Gods, Demons & Immortals
whose Names Start with 'L'
The immortals of ancient Sumer.
by James W. Bell © 2002-3
Lagamal (also Lagamar)
Lagamal was an Elamite goddess of the Netherworld who, with Ishnikarab, received the dead when sent below. The two goddesses worked with Inshushinak who sat in judgment of the dead.
Lahamu
A primeval Sumerian goddess, the daughter of Abzu and Tiamat. She was the wife of Lahmu and the mother of Anshar and Kishar.
Lahamu's name is sometimes thought of as meaning 'mud,' the silt deposited at a delta where the river meets the sea.
She had no known temples, shrines or sanctuaries.
Lahar
Lahar, a Sumerian god who was the brother of Ashnan, served as the patron god of cattle. He had no known temples, shrines or sanctuaries.
Lahmu
A primeval Sumerian god, the son of Abzu and Tiamat and, with his wife, Lahamu, the father of Anshar and Kishar. He is pictured with a beard and three curls. He shown as naked except for a triple sash.
Lahmu's name is sometimes interpreted to mean 'mud,' like the silt deposited at a delta where the river meets the sea.
He had no known temples, shrines or sanctuaries.
Lamashtu
Lamashtu was a Sumerian she-demon who preyed on unborn and newborn children. She had a hairy body, a lion’s head with donkey's teeth and ears, long fingers with long fingernails and the feet of a bird with sharp talons.
She is often shown standing or kneeling on a donkey while nursing a pig and a dog, and holding snakes in her hands.
Pregnant women wore amulets of the demon, Pazuzu, to protect themselves against Lamashtu.
Like most other demons, Lamashtu had no known temples, shrines or sanctuaries.
For an artist’s picture of Lamashtu, click here.
For a Sumerian incantation prayer against Lamashtu, click here.
Latarak
Latarak was a minor Sumerian god who served as Lulal's sukkal in the E.mushkalamma Temple at Bad-tibira. Latarak had no known temples, sanctuaries or shrines of his own.
Lisin
Lisin, was a Sumerian deity who, in one tradition, was a goddess, the sister of Ashgi and the wife of Ninsikila. In another tradtion, Lisin was a god.
Lisin had no known temples, shrines or sanctuaries.
Lugal-irra
Lugal-irra was a Sumerian god, the little known twin brother of Meslamta-ea. Together, the brothers guarded doorways. In one tradition, they were guards at the doorway to the Netherworld, dismembering the dead as they entered.
Lugal-irra had no known temples, shrines or sanctuaries.
Lukur Maidens (also see Bau)
The Lukur Maidens were Zazaru, Nipae, Urnuntaea, Hegirnuna, Heshaga, Zargu and Zurgu, the seven daughters of Bau, who served in her temple.
Lulal
The younger son of Inanna. Lulal served as the patron diety of Bad-tibira while his older brother, Shara, served as the patron diety of the neighboring city of Umma.
*[ In my stories, Inanna replaced Dumuzi with Lulal, making him god of Bad-tibira, a prosperous city filled with smoke from copper smelteries. Lulal was a reticent god who worked with the traders and played little part in Inanna's adventures and rise to power. ]*
The E.mushkalamma Temple, 'House, Foundation of the Land,' located in Bad-tibira, originally dedicated to Dumuzi when it was built, was later re-dedicated to Lulal when Inanna appointed him god of the city.
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