caused by the use of magnetic stones endowed with repulsive properties. The same temple houses a well with a heptagonal opening; anyone imprudent enough to lean too far over its rim is dragged in and plunges headfirst to the very bottom. The well is encircled by a sort of collar bearing an ancient inscription, which I believe to be in Musnad (Ancient South Arabian) characters, that reads: “This well leads to the Archives of Books, wherein are found the chronology of the world, the knowledge of the heavens, the history of the past, and the record of the future. This well leads to the repository of all the treasures of the earth. But the man who seeks to enter therein and draw from its treasures must equal us in power, in knowledge, and in wisdom. Let him who succeeds in reaching the goal know that he is our equal; let him whose attempts fail know that our power is superior to his, our wisdom greater, our knowledge more extensive, our sagacity deeper, and our vigilance more complete.” The temple, along with its dome and the well, rests upon a massive block of flint, steep as a mountain; it is equally impossible to topple it or to excavate within it. The moment one catches sight of the temple, the dome, and the well, one is seized by a sense of dread and sorrow; yet, at the same time, one feels a strange attraction toward this edifice and a fear that it might be damaged or defiled.
Source: Maçoudi, Les Prairies d’Or, vol. 4, ed. and trans. C. Barbier de Meynard and Pavet de Courteille (Paris: L’Imprimerie Impériale, 1864).
