Demon names, onomastic sequences, and incantation specialists in Mandaic incantations from late-antique Mesopotamia

Mandaic incantations on earthenware bowls and metal lamellae from Sasanian Mesopotamia (4th – 7th centuries AD) mention a profusion of demons that must be annihilated for the well-being of a client, his/her family, and possessions. Demons are frequently former Babylonian and Iranian gods and goddesses and their names are often arranged in lists. These lists derived from written Vorlagen that incantation specialists consulted to look for the formulas best suited to the case they had to tackle. This paper offers a preliminary investigation into some onomastic strategies employed by incantation specialists to characterise demons and to emphasise their behaviour and geographical location. These strategies include association with toponyms, wordplay, etymological figures, and detailed onomastic sequences.