Demonic Deity of Ancient Mesopotamia

I am Pazuzu, son of Ḫanpu, king of the evil wind-demons, I ascended a mighty mountain that quaked, and the winds that I ran into there were headed West. One by one, I broke their wings.

Pazuzu, son of Hanbu, brother to Humbaba, is king of the wind demons. He is reputed to control the west and south-west winds which bring famine during the dry season and tearing storms and locusts during the rainy season. Through these winds he sends disease, plague and pestilence into households.

However, as he is considered the force behind the destructive winds and their threat, he is also considered the best defence against them. Though Pazuzu is himself an evil spirit, he drives and frightens away other evil spirits, therefore protecting humans against plagues and misfortunes.

Prayers to Pazuzu are intended to divert his natural inclination toward destruction to the more benevolent ends of protection.

In particular he was protective of pregnant women and mothers, whom he could defend from the machinations of the demoness Lamashtu, his rival.

Pazuzu is represented in statuettes and engravings with bulging eyes in a canine face, a scaly body, snake-headed penis, the talons of a large bird, and enormous wings.

Amulets carved of his hideous face are thought to ward off evil, but idolatry of any great stature is thought to bring the ill winds of his attention instead.

Pazuzu’s first age incarnation is: Ezekiel