The Coronation of the Great Shishlam
The Coronation of the Great Šišlam is a Mandaean religious text. The text is a detailed commentary on the initiation of the tarmida, with detailed discussions on masbuta and masiqta rituals. The Scroll of Exalted Kingship is also used extensively alongside the Coronation in tarmida initiation rituals. Similar esoteric texts that are traditionally used exclusively by Mandaean priests include The Thousand and Twelve Questions, and The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa.
The Scroll of Exalted Kingship is essentially a much more detailed version of the Coronation. Whereas the Coronation simply lists the sequences of prayers and rituals to be performed, the Exalted Kingship also provides symbolic explanations for each prayer and ritual that is performed.
Manuscripts and translations
In 1962, E. S. Drower published an English translation and commentary of the text, which was based on Manuscript 54 of the Drower Collection and Or. 6592, British Museum. Drower donated DC 54 to the Bodleian Library in 1961.MS RRC 1A is another manuscript of the Coronation text. The manuscript was copied at Shushtar in 1156 A.H. by Iuhana br Ram br Sam br Adam k. Malka Sabur. It has been digitized and analyzed by Matthew Morgenstern.
MS RRC 2E, a damaged manuscript, was copied at Mučarra in 1200 A.H..