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.