Alal

Alal is a demon from ancient Mesopotamian mythology, mainly known for bringing destruction and acting as an agent of divine punishment. It is part of a group of underworld spirits sent by higher gods to harm cities or people deemed arrogant or sinful.

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Overview

Attribute	Details
Primary Name	Alal
Other Names	Alalû
Titles	Destroyer
Gender	Genderless
Alignment	Chaotic Evil
Role	Bringer of destruction, tempter, tormentor of humans
Rank	Minor underworld demon
Hierarchy	Serves greater gods (e.g., agents of divine wrath); subordinates: none known
Legions / Followers	None
Appearance	Theriocephalous monster with human body, lion head with open jaws, dog ears, horse mane, bird claws for feet; alternatively, formless or shapeshifting spirit lacking mouth, ears, or limbs
Powers & Abilities	Destruction of cities and lands, temptation leading to sin, induction of nightmares and illness, shapeshifting, draining life force
Associated Figures	Alû, Ereshkigal, Nergal, Pazuzu, Lamashtu, Gallu demons, Utukku, Enki, Inanna, Ninurta, Anu, Marduk, Ashur, Enlil, Ea, Ishtar, Humbaba, Rabisu, Namtar
Weaknesses	Amulets, incantations, protective rituals, exorcisms
Opposing Forces	Pazuzu (used for protection), gods like Enki and Marduk
Pantheon	Mesopotamian
Region of Origin	Mesopotamia (Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, Assyria)
First Known Appearance	Third millennium BCE, Sumerian period
Primary Sources	Sumerian and Akkadian incantation texts, Maqlû series, Udug-hul (Evil Demons) series

Description

In Mesopotamian beliefs, Alal stands for chaos and divine punishment. It shows the unpredictable and destructive forces that the gods use against people when order is broken or arrogance takes over.

As a spirit from the underworld, Alal reminds people how fragile life is when faced with supernatural anger. It helps keep balance by causing destruction and temptation. Alal also shows the fear of hidden evil forces that bring bad luck for no clear reason, which is why people used rituals for protection.

Appearance

Alal is usually shown as a monster with a human body and animal features. It has a lion’s head with open jaws and sharp teeth, a dog’s ears, and a horse’s mane. Its feet often have bird-like claws. In some incantations, Alal is described as a shapeless spirit without a mouth, lips, ears, anus, or limbs, making it seem ghostly and hard to detect.

History

Origins in the Underworld

Alal is one of the evil spirits that came from Kur, the Mesopotamian underworld. In this belief system, the underworld was home to chaotic forces that could rise up and harm the living. The entity belonged to a group of demons created by ancient powers or underworld gods, and its job was to carry out divine punishments.

Role in Divine Punishment

The higher gods sent Alal when people or cities became too proud or broke the gods’ rules. Stories say Alal would attack these places, destroying buildings and causing great damage as a sign of divine anger. People saw Alal’s arrival as a warning of disaster and performed rituals to try to prevent it.

Incantations and Protective Rituals

Alal appears often in exorcism texts, where priests called on higher gods to trap and remove the spirit. They would look for signs like sickness or nightmares to find Alal, then transfer it to a figurine that was burned or crushed. These rituals changed over time as people kept trying to fight hidden dangers.

Association with Other Underworld Forces

Alal worked with other spirits, such as Gallu and Utukku, to carry out orders from the underworld. In some stories, it was part of a group of seven devils serving Ereshkigal, dragging souls or tempting people to sin. These actions showed the line between the living and the dead and the gods’ power over fate.

Genealogy

Alal comes from the Mesopotamian underworld, and its background is explained in different myths. It is often seen as the child of underworld gods, especially Ereshkigal, the queen of the underworld, and Nergal, the god of death and war.

Some stories say Alal was born from chaos gods, showing its link to disorder. Its ties to other demons like Gallu and Utukku highlight its place among spirits that carry out the gods’ will.

Attribute	Details
Parents	Anu and Ki (primordial origins)
Siblings	Other underworld demons (e.g., gallu class)
Consorts	None
Offspring	None
Other Relationships	Serves Ereshkigal and Nergal

Sources

Source	Quote
Sumerian and Akkadian incantation series (e.g., Udug-hul)	The evil Alû which seizes mankind…
Maqlû (Burning) series	The Alû demon which has no mouth…

Powers

Alal brings destruction by attacking certain places, destroying buildings, and people with great force as a sign of the gods’ anger. It leaves lands in ruins to warn against pride.

The demon sneaks into homes without being noticed, attacking people in their sleep and causing serious sickness, headaches, fevers, and weakness with no clear reason.

Alal also tricks people into making bad choices by taking on different forms, leading to both spiritual and physical harm. It can drain a person’s life force, especially from the weak, causing nightmares, bad luck, or even death.

As a ghostly spirit, Alal can overcome barriers and enter people or places to possess or torment them from within. It spreads chaos until a ritual drives it out.

Occult correspondences

Attribute	Details
Planet	Mars
Zodiac Sign	Scorpio
Element	Earth
Direction	South
Color	Black
Number	7
Metal	Iron
Crystal / Mineral	Obsidian
Herb / Plant	Mandrake
Incense	Sulfur
Sacred Animal / Symbol	Lion

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