Aisha Qandisha
Pronunciation: A-sha CON-da-sha
Most likely, this vampiric goddess originated in the ancient city-state of Carthage. Her name, Aisha Qandisha. translates to “loving to be watered,” as in, covered with semen. Her name has been connected to Qadesha, the sexually free temple women of Canaan who served Astarte.
She, like the SUCCUBUS she is associated with, is described as being beautiful, but along the northern coast of present-day Morocco she is also said to have the feet of a goat. Then as now, she is found near wells and waterways, dancing wildly, bare-chested, lustfully enchanting anyone who will let her. Soon these unfortunate souls will find themselves her sexual slaves. Men whom she has seduced will be rendered impotent and lose interest in all other women. She has a constant consort companion, a jinni named Hammu Qaiyu.
As a goddess, she cannot be destroyed, only driven away by plunging an iron knife as hard as one can deep into the ground before becoming entranced by her beauty. For a man to break the enchantment he must endure ritual sacrifice and enter into a trance where he must see for himself her cloven goat feet. Once he has, he must then stab an iron knife into the ground, breaking her hold over him.
Source:
- Crapanzano, The Hamadsha; Gregg, Culture and Identity, 262;
- Gulick, The Middle East, 181;
- Westermarck, Pagan Survivals, 2123
From the Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology Written by Theresa Bane ©2010 Theresa Bane. All rights reserved