Ancient Vampire Legends
The Uruku -- also known as Utukku -- are vampires of a demonic nature who would torment their victims through possessions. According to Sumerian myth there were three basic vampires, the Ekimmu, the Uruku (Utukku), and the Seven Demons.[1]
In Sumerian mythology, Utukku could be evil or benevolent. In Akkadian mythology, they called this type of vampire Uttuki. Uttuki serviced the underworld with seven evil demons. These demons were the offspring of Anu, a Mesopotamian god and Antu, an Akkadian goddess.
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Exorcism of Demons
Babylonians and Assyrians of Mesopotamia believed that there was a way to exorcism the demons. They would spin white and black yarn to the canopy of a person bed, inflicted with the evil. Once the yarn was placed, the following chant would be said:
Evil utukku, evil âlû, evil êdimmu, evil gallu, evil god, evil rabisu, labartu, labasu, âhhazu, lilu, lilithu, handmaid of lilu, sorcery, enchantment, magic, disaster, machination which is not good--may they not set their head to his head, their hand to his hand, their foot to his foot--may they not draw near. Spirit of heaven, mayest thou exorcise, spirit of earth, mayest thou exorcise.[2].
This was only the beginning of the ceremony. The Babylonians believed that many rights and ceremonies had to be conducted to wash away the evil from someone.
Modern Culture
In today’s culture Utukku has become well known in video games, movies and novels. A popular video game, Final Fantasy XI, includes a character with the name Utukku. Utukku is portrayed as a ghost/wraith monster. Dungeons and Dragons another well known game, also features an Utukku vampire. Utukku appear in Dungeons and Dragons as an outsider from Tartarus that looks like a lion-like humanoid with a quilled mane and a scaly body.[3] They sometimes come to the Prime Material Plane to spread misery and evil and to gather. Series such as, Babylon Rising, by Tim LaHaye, feature Utukku. Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogies by Tad Williams as well as Jonathon Stroud trilogy Bartimeaus, all feature a character by the name Utukku.
Closing
Although there are many resources on Utukku, little is known about this Mesopotamia/Sumeria vampire. It has been portrayed in today’s culture as video game characters, figures in literature, and movies but Utukku still remains mysterious.
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Notes
- ↑ The Truth: A Document About Vampires, http://www.darknessembraced.com/vampire/content/view/120/32/, referenced 03/18/2009
- ↑ Pinches, Thophilus G., The Demons: Exorcisms and Ceremonies, World Wide School Library, http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/relg/non-christiancomparative/TheReligionofBabyloniaandAssyria/chap6.html, referenced 03/20/2009
- ↑ Dungeons & Dragons Creature Catalog #89 (September 1984)