The
edimmu, read incorrectly sometimes as
ekimmu, were a type of
utukku in
Sumerian mythology, similar in nature to the
preta of
Vedic religion or the
jiangshi of Chinese mythology. They were envisioned as the
ghosts of those who were not buried properly. They were considered
vengeful toward the living and might
possess people if they did not respect certain
taboos, such as the prohibition against eating
ox meat. They were thought to cause disease and inspire criminal behavior in the living, but could sometimes be appeased by funeral repasts or libations. The edimmu were also thought to be completely or nearly incorporeal, "wind" spirits that sucked the life out of the susceptible and the sleeping (most commonly the young).