Mandaean priests, representatives of a religious heritage that can be traced back to Late Antique Mesopotamia, still copy their ancient literature by hand. The Great Stem of Souls is a study of the colophons - postscripts at the end of each text - that are appended to most Mandaean documents. A study of the contents of the colophons provides a framework for reconstructing Mandaean history.

Mandaean priests, representatives of a religious heritage that can be traced back to Late Antique Mesopotamia, still copy their ancient literature by hand. The Great Stem of Souls is a study of the colophons - postscripts at the end of each text - that are appended to most Mandaean documents. A study of the contents of the colophons provides a framework for reconstructing Mandaean history.