|
Pazuzu
In ancient Mesopotamian religion, Pazuzu () is a demonic deity who was well known to the Babylonians and Assyrians throughout the first millennium BCE. 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". He was believed to be the son of the god Hanbi. He was usually regarded as evil, but he could also sometimes be a beneficent entity who protected against winds bearing pestilence and he was thought to be able to force the demoness Lamashtu, his rival, back to the underworld. Amulets bearing his image were positioned in dwellings to protect infants from Lamashtu and pregnant women frequently wore amulets with his head on them as protection from her. As an Apotropaic magic, 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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Exorcist
''The Exorcist'' is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on The Exorcist (novel), his 1971 novel. The film stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller (playwright), Jason Miller, and Linda Blair, and follows the Spirit possession, demonic possession of a young girl and the attempt to rescue her through an exorcism by two Catholic priests. Blatty, who also produced, and Friedkin, his choice as director, had difficulty casting the film. Their choice of relative unknowns Burstyn, Blair, and Miller, instead of major stars, drew opposition from executives at Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Principal photography was also difficult. Many cast and crew were injured, some died, and unusual accidents delayed shooting. Production took twice as long as scheduled and cost almost three times the initial budget; the many mishaps have led to a belief that the film was cursed. ''The Exorcist'' was theatr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Humbaba
Humbaba (Ḫumbaba; , ''Ḫumbāba'', with an optional determinative ), originally known as Ḫuwawa in Sumerian (, ''Ḫuwāwa''), was a figure in Mesopotamian mythology. The origin and meaning of his name are unknown. He was portrayed as an anthropomorphic figure comparable to an ogre or giant. He is best known from Sumerian and Akkadian narratives focused on the hero Gilgamesh, including short compositions belonging to the curriculum of scribal schools, various versions of the ''Epic of Gilgamesh'', and several Hurrian and Hittite adaptations. He is invariably portrayed as the inhabitant or guardian of the cedar forest, to which Gilgamesh ventures with his companion Enkidu. The subsequent encounter leads to the death of Humbaba, which provokes the anger of the gods. Humbaba is also attested in other works of Mesopotamian literature. Multiple depictions of him have also been identified, including combat scenes and apotropaic clay heads. It has been suggested that the icono ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Four Winds (Mesopotamian)
The Four Winds are a group of mythical figures in Mesopotamian mythology whose names and functions correspond to four cardinal directions of wind. They were both cardinal concepts (used for mapping and understanding geographical features in relation to each other) as well as characters with personality, who could serve as antagonistic forces or helpful assistants in myths. Functions and iconography The concept of the Four Winds originated in Sumer, before 3000 BCE. While older theories posited that the ancient Mesopotamians had a concept of cardinality similar to modern day with a North, East, South, and West, it was more likely that their directions were framed around these four "principle winds". The Akkadian word for cardinality is equivalent to the word for wind. J. Neumann names these winds as "The regular wind" (NW), "The mountain wind" (NE), "The cloud wind" (SE), and "The Amorite Wind" (SW). These wind directions could be used to establish the presence of astrologica ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bazi (king)
Bazi (, '' dBa-z''i) was a legendary king of Mari. He is mentioned in the recension of the ''Sumerian King List'' from Tell Leilan and in a version of the ''Ballad of Early Rulers'' known from Emar. The former of these two texts indicates he was deified. The god Bazi known only from the Old Babylonian ''Song of Bazi'' is presumed to be the same figure. Overview According to the Tell Leilan recension of the ''Sumerian King List'', Bazi was one of the kings of Mari. He is the third of the Mariote kings listed, with Anba as his predecessor and Zizi as his successor, though a variant from Nippur apparently places Zizi before him. The list assigns a 30 years long reign to him and characterizes him as a leatherworker. Bazi is attested as an ordinary given name, presumably of Sumerian origin, and a number of individuals bearing it, including an inhabitant of Mari, have been identified in economic texts from between the Early Dynastic and Ur III periods. However, it is presume ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lamashtu
In Mesopotamian mythology, Lamashtu (; Akkadian d''La-maš-tu''; Sumerian ''Dimme'' d''Dim3-me'' or ''Kamadme'') is a demonic Mesopotamian deity with the "head of a lion, the teeth of a donkey, naked breasts, a hairy body, hands stained (with blood?), long fingers and fingernails, and the feet of Anzû". She was believed to feed on the blood of human infants and was widely blamed as the cause of miscarriages and cot deaths. Although Lamashtu has traditionally been identified as a demoness, the fact that she could cause evil on her own without the permission of other deities strongly indicates that she was seen as a goddess in her own right. Mesopotamian peoples protected against her using amulets and talismans. She was believed to ride in her boat on the river of the underworld and she was associated with donkeys. She was believed to be the daughter of An. In Mesopotamian culture Lamashtu's father was the Sky god Anu. Unlike many other usual demonic figures and depict ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lulal
Lulal, inscribed dlú.làl in cuneiform(𒀭𒇽𒋭), was a Mesopotamian god associated with Inanna, usually as a servant deity or bodyguard but in a single text as a son. His name has Sumerian origin and can be translated as "syrup man." In the second and first millennium BCE, Lulal evolved into an anthropomorphic god/demon used on protective amulets, figurines and exorcists’ paraphernalia used in apotropaic rituals, such as Šurpu and Maqlu, usually displayed alongside Ugallu, “Big Weather Beast”, the lion-headed demon, or with his Akkadian alter-ego Lātarāk. Function as God As a god, Lulal functioned as the Sumerian counterpart of the Akkadian Latarak. His name likely means "syrup man" or "man sweet like syrup." His precise function is not fully understood. It is theorized that he was a god of animal husbandry, evidenced by one epithet of his ''lugal-eden-na'' "King of the Steppe," and his connection with the cult place of Bad-tibira and the god Šakkan, who se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hanbi
In Sumerian and Akkadian mythology (and Mesopotamian mythology in general) Hanbi or Hanpa (more commonly known in western text) was the lord of evil, lord of all evil forces ( Udug) and the father of Pazuzu. Aside from his relationship with Pazuzu, very little is known of this figure. Some have connected Hanbi to Helel, the Jewish name generally equated to Lucifer in Christian thought. However, Hanbi's characteristic of being a shadow born in the underworld, different from the Sumerian gods ( Dingir) of the underworld, would make him more similar to the concept of the Jewish shedim and se'iri or the Islamic shaitan. See also * List of Mesopotamian deities Deities in ancient Mesopotamia were almost exclusively Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic. They were thought to possess extraordinary powers and were often envisioned as being of tremendous physical size. The deities typically wore ''melam'', a ... References Mesopotamian gods Mesopotamian demons Evil gods P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Supernatural
Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanings since the ancient world, the term "supernatural" emerged in the Middle Ages and did not exist in the ancient world. The supernatural is featured in folklore and religious contexts, but can also feature as an explanation in more secular contexts, as in the cases of superstitions or belief in the paranormal. The term is attributed to non-physical entity, non-physical entities, such as angels, demons, gods and ghost, spirits. It also includes claimed abilities embodied in or provided by such beings, including Magic (supernatural), magic, telekinesis, levitation (paranormal), levitation, precognition and extrasensory perception. The supernatural is hypernymic to religion. Religions are standardized supernaturalist worldviews, or at least m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Apotropaic Magic
Apotropaic magic (From ) or protective magic is a type of magic intended to turn away harm or evil influences, as in deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye. Apotropaic observances may also be practiced out of superstition or out of tradition, as in good luck charms (perhaps some token on a charm bracelet), amulets, or gestures such as crossed fingers or knocking on wood. Many different objects and charms were used for protection throughout history. Symbols and objects Ancient Egypt Apotropaic magical rituals were practiced throughout the ancient Near East and ancient Egypt. Fearsome deities were invoked via ritual in order to protect individuals by warding away evil spirits. In ancient Egypt, these household rituals (performed in the home, not in state-run temples) were embodied by the deity who personified magic itself, Heka. The two gods most frequently invoked in these rituals were the hippopotamus-formed fertility goddess, Taweret, and the lion-deity, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Exorcist (novel)
''The Exorcist'' is a 1971 horror novel written by American writer William Peter Blatty and published by Harper & Row. The book details the demonic possession of eleven-year-old Regan MacNeil, the daughter of a famous actress, and the two priests who attempt to exorcise the demon. The novel was the basis of a highly successful 1973 film adaptation, whose screenplay was also written and produced by Blatty, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for Best Picture. More movies and books were eventually added to ''The Exorcist'' franchise. The novel was inspired by a 1949 case of supposed demonic possession and exorcism that Blatty heard about while he was a student in the class of 1950 at Georgetown University. As a result, the novel takes place in Washington, D.C., near the campus of Georgetown University. In September 2011, the novel was reprinted by HarperCollins to celebrate its 40th anniversary, with slight revisions made by Blat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sumerian King List
The ''Sumerian King List'' (abbreviated ''SKL'') or ''Chronicle of the One Monarchy'' is an ancient Composition (language), literary composition written in Sumerian language, Sumerian that was likely created and redacted to legitimize the claims to power of various city-states and kingdoms in southern Mesopotamia during the late third and early second millennium BC. It does so by repetitively listing Sumerian cities, the kings that ruled there, and the lengths of their reigns. Especially in the early part of the list, these reigns often span thousands of years. In the oldest known version, dated to the Third Dynasty of Ur, Ur III period () but probably based on Akkadian Empire, Akkadian source material, the ''SKL'' reflected a more linear transition of power from Kish (Sumer), Kish, the first city to receive kingship, to Akkad (city), Akkad. In later versions from the Old Babylonian Empire, Old Babylonian period, the list consisted of a large number of cities between which kingshi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
