science

Lamashtu

Lamashtu is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Lamashtu rather than just read about it. In short: In Mesopotamian mythology, Lamashtu (𒀭𒈕𒈨; Akkadian dLa-maš-tu; Sumerian Dimme dDim3-me or Kamadme), the daughter of the sky god Anu, is a demonic Mesopotamian deity that spread disease and was widely blamed as the cause of miscarriages and cot deaths. Although Lamashtu has traditionally been identified as a demoness, the fact that she could cause evil on her own without the permission of other deities strongly in…

Key takeaways

Lamashtu belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Lamashtu to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Lamashtu from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In Mesopotamian mythology, Lamashtu (𒀭𒈕𒈨; Akkadian dLa-maš-tu; Sumerian Dimme dDim3-me or Kamadme), the daughter of the sky god Anu, is a demonic Mesopotamian deity that spread disease and was widely blamed as the cause of miscarriages and cot deaths. Although Lamashtu has traditionally been identified as a demoness, the fact that she could cause evil on her own without the permission of other deities strongly indicates that she was seen as a goddess in her own right. Mesopotamian peoples protected themselves against her using amulets and talismans. She was believed to ride in her boat on the river of the underworld and she was associated with donkeys.

Characterization

Appearance Lamashtu has the "head of a lion, the teeth of a donkey, naked breasts, a hairy body, hands stained (with blood?), long fingers and fingernails, and the feet of Anzû".

Character Lamashtu's father was the sky god Anu. Unlike many other usual demonic figures and depictions in Mesopotamian lore, Lamashtu was said to act in malevolence of her own accord, rather than at the gods' instructions. Along with this, her name was written together with the cuneiform determinative indicating deity, making her a goddess in her own right. Lamashtu's main victims were unborn or newly born babies, and by extension pregnant women. She touched the woman's stomach seven times to kill the baby, or kidnap it from the wet nurse. Babies and young children were not her sole victims, as those also included adolescents, adults and even old people. In this instance, Lamashtu functions as a bringer of disease.

Mesopotamian sources

Sumerian and Akkadian Literature

Atra-Hasis Myth

Pashittu/Pašittu, "the Exterminator", which is a name of Lamashtu, appears in the Atra-hasis myth to keep the population growth in check. Enki, during his speech, says:Let there be the pašittu-demon among the people, to snatch the baby from its mother's lap.In this myth, Lamashtu is part of the divine order, which represents a minority view that does not seem to inform the exorcistic rituals, as in those, the gods help against her, and she does not operate on divine assignment.

Names Lamashtu's seven names are frequently encountered in incantations and on amulets. The incantation opens by addressing Lamashtu, "Dimme/Kamadme, daughter of Anu", and the names that follow appear like descriptive epithets. One of Lamashtu's obscure names is "adopted daughter of Irnina", while in other occassions, she borrows the name of goddess Inanna.

One amulet example that includes Lamashtu's names is AO 8184:Oh, 'Dimme'. 'Daughter of Anu', 'Who was named by the gods', 'Victoria, heroine among ladies', 'Dimme (or: Lamaštu) the exalted', 'Who holds the evil Asakku in a tight grip', 'South Wind weighing heavily on mankind',

you must not approach (this) person.

Astrology LBAT 1597 is an astral-medical text. It mentions diseases, which are all ascribed to celestial influences.6. If (the moon is) in the region of Taurus and Orion, joint-disease, vertigo, maškadu-disease, šû-disease, seizure; [alternatively] lamaštu-disease (lit. 'Daughter of Anu') (in) Orion (and) Saturn. 9. If (the moon is) in the region of Leo, lamaštu, labašu, and ahhazu-demons, the seized-by-lamaštu(-disease), seized by lamaštu day-and-night(-disease), the god is a lion related to a belligerent god, Ištar, and Hand of the Ghost-disease, (in the region of) Venus and Leo.

Relationship with spirits The demon Pazuzu was invoked to protect birthing mothers and infants against Lamashtu's malevolence, usually on amulets and statues. Although Pazuzu was said to be bringer of famine and drought, he was also invoked against evil for protection, and against plague, and was primarily and popularly invoked against his fierce, malicious rival Lamashtu. Although Pazuzu frequently appears on amulets, he is absent from the Lamashtu rituals.

Magical Corpus

Lamashtu Incantations Lamashtu incantations were gathered and published by Walter Farber. One such incantation against Lamashtu is the following:

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Lamashtu

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Lamashtu claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Lamashtu before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Lamashtu ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Lamashtu

In research: Lamashtu appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Lamashtu in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Lamashtu is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Donkey deities, Evil goddesses, Female legendary creatures, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Lamashtu outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Lamashtu in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Lamashtu means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Lamashtu out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lamashtu in simple terms?

Why does Lamashtu matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Lamashtu?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Lamashtu.