L for Lamassu

This week’s L-themed Alphabeast finds us with a Mesopotamian hybrid that wiggled his way into iconography of the Assyrian, Sumerian and Babylonian cultures of old. I’m pretty sure eventually a Ghostbuster will have to fight this guy. This kind of creature with the body of a bull (or sometimes a lion), the wings of an eagle and the head of bearded hipster can be identified by many names including Shedu, Aladlammu and, in a female form, Apsasu. But, most commonly, he’s just called the good ol’ Lamassu. A Lamassu is generally thought of as a protective spirit, especially as a protector of kings and cities. Great statues of the Lamassu are found in pairs at the gates of ancient cities and palaces of the Mesopotamian region. Less frequently, these beasts are found inscribed on clay tablets that have been buried beneath the homes of commoners. And that’s the la-la-la-la-Lamassu!

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