Incantation & Exorcism (the Āšipu's Craft)
The exorcist read the unseen cause of your suffering — then bound, burned, or banished it by the word.
When affliction was traced to a god's anger, a demon, a ghost, or witchcraft, the specialist who intervened was the ashipu, the exorcist-healer. He diagnosed the unseen cause and performed structured rituals — reciting incantations, manipulating symbolic objects, transferring the evil onto a substitute to be burned or cast away. Great ritual series addressed specific evils: Shurpu and Maqlu against sin and sorcery, others against ghosts or Lamashtu. Often the exorcist worked alongside the physician (asu) with his herbs. Incantation was a learned craft, grounded in the wisdom of Enki/Ea, aimed at restoring a person to wholeness and divine favor.
Key passages(20)
Incantation:' Asare (Akkadian has instead: Marduk) saw your pure clay in the Abzu. ' Your goat is a goat (Akkadian has instead: Your behaviour is the behaviour) of lapis lazuli. Your ear is the ear of
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Apotropaic ritual for dispelling the evil of a dog which cries (and) howls in the house of a man, or has sprinkled a man with its urine, and then the evil of [... ] dog [... ] not [... ] the man and h
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[ Incantation:... ]... mighty [... ], [... ]..., powerful among the elevated gods, [... ] of brightness, lovers of the open country, [ Roamers ] of mountain tracks, who pass through reed-thickets, Saf
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(Sumerian: Incantation). The grievous asakku - demon occurs in a man's body. On the restless man, he covered (him), like a garment: he cannot raise his hand or foot. Ea, the great Prince, lord of the
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[... ] x [... ], may it not return. By your exalted command, [... ]... [... ], and your reliable consent, [... ] cannot be revoked, let me live and be healthy, and let me make your great achievements
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[... ]... [... ] his father [... ] powerful [... ]... walks and [... ]... [... ]... their... [... ] to enemy country [... ] they.... You hold back [... ].... [... ]... [... ].... [... ] Šamaš [... ] s
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In Ayyaru (Month II), the 10th day is the fixed date for the hand removing. The Furrow (then stands in) the Bristle. You put ebony (and) the life-giving - plant in a (bag of) ox skin; you wrap it up i
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Its ritual: you pound together iron powder, imhur - līm-plant, kibrītu - sulphur (and) ruʾtītu - sulphur; you pour (them) into oil; you recite this incantation 7 times for (your) desire. The man's pen
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Incantation: [ It is with you, Marduk ], to heal and keep safe the committing of a beating [... ], (you) who defeated the Asakku-demon. [... ] the taboo of one's god, [ ditto (it is with you, Marduk,
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Namtar (Akkadian: ditto), the powerful demon of the grave, (the demon) of the land of no return! Namtar (Akkadian: ditto), courier of the gods, Namtar (Akkadian: ditto), who afflicts the restless man
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[... ]... you pulverize [... ] water. You recite [... ] 3 times towards the centre. You draw entwined [... ] on the outer door and the breast of the foe and the enemy will be turned away. [... ], the
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[... ] [... you put ] inside [ his ] ears [ and the evil ] afflicting his head [ will be eradicated ]. [ (If) a man while ] walking down the street tumbles head first, his eyes open wide, he does not
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[... ]... [... ] the Asakku-demon. [..., ditto (it is with you, Marduk, to heal and keep safe) ]; [..., ditto (it is with you, Marduk, to heal and keep safe) ]; To go [... ] of one's friend [..., ditt
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[... ] (Akkadian: binding)! The alû - demon (Akkadian: who) covers the man [... ]... this is the binding! Bondages of the land [... ] (that) provoke sickness for the people. The evil [... ] (Akkadian:
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... a woman not having a normal childbirth: At the setting of the sun you isolate (her). You shave (her) body and you put (the hair) in a new leather bag on her 1 neck. You thread copper, lapis lazuli
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[ Incantation ]. The sparrow [... ] from within the Apsu. The oath [... ] from within the sky. The ahhāzu - demon (Sum: dudu - demon) [... ] like greenery. Towards the four cardinal points, they are o
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[ Incantation: ] O merciful [ goddess ], reviver of the dying man, [ whose ] look is life and whose favourable attention is peace; [ wise woman ] among the gods, controller of the populace, holder of
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[... ] ermerged (Akkadian: and) disturbed the people of the land, above (Akkadian: and) below. [... ] will not appease [... ]... (Akkadian: the land), (but) will display gloom; [... ] (Akkadian: the š
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[... ] rock-partridges appear [... ] top of a man [... ] that [... ] will be squandered. (If) rock-partridges settle on top of a man [... ]. Apotropaic ritual for the evil of rock-partridges that sett
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$ 3 lines traces Wording of the ritual to dispel sorcery. Its ritual: [... ] stone of..., stone of..., and... stone. You recite the incantation 3 times. [... ] on his neck. Incantation:' [... ] 7 days
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