30 Demonic Drawings From A Rare Persian Book Of Magic

From demons who torment sleeping humans to hellish creatures for every sign of the zodiac, this mystical manuscript holds a variety of horrors.

Illustrations of demons, like this one which appears to be haunting a human in bed, are commonly found in ancient manuscripts from around the world. Public Domain A blue-colored demon with its tongue sticking out and an accompanying description written in Arabic.Public Domain Demon with a feline-looking face among the pages of the early 20th century manuscript. The text was discovered in Isfahan, a city in Iran.Public Domain The depiction of demons in the Near East predates Islam. These drawings and writings were frequently used for magical and talismanic purposes as protection from demonic beings. Public Domain A speckled demon with horns and a white moustache collecting what looks like water or grains.
Many of the demons in the book are depicted while eating and taunting humans.Public Domain Blood red demon wearing a yellow hat with strokes coming out of its right hand. Public Domain "The paintings below are much more modern, dating from the early 20th century and seemingly the work of a rammal, or a divination expert, in Isfahan," wrote Ali Karjoo-Ravary, a lecturer at the Department of Religious Studies at Bucknell University, of the Persian manuscript.Public Domain A demon is drawn licking the foot of a slumbering human. The depiction evokes the understanding of sleep paralysis which, during the Medieval Ages. was viewed in various cultures as the work of demons and evil spirits.Public Domain A horned demon with two arms and another two serpent-limbs sprouting out of its neck. Hybrid depictions of demons are also found in European texts like the 18th century Compendium of Demonology and Magic.Public Domain The idea of demons can be traced back to the fifth century, almost coinciding with the rise of religion around the world. Public Domain A demon with elephant-like nostrils pouring some sort of liquid into a pool. Public Domain A leopard-like horned demon holding a human baby. Public Domain A brown-colored horned demon shown sticking its tongue out at what looks like a woman wearing a head scarf or hijab. Public Domain The author of the manuscript, titled Kitab-i Aja'ib-i makhluqat, claims they got their knowledge of demons from the Biblical Solomon, who was known for his power over demons and spirits.Public Domain The manuscript features 56 watercolor depictions of demons and was likely used by a divination expert.Public Domain Arabic writings featured in the manuscript describe spells to defeat different demons pictured as well as information related to constellations and star births.Public Domain A purple and black-speckled demon with a human baby. As evidenced by the manuscript, spells and other incantations to ward off evil persisted well into the modern period.Public Domain Terrifying deer-like demon wearing some sort of necklace.Public Domain A giant eight-headed demon believed to be linked with the Pisces zodiac sign.Public Domain These demonic depictions were taken from an earlier manuscript that was likely used by a fortune teller for divination.
Here a demon is drawn side-by-side with its corresponding zodiac sign, Aries. Public Domain A demon associated with the Taurus zodiac sign taken from the early 20th Persian manuscript.Public Domain Gemini, depicted as a two-headed man, with its corresponding many-headed demon.Public Domain Cancer and its corresponding demon. The book includes a mix of spells as well as astrological information about which demons are associated with what zodiac signs, as other creatures that have been connected to astrology. Leo and its demon. Depictions of demons stretch back to the ancient time of the rabbis of the Babylonian Talmud who asserted it was a blessing demons were invisible because "if the eye would be granted permission to see, no creature would be able to stand in the face of the demons that surround it."Public Domain A white demon shown side-by-side with its corresponding astrological sign, Virgo.Public Domain An bird-like demon associated with the Libra zodiac sign.Public Domain Each depiction is accompanied with ritual prescriptions for dealing with the different creatures. Public Domain In the more grotesque pages, demons are shown performing more obscene activities like tooth-pulling and eye-gouging.Public Domain A three-headed crown demon is drawn with its corresponding zodiac sign, Capricorn. Public Domain A cow-riding six-headed demon associated with the Aquarius zodiac sign. Public Domain

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30 Disturbing Demons Found Inside A Persian Book Of Demonology From 100 Years Ago View Gallery

Belief in the existence of demons can be traced back to ancient times. And, with the rise of religion around the globe, superstition and beliefs in mysticism also grew — as evidenced by the various depictions of demons that have been uncovered in historical manuscripts.

This manuscript discovered in the city of Isfahan, in what is now central Iran, features 56 eye-catching illustrations of different demons. These drawings were depicted alongside pages of spells that were believed to be potent in defeating such evil creatures.

Take a look inside, if you dare.

A History Of Demons

Public DomainDemons and other beastly creatures were commonly depicted in ancient manuscripts from various cultures and religions.

Long before the advent of modern science, cultures around the globe used supernatural practices like spell-casting and incantations to treat various ailments. These old inscriptions were meticulously recorded and believed to be a way for humans to ward off evil spirits.

The idea of demons and other evil beings from Hell can be traced as far back as the fifth century and were, ironically, mostly birthed in parallel with the rise of religion.

During this time, the rise of Christianity led to a relaxation in Jewish strictures against depicting supernatural beings. So, Jews in Babylon created what are believed to be the first visual depictions of demons in recorded history.

These ancient illustrations were meant to give religious followers a visible representation of the dark forces which threatened their family and their souls. Incantations and spells to ward off evils have been found on household objects — likely for use as protective talismans — as well as within ancient texts.

Later, in 18th century Europe, for example, practices of witchcraft and the occult existed even after the rise of Christianity. This was evident through the discoveries of vividly-illustrated books like the Compendium Of Demonology And Magic.

The Compendium features a disturbing index of hair-raising demons of all shapes and sizes drawn in watercolor, in addition to what appear to be graphic demonstrations of satanic rituals.

Historical records of such practices of magic were also found in ancient manuscripts from the Middle East during the time that Islam was flourishing in Iran. Demonic beings were believed to be as real as Heaven and Hell, and so spells were deemed necessary to ward off such evils.

In the gallery above, check out shocking watercolor illustrations of various demon beasts featured in an illustrated Persian manuscript about magic and astrology titled Kitab-i Aja'ib-i makhluqat.

Early 20th-Century Persian Incantations

Public DomainThis early 20th century Persian book of spells included a demon guide with illustrations and spells to ward them off.

The unholy creatures depicted in this text, which dates back to the early 20th century, are described in their relation to the signs of the zodiacs.

According to Ali Karjoo-Ravary, a lecturer at the Department of Religious Studies at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, these demon paintings were taken from an earlier text. They were later combined into a text featuring various talismans and spells to ward off different demons.

The author of the manuscript, now held at Princeton University's Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, credits their knowledge of these demonic beings to the Biblical Solomon, who was known for his influence over demons and other spirits. This manuscript was likely used by a divination expert in Isfahan, a city in Iran where the illustrations were uncovered.

One of the more terrifying demons depicted in this old demon guide is a brown, furry seven-headed beast with horns and seven different mouths.

Wearing gold jewelry and blue bottoms, the scary-looking dog-demon is pictured sitting by itself. The page is placed side-by-side with the drawing of a crab, a reference to its connection to the Cancer zodiac sign.

The most disturbing thing about these illustrations — apart from their incredibly haunting demonic depictions — is that many of these demons are shown tormenting living humans, even while they sleep. One of the more sinister-looking demons is shown licking a slumbering human's foot.

In addition to the demons and their astrological connections, Arabic writings featured in the manuscript contain information on constellations, star births, and an unexpected description of the archangels Mika'īl (Michael) and Jibra'īl (Gabriel) complete with their alleged likenesses.

The book's early 20th-century date puts it as one of the newer mystical Islamic texts and underlines the fact that these demonic descriptions were still featured in late period texts, reflecting how the belief in magic persisted into the modern age, as was the case in many religions and cultures around the world.

Although belief in the supernatural has largely dissipated from the mainstream, manuscripts like these which tell of magic and monsters in the dark continue to fascinate.

Now that you've seen the demonic drawings of this 20th century text from Persia, learn how the ancient Codex Gigas became the "Devil's Bible." Then, read about the true history of witchcraft.

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