Alu- Mesopotamian DemonDemon
Also known as: Alû
Domains
Description
A malevolent night demon with no mouth, no lips, no ears. The Alu attacked sleepers, pressing down on their chests and pinning them in nightmares they could not wake from. It could not be reasoned with or spoken to. Only an exorcist's incantation could drive it away.
Mythology & Lore
The Attack
The Alu lurked in dark corners and waited for its victim to fall asleep. It hovered over the sleeper and pressed down. Dreams turned to nightmares. The victim woke paralyzed, unable to move or scream, aware of a presence in the dark.
The Alu had no face. No mouth, no ears. It could not speak and could not hear. Victims could not plead with it or address it.
The Exorcist
Protection required an ashipu, a specialist in magical defense against demons. The ashipu recited incantations invoking Marduk and Ea, named the Alu, and commanded it to depart by divine authority. Specific incantations survive on cuneiform tablets. Amulets and figurines of protective beings were buried beneath doorways to prevent the demon from entering.
When a patient presented symptoms of nighttime terror and paralysis, the diagnosis was clear. Treatment combined incantation with fumigation and protective anointing.