Utukku Lemnutu (UDUG HUL), Tablets 1-7

p. xi

"the Udug-hul series as known to Old Babylonian Nippur libraries, corresponding to Tablets 3-8 of the later canonical Utukku Lemnutu."

p. xii

"the Utukku Lemnutu series ... evolved into a 16-tablet composition".

 

"canonical Utukku Lemnutu resembles other genres of bilingual incantations, such as those against

headache (s a g . g i g . g a . k a m),

the dangerous Asakku-disease (a s a g . g i g . g a) or

the oath (s a g . b a)".

 

"the Utukku Lemnutu incantations ... involve the use of

a drum, the noise of which is intended to scare off the demons, or

a scapegoat ritual to remove the demonic magic against the patient.

Other ritual acts include

the use of a magic circle of flour,

plastering the doorposts with bitumen and gypsum or

hanging a mouse from the doorpost."
{cf. intention to hang female mouse, in the Mabinogion}

p. xiii

"the Gallu^ represents the idea of the ‘bent copper’ or corrupt police, against whom one has nobody to turn. The Sumerian Galla-demons likewise functioned as the Netherworld police, accompanying Inanna back from the dead, and hence our translation of ‘Sheriff-demon.’

Outside the realm of magic, the mas^kim-official served as court-officer in Ur III ditila tablets, and its Akkadian counterpart, the rabis.u, also functioned as legal advocate in Old Akkadian law cases, from which we derive our term ‘Bailiff-demon.’ "

pp. xiii-xviii structure of the canonical Utukku Lemnutu Series

p.

Tab.

structure

xiii

1.

"most closely resembles so-called ‘zi-pa`d’ incantations."

 

2.

"mostly in Akkadian".

xiv

3-5.

"all are known in OB Nippur Sumerian tablets. ... providing a long list of types of ghosts which were ... feared.

... the final incantation on tablet 5 describes the Ardat Lili^ demon, whom we know from elsewhere as a female ghost who never had a husband or children. ...

Another important theme associated with Tablets 3-5 is the magical ‘inoculation’ of the officiating exorcist, who asks first and foremost for protection for himself, even before asking for protection for his patient. The exorcist also boasts of his own credentials, claiming ... the magical spell transmitted from Ea ... being placed into his own mouth."

 

6-7.

"also being part of the earlier OB collection of UH incantations.

Tablet 6 begins with a long list of characteristics of the Utukku-demon, followed by a litany demanding that different demons not approach the patient. Subsequent incantations describe various kinds of destructive demonic activities, such as gossip and slander ... . ...

Tablet 7 ... intersperses incantations with rituals, usually consisting of sprinkling water treated with herbs over the patient and using a copper drum, called the ‘Hero of Heaven’, to frighten off the demons with its noise."

 

8.

"contains a description of the Alu^-demon ..., but it ends with a unique ritual consisting of the exorcist donning special red robes, holding a raven and falcon in {perched on?} his respective hands, and hanging a mouse and thornbush from the door lintel; the exorcist claims to whip the demons like a stray donkey."

xv

9.

"protecting the house from demons by concentrating on the roles of the household gods as protectors. The god Kusu is enlisted ... to offer protection. [fn. 15 : "The god Kusu also appears in Mis pi^ incantations as the s^angamahhu of Enlil".] ... The house is sealed against demons with bitumen and gypsum."

 

10-11.

"Tablets 10 and 11 (... Address to the Demons) ... concentrating on hymns of praise, in the third person and first person respectively.

... The main demon in Tablet 11 to be countered ... was the ‘Sheriff’ (i.e. Gallu^)-demon."

 

12-15.

"preponderance of the Sibitti, the demonic Seven, as the main antagonists.

Tablet 12 opens ... with the demons being characterised now as storms. A more elaborate consultation appears in this tablet ..., with the goddess Belit-ili featuring in the divine dialogue. ... The patient’s illness is transferred ..., while the patient is protected by a magic circle of flour ... .

Tablets 13, 14, and 15 were combined by ancient editors into a single lengthy tablet ... . ... this time it is Girra who also appears within the framework of the ... dialogue. The incantations now consist of ... referring to the kis^kanu-tree, datepalm, and e>ru-wood ... . The incantations also refer to ... horned alkali, sahlu^, azupiru, and stag-horn, as well as ... wrapping the patient in goat’s hair. These incantations duplicate others from the series Mus^s^u>u."

xvi

16.

"the well-known Eclipse Myth, in which Ishtar and other gods try to eclipse the moon ... . It is Nusku who first brings the plot to the attention of Enlil, who informs Ea".

xviii

 

"the last colophon of Utukku Lemnutu, Tablet 16, contains a catchline to another tablet to follow, with the incipit ‘e’n dingirhyl.’ We can identify this incantation ... with ‘zi-pa`d’ incantations, ... the catchline of tablet 16 suggests that ‘zi-pa`d’ incantations ... were to be recited ... at the end of canonical Utukku Lemnutu."

p. 191 Tablet 1

l.

prayer

5’

"Enbilulu, canal-[keeper of the great gods]"

6’

"Enki"

7’

"The beautiful Ninhursag for whom the seed causes joy"

13’

"[Gula] who always saves (victims)"

15’

"[... Ea], ... lord of the Apsu^"

p. 193 addendum to Tablet 1

l.

deities

14

"S^ulak of the toilet" [evil]

25

"I adjured by by

26

(by) the Anunna gods above and the Anunna gods below,

27

(by) the miscarriage of naditu-priestesses and hierodules".

pp. 195-196 Tablet 2

p.

l.

 

195

 

power derived from the Apsu^

 

19

"Ea recites the incantation,

Ningirimma casts the spell :

 

21

... the wise god Enbilulu, the son of Ea, is available.

 

23

... the great light of the Apsu^,

 

24

the exorcist of the Igigi, the support of the Anunna".

     
   

daimones

196

66

evil fate-demon,

dangerous-asakku disease, ...

 

67

spell,

hex,

magic,

distress,

evil rites".

p. 196, fn. 5 Asakku-disease is "Caused by the violation of a taboo (asakku)."

pp. 197-202 Tablet 3

p.

l.

 
   

adjuration upon disease-causing daimones

197

1

"The Fate (Namtar) who roams in heaven like a spirit,

 

2

(and) the Asakku-demon who rolls in on the earth like a storm, ...

     
   

exorcist protecteth himself

 

14

"I cast the Eridu-spell,

 

17

... be adjured by Ningirsu, lord of the sceptre."

198

66

"I hold Anu’s exalted e’ru-wood sceptre in my hand.

199

67

May Mes-sanga-unug, Kullab’s herald, go behind me ... .

 

68

In order for the good spirit to go on my right,

 

69

and for the good genius to go on the left.

 

70

Ninges^tinanna, the exalted scribe of the netherworld, recites the pure incantation [and liturgy (fn. 9)] in front of me.

 

71

Be adjured by Ningirsu, lord of the weapon."

     
   

exorcist as divine agent

 

79

"They belong to Enki and Ninki,

 

80

they belong to Enkum and Ninkum."

     

200

 

exorcist’s visitation

 

108

"with S^amas^ in front of me

and Sin behind me,

 

109

with Nergal on my right,

 

110

and with Ninurta on my left".

     

202

 

exorcist’s self-praeservation

 

169

"I am the one spawned in Eridu and Ku>ar."

 

175

"May Ningirimma, sister of Anu, be present on my right.

 

176

May Namma, lady of the pure laver, be present on my left."

pp. 204-207 Tablet 4

p.

l.

 

204

 

daimones and the Netherworld

 

40

"In the absence of Belet-s.eri, august scribe of

the Netherworld,

 

41

no foot can enter Hades".

     

205

 

ghosts : having been killed by __

 

83’

enemy

 

84’

drowning

 

85’

storm

 

86’

lion

 

87’

goring by ox

 

88’

being struck by the mast

 

89’

prick of a pin

 

90’

crossing a river

 

91’

leprosy

     
   

deities by whom adjuration is made

 

93’

Sin (god of ships)

 

94’

"Ningal, mistress of the pure cella"

 

95’

"Alammus^, august vizier of Sin"

 

96’

"mace-bearer, Nin-Asilal"

 

97’

Nisaba, throne-bearer of Sin"

 

98’

"Amara>ea, daughter of Sin"

 

99’

"Amarazu (divine) suppiant genie of the cella"

 

100’

Ens^ulgubbu

 

101’

Enki

206

106’

Ninlil

 

107’

"Ensigal-abzu, the divine overseer"

     
   

Ea taketh an interest

 

126’

"Nin-ug, Ninmas^, and Ninhursag,

 

127’

and Eres^kigal, wife of Ninazu,

 

128’

neither bathed nor rinsed (their) mouths."

     
   

ghosts

 

130’

"who rises up from the Netherworld"

 

131’

"who has not bed"

 

132’

virgo intacta

 

133’

lad not yet at puberty

 

134’

abandoned in the steppe

 

135’

died in the steppe

 

136’

abandoned in the steppe uncovered

 

137’

at collapsed riverbank

 

138’

killed [Sum. ‘on a battlefield.’ (fn. 19)]

207

139’

killed by a lion

 

140’

killed by a hound

 

141’

died by drowning [Sum. " ‘in the sea.’" (fn. 20)]

 

142’

died by falling from a roof

 

143’

died by falling from a date-palm

 

144’

drowned by falling from a boat

pp. 208-213 Tablet 5

p.

l.

 
   

ancestry of the daimones

208

2

"the evil Utukku-demons are spawned from the seed of Anu;

 

3

Namtaru (Fate), beloved son of Enlil, is born of Eres^kigal."

209

10

"they are offspring of earth spawned by the seed of Anu."

     
   

types of daimones

 

22

"the hierodule-womb"

 

23

"a wet nurse"

 

24

"a wailing woman"

 

25

"a rogue"

     

210

 

deities by whom adjuration is made

 

45

Enki & Ninki

 

46

Enul-ene & Ninul-ene

 

47

Enbulug-ene & Ninbulug-ene

 

48

Endas^urima & Nindas^urima

 

49

Endukuga & Nindukuga

 

50

Enutila & Ninutila

 

51

Enmes^arra & Ninmes^arra

 

52

father & mother Enlil

 

53

father & mother of Ninlil

 

54

Sin (god of ships)

 

55

"S^amas^, ... judge of the gods"

 

56

Is^tar

 

57

"Nammu, Ea’s mother"

 

58

"Nans^e, Ea’s daughter"

 

59

"Nindara, the shepherd"

 

60

"Pabilsag, (divine) administrator of the Netherworld"

 

61

Ningis^zida, throne-bearer of the Netherworld"

 

62

the 7 "doors of the Netherworld"

 

63

the 7 "locks of the Netherworld"

 

64

"Bidu, doorkeeper of the Netherworld"

 

65

"Hus^bisa, wife of Namtar"

 

66

"Dimku, the daughter of the Apsu^"

     
   

deities by whom exorcist is protected

211

114

Enlil

 

115

Ninlil

 

116

"Ninurta, the mighty hero of Enlil"

 

117

"Nusku, the grand vizier of Enlil"

 

118

"Sin, chief son of Enlil"

 

119

"Is^tar, mistress of the troops"

 

120

"Adad, whose thunder is welcome"

 

121

"S^amas^, lord of judgement"

     
   

descriptions of daimones

212

127

"The Sheriff-demon is a goring ox".

 

142

"The attentive watcher-demon is ...

 

145

with its face flattened like a destroyed mountain."

213

168

"the Seven from the source of the Apsu^

 

170

... grew up in a cella in the source of the Apsu^.

 

171

They are neither male nor female, ...

 

173

they neither marry nor bear children."

     

214

 

Is^tar as defenderess of maiden

 

190

"The woman(= Is^tar) shook the heavens and made the earth quake."

pp. 214-218 Tablet 6

p.

l.

 
   

descriptions of daimones

214

2

"a ghost who constantly flits about the mountain spring."

 

7

"a Sheriff-demon who performs sex crudely."

 

11

"a fate-demon who extends a hand."

215

26

"Utukku-demon [Sum. : "who pays no mind to cries." (fn. 23)]"

     
   

self-description of exorcist

 

28

"I am ... high priest of Ea, ...

 

30

the prince of the Apsu^ (who) commissioned me."

     
   

prohibitions upon daimones from approaching patient

216

70

"You may not sit in his chair,

 

71

nor may you lie in his bed,

 

72

nor go up to his roof,

 

73

nor enter his dwelling."

218

134’

"they must not cross the circumference of the door-jam[b],

 

135’

nor cross the threshold."

pp. 220-225 Tablet 7

p.

l.

 
   

healing ritual

220

10

"the water of an asammu-vessel,

 

11

toss tamarisk and mas^takal into it,

 

12

and put the Eridu incantation into that water.

 

13

Sprinkle that man with water and pass the censer and torch over him".

221

49

"Scatter the zisurru-flour ...

 

50

(of the magic circle) at the outer gate.

 

51

Sprinkle the zibubdubbu^-flour at the door of the [patient’s] house and at the door-bolt."

223

107

"Take some aromatic cedar oil,

 

108

and apply it to the [patient’s] body."

     
   

self- identification of exorcist

 

115

"I belong to Ea,

 

116

I belong to Damkina,

 

117

I am the man of Enlil,

 

118

I am the man of ‘the lord of the roof. ["the god name Lugalurra.’ (fn. 30)]

 

120

... I am the man of the purifying exorcist of the Apsu^,

 

121

(namely) Ninmah, ‘mistress of the mountain."

     
   

dismissal of daimones

224

153

"to your steppe!

 

154

Take your leather pouch,

 

155

take your food offering(s),

 

156

take your leather bag."

225

163

"do not keep standing in corners,

 

163

nor constantly sit in nooks,

 

164

stop circling (the victim) in the dark in the middle of the city,

 

165

or surrounding him in the outskirts,

 

166

(but) go off to the bottom of the Netherworld".

STATE ARCHIVES OF ASSYRIA CUNEIFORM TEXTS, Vol. V = M. J. Geller : Evil Demons : Canonical Utukku Lemnutu Incantations. Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project, Institute for Asian and African Studies, University of Helsinki, 2007.