In Mesopotamian mythology, Lamashtu was a monster who supposedly threatened pregnant women. She was pictured as having a bull’s horns, an eagle’s talons, a serpent’s tail, and a woman’s body. Lamashtu was thought to kidnap new-borns from their mothers, leaving them with a miscarried or stillborn child, and was connected to disease, sickness, and death.
Despite her terrifying reputation, Lamashtu was not unbeatable, and people would frequently use various charms, spells, and incantations to try to protect themselves and their new-borns. The wicked demoness was also repelled by amulets and statues of the goddess Nin-Karrak, who was seen as Lamashtu’s adversary.