Lamashtu

Sumerian name in Old Babylonian cuneiform, dDim3-me[1]

In Mesopotamian mythology, Lamashtu (𒀭𒈕𒈨; Akkadian dLa-maš-tu; Sumerian Dimme dDim3-me or Kamadme[2]) 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 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 demon Lilith[3] in Jewish mythology.

  1. ^ Hartmut Kühne Dūr-Katlimmu 2008 and beyond 2010 section 'The place of Lamashtu in the Near Eastern pantheon' Page 243 "If the demon Lamashtu can already be identified in old Assyrian texts9, the older attestation of her name is its Sumerian equation, DIMME, in an old Babylonian incantation10. "
  2. ^ George, Andrew R. (2018-01-01). "Kamadme, the Sumerian Counterpart of the Demon Lamaštu". Sources of Evil: 150–157. doi:10.1163/9789004373341_006. ISBN 9789004373341.
  3. ^ Emrys, Wendilyn (March 2018). "The Transformations of a Goddess: Lillake, Lamashtu, and Lilith" – via Research Gate. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)