Lilith
Symbols  Prostitution  Shapeshifting

Lilith was another name for the Babylonian Semiramis. Lilith was Lucifer's twin sister and bride.

Inanna came first, the goddess of the Sumerians.  Ishtar came after, the goddess of the Babylonians and Assyrians....Ishtar and her cult are associated with sexuality including sacred sex and prostitution.  Her symbol is the eight pointed star. Ishtar was known to have many lovers, however, she treated them cruelly..  http://paganpages.org/content/tag/ishtar/

Lilith is an ancient female demon/succubus said to strangle children, seduce young men then kill them. Some claim she was the creator of prostitution and the degrading of sex. ....Lilith totems are owl and lion.

The Curse Of Canaan: A Demonology Of History by Eustace Mullins


Owl  Lion Arms raised Shen-ropes We have in the Burney relief an amalgamation of symbols and images that depict both Innana (the rod and ring, the shugurra crown, the lions, the owls, the beads and bracelets) and Lilith. Lilith's symbols are the draped wings, her frontal nakedness, owl-feet, and also the horned crown. Clearly, the figure is that of Lilith, but some of the symbols are associated with Innana/Ishtar. The Babylonian Ishtar usually has wings, but they are always outstretched, never folded as Lilith's. The overall message is one of active sexuality, fertility, and dominion over nature with all its inherent oppositions- birth and death, peace and violence, animal and human. http://analogicalplanet.com/Pages/ContentPages/Sidebars/BurneyRelief.html

Interestingly enough, most speculate that the Lamia from Greek myth came from the Lilith myth. The Lamia was a snake/woman shapeshifter that would lead men to there doom. the Lamia is often considered a vampire, of sorts, certainly a succubus. One interesting thing though is that many depictions of the Adam and Eve in artwork reveal a serpent with a woman's torso. The devil in female form...or Lilith...or the same? http://michaeldemeng.blogspot.com/2009/09/daughters-of-lilith.html

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sumer_anunnaki/esp_sumer_annunaki15a.htm

Lilith can be found in Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Caananite, Persian, Hebrew, Arabic and Teutonic mythology. She has the epithets 'Dame Donkey-Legs, Vixen Bogey, Blood Sucker, Woman of Harlotry, Alien Woman, Impure Female, End of all Flesh, End of Day, bruha, strega, Witch, hag, snatcher and enchantress'. Also serpent, donkey, owl, screeching night-jar, strix and the 'soul of every living creature that creepeth'.
    Lilith is very much equated with owls, she is a shape-shifter and can turn herself into a screech-owl. Owls are creatures of the night (although they can see and hunt during the day despite popular opinion); they have fantastic eyesight and hearing. The ridged edge of their feathers and the velvety growth on them enables the owl to fly silently and to swoop on her prey in surprise. They have access to and strength in a realm that other creatures don't.
    In Jewish Mythology Lilith was the first wife of Adam, she was beautiful and seductive. However, she refused to be subserviant to Adam but insisted on being on top during sex. Adam refused to grant her equality and she flew off to the Red Sea where she collected a family of demon children around her. God would not accept such rebellion and sent three angels to bring her back to Adam to be a good wife but she refused. She was a rebellious character, living her own life and staying true to herself, yet being defamed and demonized as a result. She is related to darkness but is not evil, rather is outside the concept of black and white, good and evil.
    She was said to steal men's semen via nocturnal emissions (succubus motif) in order to create a demon brood and of snatching away new-born babies - girls until the 21st day and boys until the 8th day of death were considered her prey. The 8th day is the day of circumcision for a boy in Jewish tradition.
    Originally Lilith was considered to have devine character, she was considered a Shedim. Later on the Shedim were 'demonized', were demoted to the rank of demons or evil spirits. This process is a familiar one that occurs with the rise of a new religion, where 'older'gods are devalued and demonized. As Judeo-Christian religion perceives the feminine as dangerous, goddesses such as Lilith became sources of evil influence. http://www.philhine.org.uk/art/sculpture_lilith.html

 Castrating It seems that Lilith was also connected to the arch-angel Samuel. Adam and his demanding ways were just too much for Lilith and she started to look elsewhere for love. The angel Samuel and Lilith were lovers, but their children were demons because their union was considered unholy. This is where the lilitu come into play. As punishment for this union, Lilith was cast out as a female demon of the night and poor Samuel was castrated. http://otherworldmystery.com/tag/ishtar

Lilith (with Satan the serpent)


Lilith (with Satan the serpent), painting by John Collier (1892)


Spears, Britney


Fillippino Lipi's


Michelangelo


Hugo van der Goes

 


Ishtar symbol


The star of Ishtar at the Manitoba Legislative Building