Pazuzu
Mesopotamian demon / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Assyro-Babylonian god Pazuzu. For other uses, see Pazuzu (disambiguation).
In ancient Mesopotamian religion, Pazuzu (Akkadian: 𒀭𒅆𒊒𒍪𒍪, romanized: pà.zu.zu)[2] is a personification of the southwestern wind, and held kingship over the lilu wind demons.
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As an apotropaic entity, he is considered as both a destructive and dangerous wind, but also as a repellant to other demons, one who safeguards the home from their influence. In particular he protects pregnant women and mothers, whom he could defend from the machinations of the demoness Lamashtu, his rival. He is invoked in ritual and representations of him are used as defence charms.
Hanpu is his father. He has connections to other wind deities such as Lamashtu and the Lilû demons, other protective demons, and the foreign Egyptian dwarf deity Bes.