In the Sumerian mythological poem ''

Lugal-e The ancient Mesopotamian myth beginning Lugal-e ud me-lám-bi nir-ğál, also known as ''Ninurta's Exploits'' is a great epic telling of the warrior-god and god of spring thundershowers and floods, his deeds, waging war against his mountain rival ...

'', Asag or Azag ( Sumerian: Akkadian: asakku), is a monstrous

demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in Media (communication), media including f ...

, so hideous that his presence alone makes fish boil alive in the rivers. Azag is a personification of winter cold and sicknesses. This demon lives either in the Abyss or in the mountains and is accompanied by an army of rock demon offspring—born of his union with the mountains themselves. He was vanquished by the heroic Akkadian deity

Ninurta Ninurta (: , possible meaning "Lord fBarley"), also known as Ninĝirsu (: , meaning "Lord fGirsu"), is an List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian god associated with farming, healing, hunting, law, scribes, and war who was f ...

, using

Sharur Sharur ( ) is a city in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. It is the administrative centre of the Sharur District. The city is located 66 km northwest of Nakhchivan city, on the Sharur plain. History In a manuscript of the 16th ...

, his enchanted talking mace, after seeking the counsel of his father, the god

Enlil Enlil, later known as Elil and Ellil, is an List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian god associated with wind, air, earth, and storms. He is first attested as the chief deity of the Sumerian pantheon, but he was later worshipped by t ...

Asakku

The name Asakku is used by researchers as either a synonym of Azag or a "variation" in the form of multiple spirits and monsters that prey on humans and kill them by causing

migraine Migraine (, ) is a complex neurological disorder characterized by episodes of moderate-to-severe headache, most often unilateral and generally associated with nausea, and light and sound sensitivity. Other characterizing symptoms may includ ...

References

Sources

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External links

Ninurta defeats the Asag—ETCSL tablet translation
Mesopotamian demons {{MEast-myth-stub