Mesopotamian Protective Spirits: The Ritual TextsWiggerman's study of Mesopotamian monsters bridges the gap between text and image. Wooden and clay figures of monstrous spirits such as Hairy-One (lahmu), Bison-Bull (kusarikku), and Furious-Snake (mushussu) stand guard at the entrances to buildings to protect the inhavitants from demonic intruders. Deriving his information from the ritual texts that describe the production and installation of these figures, the author identifies the monsters of the texts with objects from the archaeological record and presents a detailed discussion of the identities and histories of a variety of Mesopotamian monsters. |
Common terms and phrases
Akkadian Amiet GMA2 anthropomorphic Anzû apkallu apotropaic Apsû attested banduddû bašmu BiOr bird-apkallu bison bīt mēseri Borger bucket clad clay collated cornel date palm denotes DINGIR dogs e'ru enemy Enlil evil exorcist figures fish-apkallu girtablullû giš GIŠIMMAR gods Green Iraq 45 Gudea Gurney AAA 22 I/iv identified IM.BABBAR incantation incipit inscription Iraq JNES 33 Kolbe Reliefprogramme Type kulullû kusarikku lab-šú lahmu Lamaštu amulets Lambert Landsberger Latarak Lugal Lugalgirra Lulal mace Marduk Meslamtaea monsters mušhuššu myth mythology naked hero Narudda NAss Neo-Assyrian Nergal Ninazu Ninurta NU.MEŠ OrNS outer gate palace reliefs Porada prescribed quoted Reade BaM Rittig Kleinplastik ritual I/II šá Šamaš SbTU seals Sebettu šep lemutti suḥurmāšu Sumerian tablet tamarisk text I/II text II Obv tillû UAVA ugallu ūmu ūmu-apkallu Ur III uridimmu urigallu urmaḥlullû Uruk utukku Wiggermann ZABAR Zimmern