The Valley of the Shadow of Death (All Hail Moloch!)

Today marks my first actual experience with ancient evil. It was a stormy day, the first storm we’ve seen here. It was on Shabbat and while all the devout jews were trying not to anger their god I ventured out in search of biblical evil. After doing some reading I decided to explore what one guide book called ‘the valley of the shadow of death’.

“Encircling the foot of Mount Zion is the Hinnom Valley, called Gehenna (meaning Hell), in the Bible. Its evil associations can be traced back to Canaanite times whent he valley was sacred to the cult of Moloch, whose followers sacrificed children by burning them alive. Fires were kept aflame here specifically for that purpose. Incredible, such a religion had a strong appeal and was widely practiced throughout the region. Even the Israelites sometimes succumbed to it. The Haceldama Monastery along here, in another link with evil, is believed to stand on the Field of Blood purchased with the 30 pieces of silver given to Judas for betraying Jesus. “

Two cats were fighting in the street. A bell tolls off in the distance. A boy is carried wildly by a fearful enraged horse. The city comes to a haunting life as mosques and minarets trumpet the mellifluous chorus of prayer time. It was almost as if the city itself were moaning, the hundreds of windows becoming gaping mouths bellowing forth their foul chant into the icy air.

I did some research on Moloch and here is what I found out:

Like some other gods and demons found in the Bible, Moloch appears as part of medieval demonology, as a Prince of Hell. This Moloch finds particular pleasure in making mothers weep; for he specialises in stealing their children. According to some 16th century demonologists Moloch’s power is stronger in October.

It is likely that the motif of stealing children was inspired by the traditional understanding that babies were sacrificed to Moloch. The ancients would heat this idol up with fire until it was glowing, then they would take their newborn babies, place them on the arms of the idol, and watch them burn to death. When the flames fall upon the body, the limbs contract and the open mouth seems almost to be laughing. Thus it is this ‘grin’ that is known as ‘sardonic laughter,’ since they die laughing.

In Milton’s Paradise Lost, Moloch is one of the greatest warriors of the rebel angels, vengeful and militant,

“besmeared with blood

Of human sacrifice, and parents’ tears.”

He is listed among the chief of Satan’s angels in Book I, and is given a speech at the parliament of Hell in Book 2:43 – 105, where he argues for immediate warfare against God. He later becomes revered as a pagan god on Earth.

So with all this in mind I went to explore this most evil of places.

I found the Monastary built on the Field of Blood. There were ancient ruins so I explored deeper until I came across numerous tombs and catacombs. I crawled deep inside these catacombs using only the flash on my camera as light… and I found human remains!

A skull fragment was the first and last thing I found after crawling in about 50 feet through the old tunnels and ruins. I decided to come back with crappy clothes and a flashlight so that I could further explore the depths of this evil place. At one point while I was crawling though the fetid darkness I heard from deep within the catacomb a bristling moan. It was like the growl of an animal but it came from deep within the hole so I couldn’t tell what it really was. I tried to convince myself that it was a stray dog that got trapped deep in the hole, but I’ll be totally straight with everyone when I say that it totally scared the fucking shit out of me.

I mean, here I am crawling through pitch darkness into this horrible hole of human sacrifice and then from deep within the earth I hear a deep and terrifying growl. Fuck that shit! Regardless, I’m going back as soon as I get some more time and I plan on exploring deeper into the belly of the beast.

I discovered ruins

i was inside the chambers in the earth

i delved much deeper into the catacombs

and discovered a human skull!?

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5. “Darnell”