Moloc
Earth Culture of Origin
Canaanites (Ammonites), Palestinians, Sumerians, Israelites, Carthaginians
Alternate Names / Spellings
Molek, Moloch means "king." Associated with the Sumerian sun god, Ba'al.
Presides Over
The sun.
Personal Symbols
Statue with bull's head
Earth Mythological References
Moloc was an entirely malevolent god. In order to renew the strength of the sun's fire, firstborn children were sacrificed in an horrific manner. An enormous bronze statue was built with a human body and the head of a bull. Sacrificial fires burned inside the belly of the statue, and child sacrifices were placed on the statues hands. These would be lifted up to the statue's open mouth through mechanical means, making the statue appear to eat the sacrifices. The children would then fall into the flames, where they would be burned to death. Revelers danced around the statue to the tune of flutes and tambourines, which helped to drown out the screams of the victims. Some sources credit Moloc as a specific form of sacrifice rather than a personified deity.
Stargate References
A secret meeting between SG-1 and Jaffa rebels was interrupted by the attack of a handful of Jaffa women. The team learned that these women and girls were intended as sacrifices to the Goa'uld Moloc. Ishta was one of Moloc's high priestesses and also chieftain of the camp of refugees. She was instrumental in saving many of the girl children who would have been sacrifices, buying them life until they came of age. Unfortunately, once a Jaffa girl reaches puberty, she will die without a symbiote to incubate. The Jaffa women warriors took to preying on other Jaffa, removing from them their larval Goa'uld in order to implant within these children. SG-1 was instrumental in helping to connect these women to the Tok'ra, who would help them survive with doses of the drug, Tritonin, as a replacement for the larval Goa'uld. (7. Birthright)
Moloc makes his presence known in an effort to quash the Jaffa rebellion. (8.
Episodes
Related Characters
Related Articles
Further Reading
- http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10443b.htm
- http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/moloch.html
- http://www.deliriumsrealm.com/delirium/mythology/moloch.asp
Actor
--DeeKayP 07:48, 12 Sep 2004 (PDT)