Udug

In Sumerian mythology, the utukku were a type of spirit or demon that could be either benevolent or evil. In Akkadian mythology, they were referred to as utukki, were seven evil demons who were the offspring of Anu and Antu.

The evil utukku were called Edimmu or Ekimmu; the good utukku were called shedu. One of the best known of The evil Utukku is Alû.

Mythology

Akkadian

They were siblings of the Anunnaki. They were in the service of the underworld, and were required to fetch home the fruit of the sacrifices and burnt offerings, which generally consisted of the blood, liver, and other "sweetmeats" of the sacrificed animal. It has also been the subject of an Internet art website of the same name.

Popular culture

Utuk'ku is the name given to the wicked queen of the Norns in Tad Williams' fantasy trilogy Memory, Sorrow and Thorn.

Utukku appear in Dungeons & Dragons in "Creature Catalog", Dragon #89 (September 1984). It is an outsider from Tartarus that looks like a lion-like humanoid with a quilled mane and a scaly body. They sometimes come to the Prime Material Plane to spread misery and evil and to gather treasure.

Utukku makes an appearance in the video game Final Fantasy XI as a ghost/wraith-class monster.

There are also Utukku djinn in the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. The Utukku, Baztuk and Xerxes guard the trapped Bartimaeus, (Who is trapped in an Orb of Sorrow) but they are both killed by Jabor, who is in the form of an eagle.

The Utukki appear as the main villains in the series Babylon Rising by Tim LaHaye.

See also

• Alal
• Alû
• Asakku
• Edimmu

External links

• The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria
• An Overview of Mesopotamian Literature
• Sources on Mesopotamian mythology (Viewed 2006.2.12)
• The Demons: Exorcisms and Ceremonies