Utukku

Pronunciation : (OO-too-coo)

This species of vampire was first mentioned in the Mesopotamian epic, Gilgamesh. The utukku was created when a person died before he could fulfill an obligation, causing his soul to become bound to his corpse, creating a REVENANT. Usually found in deserted places in the desert and mountains and along the ocean’s shore, it kills by making direct eye contact with a person, absorbing his life-energy (see ENERGY VAMPIRE). As time passed, this ancient species of vampire became thought of more as a demon.

Source:

• Rogers, Religion of Babylonia and Assyria, 1 47­48;
• Sayce, Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia, 283­87;
• Thompson, Semitic Magic, 39­40;
• Wiggermann, Mesopotamian Protective Spirits, 113­14

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology Written by :Theresa Bane ©2010 Theresa Bane. All rights reserved