“This amulet took the form of either a grotesque head of [Pazuzu] carved in the round or a bronze or stone plaque of the whole creature, with a bird-like chest, human arms and legs terminating in talons with one hand holding a thunderbolt aloft, four wings and a curled tail.”
H.W.F. Saggs, The Babylonians
H.W.F. Saggs, The Babylonians
“Pazuzu is represented in statuettes and engravings with bulging eyes in a canine face, a scaly body, snake-headed penis, the talons of a large bird, and enormous wings.”
Joshua J. Mark, World History Encyclopedia
“He stands on two legs and has human arms ending in claws, with two pairs of wings, a scorpion's tail, a snake-headed, erect penis, and a horned, bearded head with bulging eyes and snarling canine mouth.“
Sarah Graff, Pazuzu: Beyond Good and Evil
Pazuzu! The ancient Mesopotamian king of the lilû wind demons and personification of the West Wind and son of Hanpu, "The Perverted One"!
While Pazuzu is grotesque in appearance and was considered a destructive force (as the wind he brought famine in the dry season and locusts in the wet), his role in ancient Mesopotamia is a little more complicated. He was often seen as a protective force. Because he was hideous, he could ward off unwanted guests or if honored, he could ward off his lilû subjects. His visage became a general protection charm, with amulets made of terra cotta, bronze, iron, glass and even bone being worn around a persons neck. Some Pazuzu heads have even been found in graves. He was believed to be able to ward off sickness (which is why, in times of covid, I have a Pazuzu charm with me at all times just in case my vaccine, booster and masks fail). Given the volume of artifacts uncovered, it is thought that he enjoyed great popularity, and based upon the uniformity of the heads, amulets and statues, it is even speculated that Pazuzu representations were mass-produced.
Many scholars believe Pazuzu took over the role and function that Humbaba performed since his popularity waxed as Humbaba's waned. He's also believed to have been a counterpart of the ancient Egyptian god Bes (both have lion-ish faces, wings and a very long phallus. Both were seen as a protective force for pregnant women (Pazuzu's rival was the baby stealing Lamashtu so he was often invoked to ward her off).
Pazuzu's was thrust into western popular culture in the 1971 film The Exorcist where Pazuzu is the demon inhabiting Regan. For a god of such stature in the ancient world, possessing a teen seems like a step down.
Funnier pop culture appearances include Professor Farnsworth's pet gargoyle named Pazuzu in Futurama and the Gorillaz mascot. Illustrator Jamie Hewlett (the co-creator of Tank Girl and The Gorillaz) has put Pazuzu's visage on shirts, shoes and even toys.
I also recommend the first season of the Vice series The Devil You Know about the charismatic satanist from North Carolina, John Alexander Lawson. Lawson changed his name to Pazuzu Algarad and convinced friends to help him murder a neighbor and conceal the body.
On a lighter note, tomorrow's god is a hilarious one.
While Pazuzu is grotesque in appearance and was considered a destructive force (as the wind he brought famine in the dry season and locusts in the wet), his role in ancient Mesopotamia is a little more complicated. He was often seen as a protective force. Because he was hideous, he could ward off unwanted guests or if honored, he could ward off his lilû subjects. His visage became a general protection charm, with amulets made of terra cotta, bronze, iron, glass and even bone being worn around a persons neck. Some Pazuzu heads have even been found in graves. He was believed to be able to ward off sickness (which is why, in times of covid, I have a Pazuzu charm with me at all times just in case my vaccine, booster and masks fail). Given the volume of artifacts uncovered, it is thought that he enjoyed great popularity, and based upon the uniformity of the heads, amulets and statues, it is even speculated that Pazuzu representations were mass-produced.
Many scholars believe Pazuzu took over the role and function that Humbaba performed since his popularity waxed as Humbaba's waned. He's also believed to have been a counterpart of the ancient Egyptian god Bes (both have lion-ish faces, wings and a very long phallus. Both were seen as a protective force for pregnant women (Pazuzu's rival was the baby stealing Lamashtu so he was often invoked to ward her off).
Pazuzu's was thrust into western popular culture in the 1971 film The Exorcist where Pazuzu is the demon inhabiting Regan. For a god of such stature in the ancient world, possessing a teen seems like a step down.
Funnier pop culture appearances include Professor Farnsworth's pet gargoyle named Pazuzu in Futurama and the Gorillaz mascot. Illustrator Jamie Hewlett (the co-creator of Tank Girl and The Gorillaz) has put Pazuzu's visage on shirts, shoes and even toys.
I also recommend the first season of the Vice series The Devil You Know about the charismatic satanist from North Carolina, John Alexander Lawson. Lawson changed his name to Pazuzu Algarad and convinced friends to help him murder a neighbor and conceal the body.
On a lighter note, tomorrow's god is a hilarious one.
YES! was waiting for this one!
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it!
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