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In ancient Mesopotamian religion, Pazuzu (Akkadian: 𒀭𒅆𒊒𒍪𒍪, romanized: pà.zu.zu)[2] is a demonic deity who was well known to the Babylonians and Assyrians throughout the first millennium BCE.[3] He is shown with "a rather canine face with abnormally bulging eyes, a scaly body, a snake-headed penis, the talons of a bird and usually wings".[3] He was believed to be the son of the god Hanbi.[4]
He was usually regarded as evil,[3] but he could also sometimes be a beneficent entity who protected against winds bearing pestilence[3] and he was thought to be able to force Lamashtu back to the underworld.[5] Amulets bearing his image were positioned in dwellings to protect infants from Lamashtu[4] and pregnant women frequently wore amulets with his head on them as protection from her.[4]
As an apotropaic entity, he is considered as both a personification of a destructive and dangerous wind, but also as a repellant to other demons, one who safeguards the home from their influence. In particular he protects pregnant women and mothers, whom he could defend from the machinations of the demoness Lamashtu, his rival. He is invoked in ritual and representations of him are used as defence charms.
- ^ Simon, Ed (2022-02-22). "Chapter 1". Pandemonium: A Visual History of Demonology. Abrams. ISBN 978-1-64700-389-0.
- ^ Lambert, Wilfred George (1970). "Inscribed Pazuzu Heads from Babylon". Forschungen und Berichte. 12: 41–T4. doi:10.2307/3880639. JSTOR 3880639.
- ^ a b c d Black & Green 1992, p. 147.
- ^ a b c Black & Green 1992, p. 148.
- ^ Black & Green 1992, pp. 147–148.