Identity of Ark Apparitions Revealed!

[ProfessorChaos]

Warning! This post contains spoilers for Raiders of the Lost Ark. If you haven't seen the movie already, you may not want to ready any further.
(End of Spoiler Warning...)
Ever since I first saw Raiders of the Lost Ark as a kid, I always wondered what the apparitions that came out of the Ark were meant to be. Recently, I've done some research and discovered their precise idenity. Here we go...
(Cue the Indy Theme!)
My first stop was the official Indiana Jones Wiki, and the entry for the Ark:
http://indianajones.wikia.com/wiki/Ark_of_the_Covenant
There, I discovered this revealing statement: "Ghostly apparitions emerged from within and swarmed playfully about the Nazis before adopting a more sinister tone; the spirits transformed their appearances from angelic beings into monstrous demons. Lightning burst through the soldiers and their souls were taken to be judged. Indy and Marion Ravenwood, who closed their eyes and looked away from the Ark, were spared from God's anger."
So, the big clues here were that these "Ghosts" are actually "Angelic Beings" that can turn into "Monstrous Demons". Next, I thought I would check out what the original screenplays and scripts had to say about this sequence, which led me to two extremely informative pages that you can find here:
http://www.scriptologist.com/Magazine/Film_Analysis/Raiders/raiders.html
and here:
http://www.scriptologist.com/Store/Screenplay_Coverage_Services/Sample_Coverage/sample_coverage.html
Originally, they wanted to have "The Angel of Death" emerge from the Ark and kill Belloq and the Nazis with "fire and bolts of lightning". So, in the end it seems that the angel which killed Belloq was supposed to be the Angel of Death. Hence the reason why it's beautiful face turned dark and skeletal. But that didn't say anything about the other angels that were flying around. Next I did a little bit of religious detective work, which revealed everything at last!
The main attributes of these angels consists of the following, that we know:
1. They are representative of God's Wrath
2. Their powers are related to fire as well as lightning
3. They are as demonic as they are angelic
In Biblical tradition the angels known as the Seraphim are described like this:
"Seraph literally means "burning ones" in the Hebrew (Sarap, 'to burn'). A word of the same spelling is used of snakes (e.g. Isaiah 30v6), misleading some to think them serpent-guardians. The word 'seraphim' Isaiah uses has no definite article; it is a description not a title. Note also how their ministry to Isaiah involves 'burning'."
This came from standard Wikipedia's entry for "Seraph", and was probably the most telling piece of evidence I found. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, those who stood closest to the Ark were burned, in Belloq's case even to the point of exploding. Plus, the angels sort of turned into a whirlwind of fire, which then sucked everything up into the sky with the Ark before hurling the Ark back down again and slamming it's lid shut. So, these angels literally could have been called the "burning ones" in the literal sense of the world. Also, Seraphs are said to be the angels closest to the throne of Jehovah / God, so what better angels to send to dish out God's wrath than those closest to God?
Plus, let's think about the serpent-guadians reference. Isn't it ironic that the Ark was put into the Well of Souls, where it was literally guarded by snakes? Perhaps the Egyptians knew about the Seraphim and intended this to be a warning to the learned about the true power of the Ark and what it contains.
Just as people were misled into believing the Seraphim were serpent-beings, perhaps those who stumbled upon the Well of Souls could be misled into thinking the snakes were the Ark's only guardians, when the true guardians of the Ark lay within the relic itself. A bit philosophical, but it does fit the facts.
Lastly, to the ancient Hebrew, all angels could be both angelic and demonic, capable of both blessing and punishing (and punishing in truly terrible ways).

Now, for the final piece of the puzzle: the name of the Angel of Death. Yes, it turns out this angel has a proper name. That name is "Azrael". You can read more about Azrael on this very interesting standard Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azrael
Azrael's name comes from Arabic and Hebrew, where "el" is used as a kind of last name for all angels, to indicate they are children of "El", which is an old Canaanite name for God. So here we have "Azra, child of El". So, we can now say with certainty that Belloq was killed by Azrael. And, finally, my quest for the answer to the question of what those beings in the Ark were is complete.
And they say the Indiana Jones films as just action and not that deep? Ha! I guess this proves that there is a great deal of hidden depth to these movies.

You know... you have to admire a movie about archeology that is done *so* exciting that it prompts you to do some real-life research. That's one reason why Raiders of the Lost Ark will always be one of the best movies of it's kind ever made, if not *the* best. It isn't just a lot of action... it's also inspiring!

 

[Dr Bones]

Good theory....but as any good university lecturer will inform you...Wikipedia can be a source of dubious information which may not be fact. Hence some will deliver an instant fail for referencing it in assignments.

That said, this sounds plausible, yet probably in reality the aparitions in the film may not have been as researched as you think...i.e. George..."um we'll just stick some spooky looking ghost things in there".

 

[ProfessorChaos]

I Couldn't Agree More...

Oh, I'm certain they never intended it to go that deep, knowing how movies are made! What is interesting, though, is the depth that wasn't intended but which was nonetheless conveyed (at least to those looking for it). Often, some of the most sublime moments in movies are created without meaning to.

A huge example of implied but not intended depth can be seen in the Matrix trilogy, which has literally hundreds of different interpretations of symbols, events, and characters. The most publicized being "Neo as Christ returned".

I'm aware of the shortcomings with Wikipedia. Actually, I own a rather huge assortment of books on History, Archeology, Mythology, and Religion. More than a few are encyclopedias of angels, demons, and gods. So, I did make certain to cross-check my info with those *quality* sources before posting what I learned. The trouble is, it is easier to quote Wikipedia as a source to the youth of today... than it is to quote real books... since so many kids are often more familiar with online sources than those good old fashioned offline sources. Just between you, me, the lamp-post, and Indiana the dog!

 

[ProfessorChaos]

It is confirmed. The angel that killed Belloq at the end of "Raiders" was very much intended by Lucas and Speilburg to *be* the Angel of Death. Here is a web site all about both it and how they created the special effects for it:

http://www.propstore.com/ghost.htm

So, indeed, that is Azrael, just as I had deduced from my own research into the matter. Comparing how they designed that in Raiders to this painting of the Angel of Death, one can see that they succeeded in capturing it perfect:
(Notice the fiery whirlwind in the painting as the souls are being taken up by Azrael to be judged by God! It is just like the fiery whirlwind in Raiders, too.)

This one shows the Angel of Death piping while souls of the damned are all gathered up by a flaming whirwind, which in this painting represents Hell:

Here is a statue of the Angel of Death, which is a lot like the part where the angel got up in Belloq's face and looked beautiful, before turning demonic:

 

[Finn]

Speilburg

Just a random note, but what's with so many people misspelling the man's name. It's Spielberg.

 

[WillKill4Food]

An easy way to remember the spelling/pronunciation of German words (such as Spielburg, which means literally Play-Mount) is as follows:

The first vowel in a vowel pair is silent; the second is dominant.

To wit:
Spielburg is pronounced Speelburg.
Speilburg would be pronounced something like Spylburg.
Schieße ("to shoot")is pronounced Sheeza.
Schieße ("to sh!t")is pronounced Shyza.

Obviously, this is an important rule to know when speaking/writing German. For instance, last year when we had German exchange students at our high school, we made a sign for the soccer players of our class.
The guy who wrote out the words of the sign wasn't the brightest guy. He was supposed to write "Good luck! Shoot many goals!"
He couldn't understand why that all of the exchange students burst into laughter at a minor spelling error in the word "shoot."



Anyway, back on topic, since we are going beyond Lucas's interpretation/intention in the films, shouldn't it be noted that these angels can't really be Seraphim because they don't have six wings? I mean, sure the angels on the Ark don't look like traditional Cherubim, but still it should be noted that the angels coming from the Ark don't look like actual Seraphim. The following images should help (although I'm sure you, ProfessorChaos, are knowledgeable and could understand what I'm saying unguided by images, many who will read this would not).

Angels on the Ark in RotLA

Depictions of a Cherub, based on the Traditional, Biblical Definition

Depiction of a Putto (commonly mistaken for, but NOT a Cherub)

Depiction of a Seraph, based on the Traditional, Biblical Definition

 

[WillKill4Food]

Schieße ("to sh!t")is pronounced Shyza.

Sorry, that should be:
Scheiße ("to sh!t") is pronounced Shyza.

 

[Finn]

Spielburg

I wonder if the irony here is intentional.

Play-Mount

Berg is a "hill" or a "mount". Burg is a "castle".

 

[WillKill4Food]

Wow.
Now I feel dumb.
Yeah, I just didn't realize my typo.
Can I excuse myself by saying it's been a while since we covered that in German?
Sorry, Finn.

But the way to remember is still valid!
[Tries to keep his entire post from being discounted by his mistake... ]

 

[Moedred]

Still wondering about her identity...

 

[ProfessorChaos]

Thanks for correcting me about Spielberg not being Spielburg. I must have been thinking towards the German, there, without realizing it. Anyway, back on topic regarding the angels and their status as such in Raiders continuity...

Actually, we both are and are not going beyond the films here. Where we are not, is in recognizing the angels as a manifestation of the Angel of Death. They are named this in the later revisions of the Raiders script, so that is in full accord with what was intended to be considered by the audiance when watching the movie. In one of my previous posts under this topic, I placed links to these revised scripts. Also, the prop is called "Angel of Death from the Ark of the Covenant" as was noted in one of my more recent links. So, to say this is what we are talking about is not beyond the scope of the movie, and so not beyond Lucas and Spielberg's vision. However, where we do go beyond it is in discussing the angel's nature (Cherubim, Seraphim?) as well as her name. She was just intended to be the Angel of Death, non-specific.

But, in real-life myths and legends, the Angel of Death has a rich tradition and history that reveals just how much her depiction in Raiders matches her depictions over the long, long, centuries since mankind first became aware of beings such as angels. The casual movie-goer, like the movie-maker, is not really delving into the philosophical aspects of things, but they are still there.

And, being the philosophical type, I've noted that in Islamic/Arabic myth and legend, the Angel of Death is named Azrael, which here in the Western World is the most widely recognized name for this angel. However, her status in the angelic hierarchy is hard to discern. As noted, she can't be a Cherubim or a Seraphim, yet she has both their attributes (air and fire) but no wings. But...

In Islamic/Arabic tradition, there is a third class of angel: the Djinn. A Djinn is a fallen Cherubim or Seraphim that is bound to an object and forced to serve whomever possesses the object. Also, regarding Azrael, the legends say that he/she was the first angel to die as mortals do. Upon Azrael's death, God did make him/her the Angel of Death. According to one obscure account, which was popularized fictionally in Anne Rice's novel "Servant of the Bones" Azrael was bound into the Ark of the Covenant so that whomever touched it would die. In the novel, this was because Azrael's bones were within the Ark. But in Raiders, it was just his/her spirit. Hence, Azrael appeared more like a spirit or a ghost than an angel. Plus, in the obscure account I mentioned, they said Azrael was a kind of Djinn whose fall from grace was what caused him/her to die and become the Angel of Death to begin with. So, if Azrael was a Djinn, it would make sense that she (we'll say she, since in Raiders it's a she), would have no wings, since Djinn lose their wings when they fall. So, she could've once been a powerful Seraphim, and that would explain her powers of flame and lightning. Djinn being airy beings would resemble that aspect of Cherubim but look nothing like them. So, if the Islamic/Arabic accounts are true, then Azrael was a powerful angel of the Djinn order, bound to the Ark in service to God as her master. That status in the Heavenly hierarchy would explain it all.
Biblically, the last time Azrael was unbound was when she was unleashed to deliver the plagues upon Egypt and slay all the firtborn. This was before the Ark was created, and is the only time the Angel of Death is mentioned in the Bible at all. So, it is likely that this being could have been bound much later.

Also, let's take a look at how the Angel of Death is percieved over the years.
First, we have the typical Grim Reaper. Hooded, ghostly, and skeletal or pale. The very image we see in Raiders, actually, with skeletal and pale combining when the angel turns demonic. This is a spectral, quintessential Grim Reaper.
But, what of the other beings besides Azrael who were flying around with her?

In Nordic terms, those are Valkyrie. Death angels who come to take the souls of the good to Heaven (Valhalla) and the souls of the evil to Hell (Helheim). It is ironic, this notion, since the Nazis placed such importance on Nordic myths.
Here is a picture of a Valkyrie that looks ghostly and ethereal. They are not as we in modern times picture them (Brunhilda, for instance!) at all, it seems:

Also, in Norse mythology, the goddess of Death is depicted with half her body that of a beautiful woman and the other half skeletal or corpse-like.
Wolves and ravens were her pets. The Raven re-occurs throughout history as a motif involving the Angel of Death, as we shall see presently. To the Ancient Norse, she was called Hel, or Hela. She was a separate being than the Valkyries were. When we come to this point, we can begin to see that to the ancients Death was twofold: beautiful to some and terrible to others. A boon or a curse. Good or evil. Angelic or demonic. Yet both. And that is quite what we see in Raiders.
Belloq's "They are Beautiful!" yet also Indy's "Don't look at it!" a true duality, foreshadowed by the fact that Belloq fancied himself a shadowy Indy. Pretty deep, when you consider that. But, before we go too far, here is a pic of Hel:

But, who was Hel outside of Norse tradition? She was called Nephthys by the Egyptians. This Egyptian relic depicts Nephthys. Notice the similarity to the two Cherubim of the Ark of the Covenant? That is really quite striking to note.

Now, in Sumeria and Babylonia, they called her Ereshkigal. Other forms of her name were Ganzir or Gozer, which was made popular in the film Ghostbusters.

Here is a more traditional depiction of how Ereshkigal was imagined to look. In the earliest traditions, she was a goddess of war and death, just as her light sister, Ishtar (Aphrodite to the Greeks) was the goddess of war and love. In Ghostbusters, the Terror Dogs referenced that, in mythology, she was said to be served by both wolves and werewolves in her paradise in the Netherworld, as well as having serpents and dragons as pets. Very nasty. The Raven was one of her symbols and had special importance to the Celts.

Moving along, we come to Greece and Rome where she is called Persephone or Proserpina. Hades was not Death. He was merely the god who presided over the Underworld. His wife was Death incarnate. Not Charon, as many oft beleive! Charon merely ferried those already dead, like the Valkyire in Norse mythology did. Here is a traditional depiction of Persephone for you to see. She is holding a Pomegranate, a typical symbol for Death in ancient Greece.
Persephone was part of the symbolism in the second and third Matrix movies.

In Celtic tradition, she was the Morrigan, wife of Arawn. She was said to be so cold, that she could burn a man with frost... yet so beautiful that no man could resist her. Once, a man had to take Arawn's place but not lie with the nameless goddess, for to do so was to die. In one tradition she was called a god and was named Samhain, from whence we get Halloween, the season of the dead. This idea of her being androgynous (male/female) would perhaps become an influence on the idea that angels are either genderless or both genders (Androgynous or Hermaphroditic). Samhain was called "The Cold One".
She was also called the "Tripple Goddess" (known as Maiden, Mother, Crone).
In the earliest traditions, she was a goddess of war and death whose symbol was the Raven. She was the original, mythical, inspiration for Morgan le Fay.

We are beginning to see that Death has indeed always been envisioned as a woman of both beauty and terror all throughout history. An Angel, Goddess, Djinn, and more. If you looked upon her, you would die. If you touched her, you would die. This is the taboo of the Ark of the Covenant, so it is fitting that in the movie (as in some legends) it served as the means to unleash her and her "Valkyrie" upon those foolish enough to break that taboo. So in one sense, Raiders is a continuation of the myth-making process that has been going on since the dawn of time. It borrows from what has come before, in some ways without intending to, and presents old legends in a new light.

Heck, you just know she's popular when she even has her own comic book!