Demons

Demons

In ancient Egypt demons were similar to the djinns and afrits of Arab culture. Demons were minor divinities, associated with caves, pits, tombs, and bodies of water - all of which were considered to be entrances to the underworld. Shown defined by their actions, behavior, and location, demons guarded the gates of the Duat and hunted sinners. The Duat was thought to be guarded by 1,000 demons of many kinds and many forms, some winged, others standing up on human legs, with the heads of lions, turtles, dogs, vipers, hippopotamuses, or rams. Most demons spat fire and were armed with knives. These demons were some of the many hazards that the deceased had to face on their journey to the Afterlife, warding them off with with magical amulets and their Book of the Dead.

Texts tell that demons sought to "tear away the mummy wrappings and uncover the bodies", which were left to decompose. Demons threatened to "sever limbs and heads from bodies and flesh from bones," as well as "steal the heart and leave the Ba separated from the body, forever unable to return."

Not just a hazard to the deceased, demons were thought to bring illnesses to the living, and incense was burned to repel them. Magical wands banished them from mothers and children. The two most feared were Apophis, the great Enemy of Ra, and Ammit, the devourer of souls.

However, demons were thought to be under the command of the gods - the goddess Sekhmet was thought to send the Seven Demons of Plague, and to protect people from them. Osiris had 42 assistant demons that the deceased had to address in the Duat - the deceased had to issue a denial of sin to each of these jurors: "O Blood-eater, I have not stolen milk from the mouth of a baby." Sometimes statues of demons were placed into the tombs of the deceased, in order gain their aid in the Duat. Demons were sometimes addressed as Netjer, a general term for "gods." Interestingly, Egyptian texts show that it was possible for a demon to be freed from its subordinate role and responsibilities and to become a "greater god" through a process of promotion, showing that the difference between demons and gods was primarily one of degree rather than type.

Examples of names of demons are //Sahekek// ("He Who Causes Headaches"), Flame-eyed, Sharpest of Them All, Existing on Maggots, Biter of Heads, Mistress of the Altar, She of Duration, Splitter of Heads, Slicer of Souls, Hands of Fire, Great of Power, Green of Flame, Crusher of Bones, Pale One, Serpent with Raised Head, You of the Darkness, Hot Foot, Companion of Death, Unknown Name, Watchman, Face Turned Behind Him, Eater of Entrails, Demolisher, Doubly Evil, Bone-Crusher, Shining-Tooth, Comes Forth as Death, Flint-Eyes, Flame-grasper, Repulsive of Face, Bone-smasher, Fiend from the Slaughterhouse, Wide-of-Stride, Shadow-eater, Spitter of Blood, Savage-faced, Fiery One, Hippopotamus-faced, Creature of Many Forms, Flame-thrower, Long-legged, Listener in the Dark, Gobbler of Feces, Cave-dweller, Dog-faced, Wanderer, Swallower of Shadows, and Carrying My Own Face.

In some instances, the names of demons seem to have been the titles of the gods - "Long Nose (Beaky)" (Thoth), "Mistress of Anger" (Sekhmet), "White of Teeth" (Sobek), "Beheader of Rebels" (Mafdet) and "Voice of Thunder" (Set.) This indicates that demons were not in fact separate entities but rather the forms the gods took when angered.


 * Quotes from the Book of the Dead and other sources:**

Spell to Repel Demons from a Mother and Child

Spell Against Sickness

Egyptian Deities - D