A NEO-BABYLONIAN OBSIDIAN LAMASHTU MAGICAL PENDANT WITH AGATE BEAD NECKLACE

JEWELLERY THE PROPERTY OF A LADY

Details

A NEO-BABYLONIAN OBSIDIAN LAMASHTU MAGICAL PENDANT WITH AGATE BEAD NECKLACE
CIRCA 9TH-7TH CENTURY B.C. AND LATER
The rectangular amuletic pendant with broad suspension loop above, side A: depicting the evil winged goddess, Lamashtu, in profile to the left, with characteristic head of a lion, donkey ears and feet in the form of bird talons, holding snakes in her hands, side B: 6 lines of cuneiform text derived from an exorcistic incantation against Lamashtu, minor chips, 2¼ x 1½ in. (5.8 x 3.9 cm.); strung on a necklace of polished cylindrical, lentoid, spherical and tear-drop beads with fine brown and white veining, with gold spacers, restrung with modern clasp, 20 in. (51 cm.) long

Lot Essay

Cf. Das Vorderasiatische Museum, Berlin, 1992, pp. 130-131, no. 96 for two other Lamashtu plaques.

Lamashtu's principal victims were unborn and newly born babies; both miscarriages and deaths of babies were attributed to her. Lamashtu plaques of stone and metal were created therefore to magically protect the wearer against the goddess depicted on them.

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