Both sides of a bronze tablet with exorcising demons of disease—related to the mythology of ancient Babylonia and Assyria.
This 1916 illustration is from Religion in Babylonia and Assyria by Professor Morris Jastrow. It shows both sides of a bronze tablet with exorcising demons of disease. The figure at top is a typical demon. In the uppermost row of the top side are the symbols of gods ..The next row shows seven of the familiar demons. In the third row, the exorcising ceremony is depicted. The afflicted lies on the bed. At either end of he bed is an official exorciser clad in a fish robe as the priest of Ea, god of the waters. The demon behind the fish-priest to the rights seems to warding off the other two demons. In the third compartment are items probably that were offerings. In the center is the demon Labartu holding a serpent in each hand, a swine at each breast, and resting with one knee on an ass—the symbol of Labartu. To the left of Labartu is another demon. with a whip in his upraised hand. The ancient Assyrians believed the demons lived in remote or hidden places. They went out at night and harassed and tortured people. They were also considered responsible for everything bad that happened.
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Photo credit: © Ivy Close Images / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: ancient, assyria, assyrian, babylonia, babylonian, demon, demons, disease, ea, exorcising, fish, god, labartu, legend, myth, mythology, priest, religion, tale, waters
