# Has the Necronomicon ever existed beyond myth? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 11, 2000, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999 "2000-12-11T10:51:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DonJuanDeMarco3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DonJuanDeMarco3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonJuanDeMarco3)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/1 "2000-12-11T10:51:25Z")
I just have to know. I have been told many different theories, but little proof. If you disprove it, give me evidence to go beyond reasonable doubt. And if you say other wise could you site some books or other proof, but not a web page please. ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@TomH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/2 "2000-12-11T11:25:38Z")
> [@](#): > > If you disprove it, give me evidence to go beyond reasonable doubt. If you’re asking for proof beyond reasonable doubt that the Necronomicon doesn’t exist outside fiction, I think you’re going to be disappointed. The Necronomicon was invented by H P Lovecraft and made up out of the whole cloth. Check any of the Lovecraft biographies (or annotated editions of his stories), especially the ones by S T Joshi. _Lord of a Visible World_, Lovecraft’s collected letters edited by Joshi, contains a few letters in which HPL writes about inventing the Necronomicon. Of course: [ul] [li]I might by lying;[/li][li]Joshi (and numerous other writers on Lovecraft) might be lying, I haven’t gone back and checked their original sources;[/li][li]Lovecraft might have been lying;[/li][li]Lovecraft might have _though_ he was inventing the Neronomicon whereas he was in fact channelling it from Hastur the Unspeakable;[/li][li]The “real” Necronomicon might exist independently of whatever it was that Lovecraft made up.[/li][/ul] So I’m afraid I can’t provide the proof you seek. There is an Ancient Egyptian text called “The Book of the Dead”, a title which is sometimes applied to the Necronomicon of the Cthulhu Mythos, but it’s a religious text about death, enbalming and the afterlife and bears little resemblance to Lovecraft’s Necronomicon. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/3 "2000-12-11T13:33:22Z")
I have a copy of the **Egyptian Book of the Dead** and _had_ a copy of the **Necronomicon** in high school (a friend and I bought it from an add in an issue of **Omni** magazine…) The two have _ **NOTHING** _ on common… upon further investigation, we realized that our **Necronomicon** was a fictional book loosely based, as **TomH** says, on H.P. Lovecraft’s writings! We were pretty cheesed that we wasted $50 on a bogus copy of an occult book… couldn’t raise even the ghost of a demon with our **Necronomicon** … and we had such plans!!! That was when I was young and stupid… now (20 years later), I am older and stupid! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/4 "2000-12-11T16:53:25Z")
I saw a copy of what was probably the Necronomicon that Astroboy had. It was at the local Border’s, in _paperback_. I mean, the least they could do is put it in hardcover, even if not bound in leather from human skin. ---
**Author:** ![SpinneZiege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SpinneZiege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpinneZiege)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/5 "2000-12-11T17:02:31Z")
[http://www.digital-brilliance.com/necron/necron.htm](http://www.digital-brilliance.com/necron/necron.htm) This should have most of the answers you’re looking for. I was pretty disappointed to find out it was a contemporary myth, but you shouldn’t stop looking for secrets (especially when you’re only looking through Barnes and Noble)! Get out there, into the real world. There are millions of things, even evil things, that man does not yet know about. The necronomicon is just a myth; find something real! ---
**Author:** ![SpinneZiege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SpinneZiege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpinneZiege)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/6 "2000-12-11T17:03:52Z")
Crap, that was the wrong place. The one I posted is one that supports its existence. Nevermind. Keep looking on the Necronomicon… ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/7 "2000-12-11T17:20:15Z")
You mean you **don’t** have a copy bound with human skin? Doesn’t everybody? I keep mine next to my Grail. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/8 "2000-12-11T17:31:19Z")
The site you linked to has a very clever essay on the _Necronomicon_ that weaves some genuine in-depth history of Varangians, Shabbethai Tsevi and Kabbalah with the fictional Alhazred and the semi-fictional elaborations on John Dee and Aleister Crowley, to form a dense texture of verisimilitude. The “link” between Crowley and Lovecraft is really clever, and could almost convince the unsuspecting reader who didn’t know better that this is all hooey. A most entertaining read. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/9 "2000-12-11T22:10:47Z")
I have seen two different books purporting to be the Necronomicon. One was published by an outfit called Schlangekraft,Inc. in 1977, then reprinted in 1980 by Avon Books (ISBN#0-380-75192-5). It tries to tie in Lovecraft’s writings with Sumerian mythology. Somehow it worked Alistair Crowley into the mix, as well. I have never finished reading it. It is not exactly a ripping yarn. The other one was a big coffee-table size book by H.R. Giger. (Geiger? Gieger? Can’t remember how he spells it. The guy who did the designs for the Alien movies.) As I recall, it had a lot of cool pictures; I don’t remember if it had any text or not. ---
**Author:** ![DonJuanDeMarco3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DonJuanDeMarco3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonJuanDeMarco3)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/10 "2000-12-11T22:19:35Z")
Ok, a I have been to the fictional site. And yes some of the crap they issue as full truth is no where near it. It is more like a fiction “inspired by the original” fiction paperback available at any barnes and noble. But Some of it has some worth and the is the fact that the myth was invented before lovecraft makes me wonder. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/11 "2000-12-11T22:30:41Z")
Sorry. If you read the Chaosium series of the Chtulhu mythos, you’ll find in “Mysteries of the Worm” Robert Jordan’s book (I think that’s the author, I don’t have my copy handy) He quotes a letter to HPL the author wrote when he was 15 asking HPL if the necromicon was real. Sadly, HPL just made it up as he went along. You understand, the REAL Necromicon would have to be over 1000 pages, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![DonJuanDeMarco3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DonJuanDeMarco3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonJuanDeMarco3)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/12 "2000-12-11T22:50:05Z")
What is that supposed to mean? Ok so its a thousand pages. Please I like to understand the comments you make. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/13 "2000-12-11T22:50:56Z")
You may want to read this thread: [H.P. Lovecraft and the Necronomicon](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=23588) I will copy _verbatim_ my post in that thread: I think it’s generally accepted that H.P. Lovecraft had fabricated from whole cloth the book he referred to as the Necronomicon. You can find some information here: [The Truth About the Necronomicon](http://www.hplovecraft.com/creation/necron/) A quote from one of his letters: > [@](#): > > To Edwin Baird (February 3, 1924): > > At one time I formed a juvenile collection of Oriental pottery and objects d’art, announcing myself as a devout Mohammedan and assuming the pseudonym of “Abdul Alhazred”–which you will recognise as the author of that mythical Necronomicon which I drag into various of my tales. At the site there is also a list of H.P. Lovecraft stories that refer to the Necronomicon. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/14 "2000-12-15T03:36:43Z")
Robert Anton Wilson’s _Illuminatus!_ trilogy is a phantasmagorical sex-drugs-rock-‘n’-roll trip of literary excess, with a huge number of diverse themes thrown in. One of which is Lovecraft. There is a scene where a rich WASP, Robert Putney Drake, driven by the urge to power, is trying to contact the Illuminati. He travels to Providence, Rhode Island, to get the straight dope from H. P. Lovecraft himself. Lovecraft answers that, sorry, his tales are merely the product of his imagination and are not real. (I don’t have the _Illuminatus!_ text handy; could anyone post this quote?) Drake is unconvinced by Lovecraft’s disclaimer and wonders how he could have openly published such esoteric secrets. Then (inspired by this thread) I picked up Joyce Carol Oates’s new anthology _Tales of H. P. Lovecraft_. In her Introduction, she observes: > [@](#): > > Despite Lovecraft’s reiterated disclaimers that his work was wholly of the imagination, there have been cultists among his readers who insist upon believing in the literal truth of the Cthulhu Mythos, arguing that while Lovecraft believed he was writing fiction, he was in fact transcribing history, or prehistory. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/15 "2000-12-15T15:47:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mrblue92 \* > \*\*You mean you **don’t** have a copy bound with human skin? Doesn’t everybody? I keep mine next to my Grail. \*\* I **had** a copy bound in human skin, but it got exema & I had to dump it. Anybody got the CD ROM version of \*Tobin’s Spirit Guid/i]? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/16 "2000-12-15T16:34:33Z")
“Since you have been so good as to give me a warning, I will return the favor. I do not think your interest in these people is based on a wish to oppose them, but to serve them. I beg you to remember their attitude towards servants.” –H. P. Lovecraft, in _Illuminatus!_ ---
**Author:** ![hardhead365](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71c47a/32.png) [@hardhead365](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardhead365)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2000, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-necronomicon-ever-existed-beyond-myth/44999/17 "2000-12-15T16:50:46Z")
**ishmintingas** said > [@](#): > > “Since you have been so good as to give me a warning, I will return the favor. I do not think your interest in these people is based on a wish to oppose them, but to serve them. I beg you to remember their attitude towards servants.” > –H. P. Lovecraft, in Illuminatus! I didn’t realise **DonJuanDeMarco3** was looking for a position in the Bush Administration 😃