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Fascinating thread on djinn, a type of invisible being in Middle Eastern and Islamic folklore, that specifically cause illness, with insights into the medical culture that made space for both natural and “supernatural” via @aaolomi #folklorethursday
Assyrian and Babylonian medicine made space for natural explanations (snake bites, fevers) alongside the demons, gods, ghosts, and other forces thought to cause illness.
For example, Ishtar, goddess of love and war, was responsible for sexual dysfunction.
For example, Ishtar, goddess of love and war, was responsible for sexual dysfunction.
The Babylonian and Assyrian demon Pazuzu, the baddy of “The Exorcist”, gets a bad rap but was actually used to ward off other demons.
Depicted with a human head and canine jaws, protruding ribs, bird’s talons, and arms that end in claws, he was terrifying, but apotropaically so.
Depicted with a human head and canine jaws, protruding ribs, bird’s talons, and arms that end in claws, he was terrifying, but apotropaically so.
