#shorts #history #mythology #myths #pazuzu #horrorshorts #archeology #archaeology #ancient #ancienthistory #ancientmyths #demons #demon #spirit #mesopotamia #halloween #spooky #spookyseason
You've likely heard of Pazuzu from William Peter Blaty's The Exorcist novel which also spawned the legendary horror film and franchise of the same name. But Pazuzu isn't just a character found in modern storytelling, it's also a character found in ancient times, in Mesopotamian mythology found throughout the middle east as early as the 8th century, but most prominent in the 7th and 6th century and as recently as the 1st century. The belief in Pazuzu, a demon or spirit of the southwestern winds, was rewarded with protection from other demons, as well as protection from common harms, like plague and other diseases. This is because according to the earliest found narrative depicting Pazuzu, he was able to fight and beat all of the demons, essentially taking the place as king of the demons. Pazuzu, unlike his depiction in the Exorcist, is thought to have aided his followers as an apotropaic entity. Worshippers wore jewelry and placed statues in their dwellings to gain these benefits of Pazuzu worship, but this also came with the risk of side-effects, such as angering Pazuzu, since he was still an evil 'wind'. Archeologists have uncovered ancient incantations believers used to avoid the side-effects of Pazuzu worship. Pazuzu is an unusual demon deity in that he is an amalgamation of many forms of animals, which is unlike most other Mesopotamian lilu/lilû.

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