Creature

Pazuzu

King of the wind demons, whose wings carry plague and protection alike.Evil turned against evil, the monster who guards the threshold.

Role

Demon king of the southwest wind, bringer of storms and drought. Paradoxically invoked as protection against other evil spirits, especially Lamashtu.

Significance

Pazuzu embodies a distinctly Mesopotamian idea: that malevolent forces could be turned against each other. His image was placed on amulets to ward off greater evils.
wind-demonscorpion-tail

Sources & References

  • Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia Black, Jeremy & Green, Anthony (1992)