Decarabia is 69th of the 72 Spirits of Solomon. He has an unusual appearance for a demon: he’s described as manifesting as a star and/or pentagram, before taking human form. He has power over birds and can give them as familiars, and imparts knowledge of herbs. Image: 72goetia.com
According to Kabbalah, when a person’s body decomposes or is cremated, a tiny bone at the base of the spine, called the luz, always remains intact. When the dead are resurrected, their physical bodies will reconstitute from this seed-like bone. Image: J. Gamelin, 1778⠀
The preeminent source of jinn-lore is One Thousand and One Nights (aka Arabian Nights), a collection of tales from Arabic, Persian, Egyptian and Mesopotamian traditions. The evolving collection has stories of characters we know today, like Aladdin and Sinbad.
The Namahage Sedo Festival is a folk festival in the Oga Pennisula of Japan, held on New Year’s Eve. The festival welcomes demons for a good harvest. People wearing demon masks and straw clothing visit houses, only leaving when given rice cakes and sake. ⠀
In the Sanskrit epic Ramayana, the hero Rama and his army of monkey and bears fight and slay many demons, including the demon king Ravana, who had 10 heads and 20 arms. The Ramayana (Tales of Rama; The Freer Ramayana), Volume 2, 1597 ⠀
Though jinn are normally thought of spirits of the desert, some types have been found lurking in the forest too. In the forests of Yemen, one might come across the nisnas or nasnas, a jinn that resembles a man split in half. Reportedly, their flesh tastes sweet.
Gamigin is a marquis who rules thirty legions of lesser demons. With his necromantic powers, he revives the souls of the dead who were drowned at sea or stuck in purgatory. The souls appear into airy, non-physical bodies, where they can be questioned. ⠀
Jinn prefer dwelling in deserted places like ruins or graveyards, but a corner of your house or your bathroom will do as well. While some jinn will guard your house, others will cause trouble. So it’s best to leave offerings, say prayers, and salt the corners. ⠀
Old Lady and the Devil is an American children’s song about a farmer who gives up his “scolding” wife to Satan. When demons come to take her, the Old Woman “beats out the(ir) brains”, but is ultimately taken away by The Devil in a sack. ⠀
Shax (or Chax) is a dark marquis of hell. He’s known for stealing horses and gold from kings, turning folks deaf and dumb, and revealing hidden things. Conjurers should be wary of receiving familiars from him, as they may share his wicked deceptive nature. Image: Dictionnaire Infernal, 1863
A Dulhath (Dalham, Dalhan, Delhan) is a jinn that inhabits desert islands. It rides an ostrich and feasts on the flesh of shipwrecked travelers who wash up on the shore. From: The Wonders of Creation, 16th Century⠀
A harpy-type jinn that represents the southern constellation of Cetus. Harpies are dangerous half-human half-bird creatures, most famously seen in Greek and Roman mythology, but the creature archetype spans many cultures. From Quazwini’s Book of Marvels, 1283
