Pictures of Lilith

The above figure is of an eighteenth-century Persian amulet for protection against Lilith. The central figure is Lilith bound with Her arms spread out. On her body is written "Protect this newborn child from all harm." (Hurwitz translation.) Abover Lilith is a reference to Numbers 6:22-27. Below Her is a reference to Psalms 121. To either side is the name of Eve, Adam, and Hebrew matriarchs and patriarchs. This figure is found in Scholem's Kabbalah Page 360. The figure was rendered from Siegmund Hurwitz's Lilith: The First Eve, and is Copyright (c) by both authors. (See Book reviews.)


Another protective amulet. The angels Sanvai, Sansanuai, and Semanglof are pictured in the first (left) panel. These were the three angels sent by YHWH, on behalf of Adam, to return Lilith to the Garden of Eden and Adam. She refused, of course. The archangel Sandalphon later compelled Her to return. The names of the three angels are used on amulets to protect newborns from Lilith. This figure is found in T. Schrire's Hebrew Amulets Page 118. The figure was rendered from Siegmund Hurwitz's Lilith: The First Eve, and is Copyright (c) by both authors. (See Book reviews.)


A beautiful silver Kurdistan amulet. The inner panel, Line One-- Lilith; Line Two-- Aviti, Abizu; Line Three-- Amrusu, Hakash, Odem; Line Four-- Ik, Pudu, Ayil, Matruta; Line Five-- Avgu, Kish, Shatrugah, Kali. The outer row, Top is a 42-letter name of God; the bottom, the name of Shaddai, Trigrammaton. All translations by S. Hurwitz. The figure was rendered from Siegmund Hurwitz's Lilith: The First Eve, and is Copyright (c) by the author. (See Book reviews.)


The Burney Relief, c2,000 - c1,950 BCE. Sumerian. Shows a very beautiful naked winged Goddess, standing on two lions, with a night owl on both sides. She wears a turban on Her head, the significance of which is unknown. The objects She holds are unknown. Some scholars believe She is a winged Ishtar, since she is very beautiful, naked, and standing on lions. However, this seems highly unlikely, since Ishtar is not known to be winged, nor is she associated with night owls. The night owl is, of course, one of Lilith's animals. Lilith's feet are those of an owl or a Ku-bird (storm petrel), with the talons of a bird of prey--- definately not an Ishtar attribute.