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." |
|
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.