Al Karısı-Lilith-Lamasthu

Hello, dear horror enthusiasts.
Welcome to another mysterious night, dark wanderers! Tonight, we delve into the second part of our series where we share the horror stories of Anatolia. You will find yourself within the dark tale rising from the depths of history. A legend whispered from the darkest corners of our folk culture begins with the terrifying story of Al Karısı behind the shadow enveloping maternity rooms. This story invites you on a mysterious journey that stretches back 4000 years to the civilizations of Sumer and Akkad, even reaching the Middle Asian Göktengri religion and Lilith in Jewish beliefs. From caves where jinn dance to dark entities targeting the lungs of mothers and babies, it's an extensive tale. Are you ready? Because tonight, darkness is ready to draw you in.
Perhaps one of the most prominent horror legends in our folk culture, Al Karısı, is a fear figure you can find almost everywhere in Anatolia. The origins of this fear element take us back to ancient times, around 4000 BC, to a Sumerian myth related to Lamashtu and Pazuzu.
Lamashtu, a female demon, monster, malicious goddess, or semi-goddess, had a hairy body, a lioness's head, donkey's teeth and ears, long fingers and nails, and bird feet equipped with sharp claws. Often depicted riding on a donkey, holding a few snakes, and breastfeeding a pig and a dog simultaneously.Lamashtu threatened women giving birth and attempted to abduct their babies during breastfeeding. She would gnaw on the bones and drink the blood of the kidnapped children. She ranked among the most feared creatures of ancient times as she preyed on the weak and defenseless innocents. The only thing that could protect women and babies from her was Pazuzu.Pazuzu, in Sumerian and Akkadian mythologies, was the king of wind demons and the son of the god Hanbi. Usually depicted with a male body and the head of either a dog or a lion, Pazuzu had claws instead of feet, a pair of wings, and a scorpion's tail. His right hand pointed upward, while his left hand hung downward, symbolizing meanings associated with life and death or creation and destruction.People used to wear Pazuzu amulets to protect themselves from the malicious Lamashtu, believed to harm mothers and babies during childbirth. In Anatolia and Mesopotamia, there were many Pazuzu statues in cities during those times for protection against Lamashtu. Imagine an imaginary being influencing a region to the extent that cities and settlements erect statues of another evil entity to protect themselves from that being.
Regarding the part of Al Karısı related to Lilith, we need to approach it through the Kabbalistic belief. Kabbalah is a branch of Jewish mysticism that seeks to explore the secrets of God, the creation of the universe, the spiritual journey of humans, and the desire to unite with God. According to Kabbalism, "Lilith" was Adam's wife before Eve. In the medieval Hebrew belief, Lilith believed she was equal to Adam because she was created simultaneously with him.
The most crucial and emphasized aspect of Lilith's rebellion is Adam's insistence on women being underneath during sexual intercourse, considering it a reflection of his superiority over women. Lilith finds this position degrading and objects to it. When Adam persists, she flies away, taking refuge in a cave near the Red Sea. She engages in relations with the surrounding jinn and the king of jinn, Samael, and gives birth to jinn children, at an incredibly high rate, surpassing a hundred children a day. Left alone in heaven, Adam pleads with God to bring Lilith back. God sends three angels, Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof, as envoys, calling Lilith to return home. The angels find Lilith but, being with Samael, she reports having more than a hundred jinn children and being unable to remain faithful to Adam. The angels threaten her, saying they will kill a hundred of her children every day if she doesn't return. The threat is carried out, and Lilith, in pain, swears to become the enemy of all human offspring, pregnant women, and babies. She promises to take the lives of male children within the first eight days and female children within the first twenty days after birth, sparing only those with the names or images of the three angels nearby. With this aspect, Al Karısı resembles Lilith in her hostile attitude towards postpartum and children. Meanwhile, Lilith, before Adam and Eve were cursed with limited life, left paradise and became immortal. Therefore, she might still be alive today, seeking revenge.
Al Karısı, believed to haunt women who have just given birth and are in the postpartum period, according to legend, feeds on the lungs of newborns and their mothers. The characteristics described in tales are as follows: Al Karısı is one of the terrifying creatures of dark nights, standing at 2 meters tall, having a slender and frightening figure. Its skin is black, with a shiny and slippery texture. Its body is covered with a light mist that allows it to disappear into the night. Its eyes shine with a dark red glow, deepening the darkness around. Its skull resembles a human but has horns. Its eyes glow with a deadly brightness, illuminating everything around. Its face is constantly adorned with a cold smile. Its teeth are longer and sharper than human teeth. Al Karısı's long arms are longer than its body, with thin, curved nails on its fingers. Its legs move silently in the dark, similar to a gliding cat, leaving a smooth trail like a snake. Al Karısı wears a black, flowing cloak that seems to merge with the surrounding darkness, as if fused with shadows. In many Anatolian legends, someone who places a needle on Al Karısı's collar becomes its owner and can use it for any purpose. Moreover, anything touched by Al Karısı's hand becomes blessed. For example, if it kneads bread, it can make enough bread for the whole village with just a little flour. If it milks a kilogram of milk, it can yield a tin of butter. In stories, it is said that as long as the needle remains in Al Karısı's collar and cannot be removed by itself, the person wearing it will be served by it. However, even if the needle is removed and it becomes free, its community may not accept it because it served humans. They tell this by saying that one day a family that had taken Al Karısı by putting a needle on it wanted to set it free after a while. Al Karısı says, "Throw me into that lake, and if blood comes out on the surface of the lake after I fall, it means my community did not accept me and killed me." They throw it into the lake as requested, and after a while, the surface of the lake becomes bloody. Since that day, the lake is known as the Bloody Lake.
In Anatolia, people who believed in this creature used to place metal objects in the rooms of postpartum women to prevent Al Karısı from abducting them. They also placed red blankets, burning candles, and men's clothing in the room. According to belief, Al Karısı feeds on the lungs of postpartum women and newborns. Various remedies were believed to protect against Al Karısı. Not leaving the postpartum woman alone, constantly turning on the lights, placing the Quran on her bedside, covering her face with a red cloth, bringing an eagle to the place of birth.
Thank you for accompanying us on this journey of a story where darkness, mystery, and ancient legends intertwine. In this night filled with ancient tales wandering within the darkness, I hope the breath of Al Karısı has sent shivers down your spine, Lilith's sorrow has intoxicated you, and Pazuzu's wind has made you shudder. Remember, behind every shadow lies a story, and tonight's exploration of the trail of Al Karısı has taken us into the depths of Lilith. In our next encounter, may we meet in the enchantment of dark nights and ancient legends. Before you turn off the lights, dear dark wanderers, I wish you a safe night and bid you farewell.

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