Penn Museum Researcher Uncovers Six Lamashtu Amulets in Collection, Reidentifying Ancient Mesopotamian Artifacts

William B. Hafford, a research associate at the Penn Museum, has uncovered six Lamashtu amulets within the Near Eastern Collections during a recent reevaluation. These protective Mesopotamian artifacts, unearthed from sites such as Ur, Nippur, Fara, and Tell Billa between 1895 and the 1930s, were previously misclassified as ordinary pendants. The demoness Lamashtu, known for her threat to unborn infants, was countered with these amulets. One amulet (PM 32-40-304) is featured in the "Preserving Assyria" exhibition. Hafford employed reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) to disclose intricate details on items like PM 35-1-28. A previously uncatalogued talisman from Nippur (B14311) does not depict the demoness. Collaborations with the British Museum verified the existence of related amulets. Katy Blanchard wrote the report, with results set for publication this year.