Pazuzu: Mesopotamian Demon from 'The Exorcist' and NC Couple Arrested for Cannibalistic Murders

“The man in khaki prowled the ruins, The Temple of Nabu. The Temple of Ishtar. He sifted vibrations. At the palace of Ashurbanipal he paused; then shifted a sidelong glance to a limestone statue hulking in situ: ragged wings; taloned feet; bulbous, jutting, stubby penis and a mouth stretched taught in feral grin. The demon Pazuzu.”^1.

In my current project, Evil Archaeology, the demon Pazuzu is featured prominently on the cover. Some may recognize this demon from the novel and film, The Exorcist, both of which open in Iraq at an archaeological excavation. At the site, (which is currently at risk from ISIS), a priest feels strong southwesterly wind blowing, foreshadowing the arrival of Pazuzu, demon of the southwestern wind and bearer of storms and drought in Assyrian and Babylonian mythology.

In my upcoming book, I am investigating the archaeological record for artifacts and evidence of evil entities. I am examining the history and lore behind real relics, believed to be haunted or possessed. I am also looking at demonology and document how many of the ancient Mesopotamian demons and deities, like Pazuzu, have influenced Christian beliefs in demonic entities. I feature interviews and accounts from real exorcists.

As I have been putting the book together, one question keeps coming up. Are there ancient malevolent entities at work in our world today? This question was recently addressed in the form of a disturbing news report out of North Carolina.

Authorities say, a self-described Satanist, who legally changed his name to Pazuzu, allegedly told friends he had been eating parts of his victims’ bodies before burning and burying them in his backyard. Pazuzu Illah Algarad, born as John Alexander Lawson, told psychiatrists that he practiced a Sumerian religion that involved monthly ritual sacrifice of a small animal. Every month during what he called the “black moon,” he would make animal sacrifices to Pazuzu.

Pazuzu Illah Algarad, 35, (left) and his 'wife' Amber Nicole Burch, 24, were arrested and charged with murder after the skeletal remains of two men were discovered in shallow graves behind their home.

So far, two skeletons have been exhumed from the backyard of Pazuzu Illah Algarad and Amber Nicole Burch, whom he called his wife on Facebook. The couple have been held without bail while the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office investigates whether more human remains are buried in the property.

Tonight, as I type this post, there is a very windy front coming in from the southwest. In the dark with only the light from a candle and my computer, I can’t help but feel a chill as I notice the wind whistle through the trees. Pazuzu, demon of the southwest wind, is he working in our world today? Certainly, this couple from North Carolina were 100% to blame for their heinous acts, but what or who was their professed inspiration? Pazuzu.

Inspiration, from Latin inspirare, meaning to breathe or blow into, the word was originally used to describe when a supernatural being imparts an idea to someone. What is possession but an evil spiritual entity, inhabiting a willing person, encouraging them to do evil things in the name of that demon? Although demons may not be tangible, or arguably even real, this recent criminal case leaves me questioning the criteria for demonic possession. Were these criminals simply suffering from psychological disturbances, or had the Pazuzu spirit found willing avatars to carry out his horrendous deeds? 

I will be considering this as I look into what it really means to be possessed in my research for Evil Archaeology. I am scheduled to meet with an exorcist for an interview in a few weeks. Maybe he will be able to shed some more light on this for me.

___________________

1. Blatty, William Peter. The exorcist. New York: Harper & Row, 1971.

Sumerian Music: Listen to the World's Oldest Song

Lately, there has been a story floating around the internet about the discovery of the “world’s oldest song,” a Sumerian hymn that was translated from a clay tablet. While a fascinating story worthy of excitement and discussion, it is not a new story. The song came from a collection of music inscribed in cuneiform on clay tablets, excavated in the early 1950s in the ancient Amorite city of Ugarit. 

Ugarit Corbel: The Entrance to the royal palace where

 the Hurrian songs were found.

 These clay tablets date to approximately 1400 BCE, making the songs the oldest found so far. They are Hurrian songs that include a 3,400 year-old cult hymn called Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal, or A Zaluzi to the Gods. The hymn is known to archaeologists as simply, h.6, and is of an unknown composer(s).

Head of Ningal

Nikkal, or Nikkal-wa-Ib, was a goddess of Ugarit/Canaan and later Phoenicia. Her Sumerian equivalent is the goddess Ningal, the mother of Inanna and Ereshkigal. Nikkal was the goddess of orchards, whose name derives from Akkadian/West Semitic "´Ilat ´Inbi" meaning "Goddess of Fruit.”

In the sixties, Anne Kilmer, a professor of Assyriology at the University of California, interpreted the musical notation using mathematic calculations. According to Professor Kilmer, the tablets found were primarily lists of numbers for mathematical operations, along with instructions for a singer accompanied by a nine-stringed sammûm, a type of lyre. Once Professor Kilmer was able to understand the mathematical function of the coefficient numbers, researchers were able to conclude that the tablets were, indeed, related to numbers and not just a coincidence. From there, they were able to translate the music. 

It was widely believed that the harmony did not exist before the ancient Greek Delphic Hymns, but thanks to these tablets and the work of researchers like Professor Kilmer, we can now say that harmony existed 3,400 years ago! There have been numerous musicians arranging and recording the tune, many with their own creative interpretations. However, I happen to like the following version most because it is based on the original transcription of the melody, as interpreted by Professor Richard Dumbrill, a leading expert in the archaeomusicology of the Ancient Near and Middle East and founder of ICONEA, (International Conference of Near Eastern Archaeomusicology).

Have a listen! For all you musicians out there, here is a link to the sheet music so you can give it a go.