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Ancient Mesopotamian religion
Primordial beings Abzu and Tiamat Lahmu and Lahamu Anshar and Kishar Mummu
Seven gods who decree Four primary Anu Enlil Enki Ninhursag Three sky gods Inanna/Ishtar Nanna/Sin Utu/Shamash
Other major deities Adad Dumuzid Enkimdu Ereshkigal Kingu Geshtinanna Lahar Marduk Nergal Ninurta
Minor deities Agasaya Anunnaki Asaruludu Ashnan Bel Enbilulu Isimud Lahar Mami/Nintu Mamitu Nabu Namtar Nanshe Nidaba Ningal Ninkasi Ninlil Ninshubur Ninsun Nuska Sarpanit Uttu Yahweh
Demigods and heroes Adapa Enkidu Enmerkar Gilgamesh Lugalbanda Shamhat Siduri Atra-Hasis Apkallu (seven sages)
Spirits and monsters Utukku Lamassu/Shedu Asakku Edimmu Siris Anzû Humbaba Asag Hanbi Kur Lamashtu Pazuzu Rabisu
Tales Atra-Hasis Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta Enûma Eliš Epic of Gilgamesh
Related topics
Ancient Near Eastern religions Sumerian religion Babylonian religion
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Sumerian name in Old Babylonian cuneiform, ^dDim₃-me^[1]

In Mesopotamian mythology, Lamashtu (Akkadian ^dLa-maš-tu; Sumerian Dimme ^dDim₃-me) was a female demon, monster, malevolent goddess or demigoddess who menaced women during childbirth and, if possible, kidnapped their children while they were breastfeeding. She would gnaw on their bones and suck their blood, as well as being charged with a number of other evil deeds. She was a daughter of the Sky God Anu.

Lamashtu is depicted as a mythological hybrid, with a hairy body, a lioness' head with donkey's teeth and ears, long fingers and fingernails, and the feet of a bird with sharp talons. She is often shown standing or kneeling on a donkey, nursing a pig and a dog, and holding snakes. She thus bears some functions and resemblance to the Mesopotamian demon Lilith.

Mythology

Lamashtu's father was the Sky God Anu (Sumer An). Unlike many other usual demonic figures and depictions in Mesopotamian lore, Lamashtu was said to act in malevolence of her own accord, rather than at the gods' instructions. Along with this her name was written together with the cuneiform determinative indicating deity.^[2] This means she was a goddess or a demigoddess in her own right.^[3]

She bore seven names and was described as seven witches in incantations. Her evil deeds included (but were not limited to): slaying children, unborns, and neonates; causing harm to mothers and expectant mothers; eating men and drinking their blood; disturbing sleep; bringing nightmares; killing foliage; infesting rivers and lakes; and being a bringer of disease, sickness, and death.^[3]

Pazuzu, a god or demon, was invoked to protect birthing mothers and infants against Lamashtu's malevolence, usually on amulets and statues. Although Pazuzu was said to be bringer of famine and drought, he was also invoked against evil for protection, and against plague, but he was primarily and popularly invoked against his fierce, malicious rival Lamashtu.^[4]

Incantation against Lamaštu:

Great is the daughter of Heaven who tortures babies

Her hand is a net, her embrace is death

She is cruel, raging, angry, predatory

A runner, a thief is the daughter of Heaven

She touches the bellies of women in labor

She pulls out the pregnant women's baby

The daughter of Heaven is one of the Gods, her brothers

With no child of her own.

Her head is a lion's head

Her body is a donkey's body

She roars like a lion

She constantly howls like a demon-dog.^[5]

In modern culture

• Lamashtu a demon lord and the goddess of monsters, called the Mother of Beasts and Mistress of Insanity, in the role-playing game setting Pathfinder.


• Lamashtu appears as a character in the NBC television series Constantine in the episode "The Saint of Last Resorts".


• Lamashtu appears as an antagonist in the 2018 novel "On Devil's Wings" by M. J. Meade.


• Lamashtu appears as the antagonist in the 2017 film Still/Born.


• Lamashtu appears as the song "lamashtu" by Necrophobic on their 2018 album "Mark of the Necrogram"

Ritual

An Akkadian incantation and ritual against Lamashtu is edited in Texte aus der Umwelt des Alten Testaments vol. 2 (1988)^[6]
It is glossed as an "incantation to dispel lasting fever and Lamashtu".
The prescribed ritual involves a Lamashtu figurine. A sacrifice of bread must be placed before the figurine and water must be poured over it. A black dog must be made to carry the figurine. Then it is placed near the head of the sick child for three days, with the heart of a piglet placed in its mouth. The incantation must be recited three times a day, besides further food sacrifices. At dusk on the third day, the figurine is taken outdoors and buried near the wall.

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  Lamashtu plaque held by Pazuzu
  

  
  

  
  


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  Close-up of plaque's top register
  

  
  

  
  


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  Close-up of plaque's bottom register
  

  
  

  
  


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  Lamashtu plaque
  

  
  

  
  

See also

• Abyzou


• Akhkhazu


• Alû


• Utukku

References

External links

• 
  Media related to Lamashtu at Wikimedia Commons