Divinity Atlas

Sacred Correspondences
Mantras

Ablanathanalba

Gnosticism Mantras

Citation Formats

General Reference

APA Style

BibTeX

Ablanathanalba is a palindromic magical name, reading the same forwards and backwards, widely attested in the Greek Magical Papyri and inscribed on Gnostic amulets and engraved gemstones, generally glossed as meaning "thou art our Father." Its palindromic form was itself considered to add to its protective power, and it is frequently paired with other divine names such as Iao and Sabaoth in the same invocations, though it is structurally and etymologically distinct from the three-vowel IAO formula, which this atlas also covers.

Facts
Practice
Who Performs It
Trained or authorised specialists 1
Frequency
As the occasion requires 1
Solitary or Communal
Performed alone 1
Form
Type of Mantra
Palindromic magical name 1
Attributions
Tradition
Gnosticism, Hermeticism and ancient magical practice 1
Origins
Language
Koine Greek 1
Use
What It Is Used For
Protection against harm 1
Cross-Tradition Connections

Attested In

Belongs to Tradition

Originates in Language

Related To

IAO, Mantras
Sources
1. The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation, Including the Demotic Spells
Hans Dieter Betz, editor, University of Chicago Press, 1986on Ablanathanalba in the Greek Magical PapyriView the Source
The Golden Dawn
Israel Regardie, Aries Press, 1937on Gnostic and Hermetic magical namesView the Source

Take a Related Quiz

Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.

View At A Past Year

The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.