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Ancient Persian Gods, Heroes, and Creatures - The Complete List
The term 'mythology' comes from the Greek mythos (story-of-the-people) and logos (word or speech), meaning the spoken story of a people. Every civilization of the ancient world developed a belief system, which is characterized as 'mythology'...
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Demon Ridge-end Tile, Nara
A ridge-end roof tile in the form of a demon face, Nakayama kiln, Nara, Japan. Nara Period (710-794 CE). (Tokyo National Museum)
Definition
Pazuzu
Pazuzu is an Assyrian/Babylonian demonic god who was most popular in the first millenium BCE. He was the son of Hanbi (also Hanba), king of the demons of the underworld, and brother to Humbaba, the demon-god protector of the Cedar Forest...
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Yaksha or Demon Guardians at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Six pairs of giant demon guardians flank all entrances to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand. They are known as yaksha or in Thai are simply called yak (giant), and they are Buddhist gods that protect against evil spirits...
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Ravana the Demon King
A depiction of Ravana the rakshasa Demon king. In the Hindu epic poem 'Ramayana' Ravana is defeated by the hero Rama.
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Face of the Demon Humbaba
Face of the demon Humbaba (Huwawa), a monster featured and slaughtered in the Epic of Gilgamesh, from Sippar, Southern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, Old Babylonian Period, 1800-1600 BCE. This example of his features was used in the interpretation...
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Hittite relief of a Winged Lion-Headed Demon at Yazilikaya
Entrance to Chamber B of the Yazilikaya Hittite Rock Sanctuary near Hattusa (13th century BCE) with a relief of a winged, lion-headed demon.
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Urartian Ivory Demon
This is a griffin-headed demon of white ivory. Both arms are raised (the right is lost), probably to support a throne. From Toprakkale, Eastern Anatolia, in modern-day Turkey. Urartian, 8th to 7th century BCE. (The British Museum, London).
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Three-Headed Demon
Etruscan three-headed Demon from a pediment relief found in Orvieto (Italy). Dated to around 480 BCE.
Altes Museum, Berlin.
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Urartian Winged Demon
Ivory figure of a griffin-headed demon, from Altıntepe, an Urartian fortress and temple located in eastern Anatolia, 8-7th BCE.
Museum of Anatolian Civilisation, Ankara.