Lamashtu

In Mesopotamian mythology, Lamashtu (𒀭𒈕𒈨; AkkadianLa-maš-tu; SumerianDimmeDim₃-me or Kamadme), the daughter of the sky god Anu, is a demonicMesopotamiandeity that spread disease 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 themselves 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.