| Dagon's Kudurru | |
|---|---|
|
Origin |
Dagon |
|
Type |
Boundary Stone |
|
Effects |
Regional prosperity |
|
Downsides |
Aquatic adaptation |
|
Activation |
Replacement of authority / leader |
|
Collected by |
Warehouse 11 |
|
Section |
|
|
Aisle |
Baku-1280 |
|
Date of Collection |
June 30, 1806 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
Dagon was a god worshipped in ancient Syria across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attestations of his cult come from cities such as Mari and Emar as well. In settlements situated in the upper Euphrates area, he was regarded as the "father of gods" similar to Mesopotamian Enlil or Hurrian Kumarbi, as well as a lord of the land, a god of prosperity, and a source of royal legitimacy. A large number of theophoric names, both masculine and feminine, attests that he was a popular deity. He was also worshiped further east, in Mesopotamia, where many rulers regarded him as the god capable of granting them kingship over the western areas.
In the Hebrew Bible, Dagon is referenced three times as the head god of the Philistines; however, there are no references to Dagon as a Canaanite god. The account in 1 Samuel 5.2–7 relates how the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines and taken to Dagon's temple in Ashdod. The following morning the Ashdodites found the image of Dagon lying prostrate before the ark. They set the image upright, but again on the morning of the following day they found it prostrate before the ark, but this time with head and hands severed, lying on the miptān translated as "threshold" or "podium".
A kudurru was a type of stone document used as a boundary stone and as a record of land grants to vassals by the Kassites and later dynasties in ancient Babylonia between the 16th and 7th centuries BC. The original kudurru would typically be stored in a temple while the person granted the land would be given a clay copy to use to confirm legal ownership.
Interpretation[]
The "fish" etymology, while late and incorrect, was accepted in 19th and early 20th century scholarship. Dagon has appeared in many works of popular culture. However, most depend on the biblical account and associated fish god speculation rather than on primary sources and modern research.
"The Shadow over Innsmouth" is a horror novella by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in November–December 1931. It forms part of the Cthulhu Mythos, using its motif of a malign undersea civilization, and references several shared elements of the Mythos, including place-names, mythical creatures, and invocations. It featured the Deep Ones as a race of intelligent ocean-dwelling creatures, approximately human-shaped but with a fishy appearance. Dagon was a cult worshipped figure that acted as intermediary between higher gods and the adherents.
Effects[]
Grants localized prosperity to a region, usually in the form of material production (wheat fields, factory output, etc). Activates by placing in a center of power and the act of overthrowing / replacement of an authority figure.
Previously, it appeared to have some other effects relating to the elevation of figures to power via oath or ceremony. By unknown means, the context of the downside has shifted with the association to aquatic anatomy in recent centuries as the context of worship became lost. It appears to turn the user into a fishlike being, granting them underwater breathing via gills, scaly fins and related adaptations. Returning to land proves difficult as a literal fish out of water unless they enact their own change of the guard for any local power.