Lamashtu
Lamashtu, Mesopotamian demoness daughter of Anu and ancestor of Lilith
Curated byBestiarypediaUpdated on
Mesopotamia(Iraq)⇄ Cultural variants (1)
Mythical Origins of Lamashtu
Lamashtu is the daughter of Anu, the Mesopotamian sky god, and was exiled from the celestial pantheon due to her malevolent and independent nature. Unlike other demons that serve the great gods, she acts of her own will. Her figure represents a direct ancestor of Lilith in Jewish traditions after the Babylonian exile, according to Akkadian and Sumerian texts describing her rebellious divine origin.
Powers and Appearance of Lamashtu
Lamashtu attacks pregnant and nursing women by killing fetuses or newborns, causes nightmares and fevers, controls snakes and scorpions, and adopts the form of a beautiful woman to deceive. Her hybrid appearance includes a lioness head with black mane, sharp teeth, eagle legs, two snakes in her hands, and breasts nursing a pig and a dog, with bright yellow eyes without visible pupils.
Symbology and Relations of Lamashtu
Its inverted protective amulets show a lioness head, snakes, eagle feet, nursing pig and dog, and a ritually broken bronze comb. It is neutralized by Pazuzu amulets, its rival invoked against it. It relates to Lilith as a transformation and operates in ancient Mesopotamia attacking homes with pregnant women, with no possible dialogue, only through defensive rituals.
Relics
🏺 Ritually broken bronze comb
🏺 Two living serpents
Symbology
Element
Yin night and puerperal darkness
Number
7
Color
Red-black
Animals
Lioness, Serpents, Nocturnal owl
Sigils:
🏷️ Traits
Powers
Weaknesses
Behavioral
Resistances
🔗 Relations with other beings
Cultural variant of
Lamashtu, daughter of the Mesopotamian sky god Anu, transformed into Lilith in the post-exilic Jewish tradition as her direct ancestor due to her evil nature.
🗺️In the Atlas
Travel the beings’ world of origin and the cosmos of their dimensions.
📜 Mythologies
Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian gods.
Sources
Myths from Mesopotamia by Stephanie Dalley
Stephanie Dalley · 1989
Academic translation and analysis of key Mesopotamian myths, including Inanna/Ishtar versions like Descent and Gilgamesh, with historical context (1989).
Sumerian Mythology
Samuel Noah Kramer · 1944
Seminal work by Samuel Noah Kramer (1944) compiling and analyzing Sumerian myths, including Ninhursag in creation and fertility contexts.
Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia
Jeremy Black, Anthony Green · 1992
1992 academic study by Jeremy Black and Anthony Green on Mesopotamian pantheon, detailing Enki/Ea's role and iconography.
🔖Cite this entry▾
If you cite this article in an academic, journalistic or editorial publication, use any of these formats:
Bestiarypedia. (2026). Lamashtu. Bestiarypedia. https://bestiarypedia.com/en/beings/lamashtu
Free citation with attribution and canonical link for editorial, academic or journalistic use. Full commercial reuse or creation of derivative products requires prior agreement.