DOCSLIB.ORG

An Architectural and Conceptual Analysis of Mesopotamian Temples from the Ubaid to the Old Babylonian Period

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

AN ARCHITECTURAL AND CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS OF MESOPOTAMIAN TEMPLES FROM THE UBAID TO THE OLD BABYLONIAN PERIOD A Master’s Thesis by AMIR H. SOUDIPOUR THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF ART BILKENT UNIVERSITY ANKARA February 2007 To my family AN ARCHITECTURAL AND CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS OF MESOPOTAMIAN TEMPLES FROM THE UBAID TO THE OLD BABYLONIAN PERIOD The Institute of Economics and Social Sciences of Bilkent University by AMIR H. SOUDIPOUR In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF ART BILKENT UNIVERSITY ANKARA February 2007 I certify that I have read this thesis and that it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Archaeology and History of Art. ___________________ Dr. Marie-Henriette Gates Supervisor I certify that I have read this thesis and that it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Archaeology and History of Art. ___________________ Dr. Jacques Morin Examining Committee Member I certify that I have read this thesis and that it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Archaeology and History of Art. ___________________ Dr. Geoffrey Summers Examining Committee Member Approval of the Institute of Economics and Social Sciences ___________________ Dr. Erdal Erel Director ABSTRACT AN ARCHITECTURAL AND CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS OF MESOPOTAMIAN TEMPLES FROM THE UBAID TO THE OLD BABYLONIAN PERIOD Soudipour, Amir H. M.A, Department of Archaeology and History of Art. Supervisor: Dr. Marie-Henriette Gates February 2007 This study attempts to explore the architecture of Mesopotamian temples from the Ubaid to the Old Babylonian period. It analyses the ways in which the layout of the temples changed and developed through time. It argues how different factors such as ideology, cosmology, religion and environment were reflected in the architecture and function of temple complexes. The thesis also looks closely at the concept of the temple as the house of god, and by comparing the selected temples of different periods to the domestic architecture of the same period, aims to trace the influence and reflection of the domestic structure on the sacred structure and to determine in which period the structural similarity reaches its zenith and declines. Changes in Mesopotamia’s social organization can be linked to these changes in temple layout. Keywords: Mesopotamia, Temple, House, The temple as the house, Ideology, Religion, Cosmology, Environment. iii ÖZET OBEYD DÖNEMİNDEN ESKİ BABİL DÖNEMİNE MEZOPOTAMYA TAPINAKLARININ MİMARİ VE KAVRAMSAL BİR ANALİZİ Soudipour, Amir H. M.A., Arkeoloji ve Sanat Tarihi Bölümü Tez Yöneticisi: Dr. Marie-Henriette Gates Şubat 2007 Bu çalışmada Ubeyd döneminden Eski Babil dönemine Mezopotamya tapınaklarının mimarisi incelenmektedir. Çalışmada bu tapınakların planlarının zaman içerisinde nasıl değiştikleri analiz edilmekte, ideoloji, kozmoloji, din ve çevre gibi etkenlerin tapınakların mimarisine ve kullanımına nasıl yansıdığı analiz edilmektedir. Tezde, tanrının evi olarak tapınak kavramı da yakından incelenmekte, farklı dönemlerden seçilen tapınakları o dönemin yerel mimarisi ile karşılaştırarak yerel yapının kutsal yapı üzerindeki etkilerinin ve bu yapı üzerine yansımalarının izi sürülmekte ve hangi dönemde bu yapısal benzerliğin tepe noktaya ulaştığı ve düşüşe geçtiği belirlenmeye çalışılmaktadır. Mezopotamya’nın sosyal yapılanmasındaki değişikliklerin tapınak mimarisine ve yapısına da yansıdığı iddia edilmektedir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Mezapotamya, Tapınak, Ev, Ev olarak tapınak, İdeoloji, Din, Kozmoloji, Çevre. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to express my special gratitude to my thesis advisor, Dr. Marie-Henriette Gates, for her invaluable guidance, constant help and patience. I would like to express my thanks to the thesis committee members, Dr. Jacques Morin and Dr. Geoffrey Summers. I also would like to thank my teachers in the department, Dr. İlknur Özgen, Dr. Julian Bennett, Dr. Charles Gates, Dr. Yaşar Ersoy, Asuman Coşkun Abuagla and Ben Claasz Coockson. I am also very grateful to my family for their support and patience. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. iii ÖZET ............................................................................................................................ iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 2: FIVE MESOPOTAMIAN TEMPLES ................................................... 4 2.1 Temples of Eridu.................................................................................................. 4 2.1.1 Architectural Analysis ................................................................................ 15 2.1.2 Eridu in Ancient Texts ................................................................................ 18 2.2 The Painted Temple at Tell Uqair ...................................................................... 20 2.2.1 Summary ..................................................................................................... 25 2.3 The Sin Temple at Khafajah .............................................................................. 26 2.3.1 Summary ..................................................................................................... 31 2.4 The Temple Oval at Khafajah ............................................................................ 32 2.4.1 Summary ..................................................................................................... 39 2.5 The Kititum Temple at Ishchali ......................................................................... 40 2.5.1 Summary ..................................................................................................... 44 CHAPTER 3: COSMOS OR ENVIRONMENT ......................................................... 45 3.1 The temple as the house of god .......................................................................... 51 3.2 The temple as the administration center ............................................................ 54 3.3 The temple and landscape .................................................................................. 58 vi CHAPTER 4: TEMPLE OR HOUSE .......................................................................... 67 4.1 Pre-Ubaid Architecture ...................................................................................... 67 4.2 Ubaid and Protoliterate Architecture ................................................................. 70 4.3 Early Dynastic Architecture ............................................................................... 76 4. 4 Old Babylonian Architecture ............................................................................ 81 4.5 Summary ............................................................................................................ 84 4.6 God in his house................................................................................................. 85 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION .................................................................................... 88 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................ 90 APPENDIX .................................................................................................................. 98 vii LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 1: Location of Five Selected Temples, Oppenheim (1977) p. 47, map.......... 99 Fig. 2: Location of Major Sites in Mesopotamia, Delougaz et al (1942) map...... 100 Fig. 3: Temples of Eridu, Forest (1996) p. 108, fig. 83........................................ 100 Fig. 4: Eridu Temple XVII, Safar et al (1981) p. 89, fig. 39................................. 101 Fig. 5: Eridu Temple XVI, Safar et al (1981) p. 89, fig. 39................................... 101 Fig. 6: Eridu Temple XV, Safar et al (1981) p. 89, fig. 39.................................... 101 Fig. 7: Eridu Temple XI, Safar et al (1981) p. 89, fig. 39………………………. 101 Fig. 8: Eridu Temple X, Safar et al (1981) p. 89, fig. 39……………………..…. 101 Fig. 9: Eridu Temple IX, Safar et al (1981) p. 89, fig. 39………………………. 101 Fig. 10: Eridu Temple VIII, Safar et al (1981) p. 88, fig. 39……………………. 101 Fig. 11: Eridu Temple VII, Safar et al (1981) p. 88, fig. 39…………………….. 101 Fig. 12: Eridu Temple VI, Kubba (1998) p. 171, fig. 2-059…………………….. 101 Fig. 13: Tell Uqair, the Painted Temple, Lloyd et al (1943) pl. V……………… 102 Fig. 14: The Painted Temple, Forest (1996) p. 136……………………………... 102 Fig. 15: Location of Surviving Paintings of the Painted Temple, Lloyd et al (1943) pl. XI.........................……………………………………………………. 103 Fig. 16: Seal from Tell Billa, Collon (1993) p. 173, fig.800…………………..... 103 Fig, 17: Altar Paintings in the Painted Temple, Lloyd et al (1943) pl. X……….. 103 Fig. 18: Wall ‘B’, Lloyd et al (1943) pl. XII……………………………………. 103 Fig. 19: Wall ‘D’, Lloyd et al (1943) pl. XII..…………………………………... 103 Fig. 20: Wall ‘F’, Lloyd et al (1943) pl. XII…………………….………………. 103 Fig. 21: Wall ‘E’, Lloyd et al (1943) pl. XII…………………………………….
Recommended publications

  • Architecture

    Architecture Gernot Wilhelm I Carlo Zaccagnini (Plates 111 - XVt, LXXXVI, 5 - XCIV) wall built of 4-5 layers of 6 mudbricks each (format: 20(?) x 14 x 11cm), laid on their long side, delimited the grave to­ LEVEL4 wards the south. Since the burial was mostly hidden under the balk between squares R 18 and S 18, the relevant part of the balk was carefully removed in order to clarify the (Plates VI, IX-XI, XII, LXXXVI, 5- LXXXVII) stratigraphical attribution of the tomb. As a result it became clear that the ash layer AF 99 (-352), which marks the transi­ The oldest artifacts found at Tell Karrana 3 are six Halaf tion from Level 4 to Level 3c, was not cut by a grave pit. A sherds (see Plate XXV, 183-186) which, however, come from pavement of flat stones (AF 123, upper Iimit: -340 to -345) much younger Ievels (see E. Rova in this volume, p. 51). The had been laid on this ash layer. On top of the pavement, the earliest traces of human presence emerged in the southeastem wall AF 2512 of Level 3c and a connected wall (AF 122), (squares S 17118) and R 18119) andin the westem (square Q running towards the east, had been erected. A floor (AF 130), 17) part of the mound. In squares SIR 17 a compact whitish which corresponds to the floor of Level 4, AF 62 = 107, was clay floor (AF 62 = 107, altitude: -382 to -388) was super­ found cut by the grave pit of Burial 13.
  • Hassuna Samarra Halaf

    Hassuna Samarra Halaf

    arch 1600. archaeologies of the near east joukowsky institute for archaeology and the ancient world spring 2008 Emerging social complexities in Mesopotamia: the Chalcolithic in the Near East. February 20, 2008 Neolithic in the Near East: early sites of socialization “neolithic revolution”: domestication of wheat, barley, sheep, goat: early settled communities (ca 10,000 to 6000 BC) Mudding the world: Clay, mud and the technologies of everyday life in the prehistoric Near East • Pottery: associated with settled life: storage, serving, prestige pots, decorated and undecorated. • Figurines: objects of everyday, magical and cultic use. Ubiquitous for prehistoric societies especially. In clay and in stone. • Mud-brick as architectural material: Leads to more structured architectural constructions, perhaps more rectilinear spaces. • Tokens, hallow clay balls, tablets and early writing technologies: related to development o trade, tools of urban administration, increasing social complexity. • Architectural models: whose function is not quite obvious to us. Maybe apotropaic, maybe for sale purposes? “All objects of pottery… figments of potter’s will, fictions of his memory and imagination.” J. L. Myres 1923, quoted in Wengrow 1998: 783. What is culture in “culture history” (1920s-1960s) ? Archaeological culture = a bounded and binding ethnic/cultural unit within a defined geography and temporal/spatial “horizons”, uniformly and unambigously represented in the material culture, manifested by artifactual assemblage. pots=people? • “Do cultures actually
  • Republic of Iraq

    Republic of Iraq

    Republic of Iraq Babylon Nomination Dossier for Inscription of the Property on the World Heritage List January 2018 stnel oC fobalbaT Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... 1 State Party .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Province ............................................................................................................................................................. 1 Name of property ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Geographical coordinates to the nearest second ................................................................................................. 1 Center ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 N 32° 32’ 31.09”, E 44° 25’ 15.00” ..................................................................................................................... 1 Textural description of the boundary .................................................................................................................. 1 Criteria under which the property is nominated .................................................................................................. 4 Draft statement
  • Nabu 2015-2-Mep-Dc

    Nabu 2015-2-Mep-Dc

    ISSN 0989-5671 2015 N°2 (juin) NOTES BRÈVES 25) À propos d’ARET XII 344, des déesses dgú-ša-ra-tum et de la naissance du prince éblaïte* — Le texte administratif ARET XII 344 est malheureusement assez lacuneux, mais à notre avis quand même très intéressant. Les lignes du texte préservées sont les suivantes: r. I’:1’-5’: ‹x›[...] / šeš-[...] / in ⸢u₄⸣ / ḫúl / ⸢íl⸣-['à*-ag*-da*-mu*] v. II’:1’-11’: ...] K[ALAM.]KAL[AM(?)] / NI-šè-na-⸢a⸣ / ma-lik-tum / è / é / daš-dar / ap / íl-'à- ag-da-mu / i[n] / [...] / [...] r. III’:1’-9’: ⸢'à⸣-[...] / 1 gír mar-t[u] zú-aka / 1 buru₄-mušen 1 kù-sal / daš-dar / NAM-ra-luki / 1 zara₆-túg ú-ḫáb / 1 giš-šilig₅* 2 kù-sig₁₇ maš-maš-SÙ / 1 šíta zabar / dga-mi-iš r. IV’:1’-10’: ⸢x⸣[...] / 10 lá-3 an-dù[l] igi-DUB-SÙ šu-SÙ DU-SÙ kù:babbar / 10 lá-3 gú-a-tum zabar / dgú-ša-ra-tum / 5 kù-sig₁₇ / é / en / ni-zi-mu / 2 ma-na 55 kù-sig₁₇ / sikil r. V’:1’-6’: [x-]NE-[t]um / [x K]A-dù-gíd / [m]a-lik-tum / i[n-na-s]um / dga-mi-iš / 1 dib 2 giš- DU 2 ti-gi-na 2 geštu-lá 2 ba-ga-NE-su!(ZU) r. VI’:1’-6’: [...]⸢x⸣ / [m]a-[li]k-tum / [šu-ba₄-]ti / [x ki]n siki / [x-]li / [x-b]a-LUM. Tout d’abord, on remarquera qu’au début du texte on peut lire in ⸢u₄⸣ / ḫúl / ⸢íl⸣-['à*-ag*-da*- mu*], c’est-à-dire « dans le jour de la fête (en l’honneur) d’íl-'à-ag-da-mu ».
  • Early Uruk Expansion in Iraqi Kurdistan: New Data from Girdi Qala and Logardan Regis Vallet

    Early Uruk Expansion in Iraqi Kurdistan: New Data from Girdi Qala and Logardan Regis Vallet

    Early Uruk Expansion in Iraqi Kurdistan: New Data from Girdi Qala and Logardan Regis Vallet To cite this version: Regis Vallet. Early Uruk Expansion in Iraqi Kurdistan: New Data from Girdi Qala and Logardan. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, 2018, Munich, Germany. hal-03088149 HAL Id: hal-03088149 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03088149 Submitted on 2 Jan 2021 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. 445 Early Uruk Expansion in Iraqi Kurdistan: New Data from Girdi Qala and Logardan Régis Vallet 1 Abstract Until very recently, the accepted idea was that the Uruk expansion began during the north- Mesopotamian LC3 period, with a first phase characterized by het presence of BRBs and other sporadic traces in local assemblages. Excavations at Girdi Qala and Logardan in Iraqi Kurdistan, west of the Qara Dagh range in ChamchamalDistrict (Sulaymaniyah Governorate) instead offer clear evidence for a massive and earlyUruk presence with mo- numental buildings, ramps, gates, residential and craft areasfrom the very beginning of the 4th millennium BC. Excavation on the sites of Girdi Qala and Logardan started in15.
  • Report on Tell Al-Imsihly: the 2000 and 2001 Seasons Hafiz Hussein Al-Hayyany, Qaiss Hussein Rasheed, Hussein Ali Hamza, and Mark Altaweel

    Report on Tell Al-Imsihly: the 2000 and 2001 Seasons Hafiz Hussein Al-Hayyany, Qaiss Hussein Rasheed, Hussein Ali Hamza, and Mark Altaweel

    Report on Tell al-Imsihly: The 2000 and 2001 Seasons Hafiz Hussein Al-Hayyany, Qaiss Hussein Rasheed, Hussein Ali Hamza, and Mark Altaweel Introduction a ,(تل (الامسيحليThis article summarizes two seasons of excavations at Tell al-Imsihly prehistoric site nearly 5 kilometers south of Assur. Archaeological excavations were conducted by Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) over a period of two seasons starting in April 2000 and ending in late 2001. Iraqi archaeologists working at Assur were put in charge of investigating the site. Due to damage and incursions on the site from plowing and earthmoving activities, the goals of SBAH’s excavations were to obtain an idea of settlement chronology and activity within and just outside of Tell al-Imsihly. In 2006-2007, Dr. Altaweel collaborated with the Iraqi archaeologists who had excavated the site in order to assist in interpreting some of the archaeological data as well as publication of the excavations to a wide audience. Some original items and records from the excavations are not currently available, and perhaps lost, but the archaeological report compiled by Mr. Hamza and written in Arabic remains. In addition, many of the ceramic drawings and excavation photographs have survived. The data presented by the Arabic report are the basis of the presentation to follow, although some additional details have been provided by Altaweel. Site Background Tell al-Imsihly is located on the west bank of the Tigris along Wadi al-Imsihly, a wadi that flows north to south. Wadi al-Imsihly flows into Wadi al-Shbabit, which is a wadi that flows into the Tigris from west to east.
  • Neo Babylonian Rule

    Neo Babylonian Rule

    Neo Babylonians Rule “The Most Accomplished Empire” *Clears throat* Thank you. Thank you ever so much distinguished colleagues and professors for inviting me to speak to you today. As many of you know I'm professor Olivia Eichman of archeological studies at Stanford University. I have also worked at various dig sites in ancient sumers regions. All of these excavations lead me to countless degrees in antiquity. Enough about me already, I'm here to talk to you about about the great Mesopotamian Empires. But which empire was the greatest? Was it the Akkadians with the first empire? Or the Assyrians who reigned the longest? Neither of these empires strike me as the most accomplished. The Neo Babylonian’s Empire was the most accomplished empire by far and when you leave this room today I guarantee you will think as highly of them as I do too. Why do I think that the Neo Babylonians are the most accomplished? For starters, their ruler knew how to keep his empire safe. He had many safety precautions. One way Nebuchadrezzar II insured safety among his people was by surrounding their city in a wall so great in size two chariots could ride on it side by side. But that isn't all. No. Nebuchadnezzar II built another wall inside of the other wall for added protection. Both walls were named after Mesopotamian gods and goddesses. One of the gates that was built was called Ishtar gate, named after the goddess of war and love. To top it all off the walls were surrounded by a moat.
  • Origins of Agriculture in Western Central Asia: an Environmental

    Origins of Agriculture in Western Central Asia: an Environmental

    Origins of Agriculture in Western Central Asia Professor V. M. Masson introducing school children from Ashgabat to the excavations at the Neolithic site of Jeitun, Turkmenistan, April 1990. David R. Harris Origins of Agriculture in Western Central Asia An Environmental-Archaeological Study with contributions from: Eleni Asouti, Amy Bogaard, Michael Charles, James Conolly, Jennifer Coolidge, Keith Dobney, Chris Gosden, Jen Heathcote, Deborah Jaques, Mary Larkum, Susan Limbrey, John Meadows, Nathan Schlanger, and Keith Wilkinson University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Philadelphia © 2010 University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Philadelphia, PA 19104-6324 Published for the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology by the University of Pennsylvania Press. All rights reserved. Published 2010. Production of this book was supported by a publication grant from the Academic Committee of the Iran Heritage Foundation (London) and an award from the Stein-Arnold Expedition Fund of the British Academy. The drawing on p. 304 of the head of a wild bezoar goat is from Harris 1962, Fig. 3a. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING -IN-PUBLICATION DATA Harris, David R. Origins of agriculture in western central Asia : an environmental-archaeological study / David R. Harris. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-1-934536-16-2 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-934536-16-4 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Agriculture—Turkmenistan—Origin. 2. Agriculture—Asia, Central—Origin. 3. Agriculture, Prehistoric—Turkmenistan. 4. Agriculture, Prehistoric—Asia, Central. 5. Excavations (Archaeology)— Turkmenistan. 6. Excavations (Archaeology)—Asia, Central. 7. Turkmenistan—Antiquities. 8. Asia, Central—Antiquities. I. Title. GN855.T85H37 2010 306.3’4909585--dc22 2010009780 This book was printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper.
  • Art of the Ancient Near East

    Art of the Ancient Near East

    Art of the Ancient Near East Sites in the ancient Near East are considered to belong to the beginning of the Neolithic. Figure 1: View of Gobekli Tepe Situated in the southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, it is recognized as the oldest known human-made religious structure. The Neolithic is signified by a progression in behavioural and cultural characteristics including the cultivation of wild and domestic crops and the use of domesticated animals. The ancient Near East was home to the earliest civilizations within a region roughly corresponding to the modern Middle East and included Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, ancient Iran, the Levant and the Arabian peninsula. The Fertile Crescent is a crescent-shaped region containing comparatively moist and fertile land within otherwise arid and semi-arid western Asia. Neolithic culture in the Near East is separated into three phases, Neolithic 1 (Pre- Pottery Neolithic A), Neolithic 2 (Pre-Pottery Neolithic B), and Neolithic 3 (Pottery Neolithic). Tell Halaf was the first discovered site of Neolithic culture. The temple located in southeastern Turkey at Gobekli Tepe dating from circa 10,000 BC is the oldest human-made place of worship. Note: Domesticated means “tame” or “naturalized.” Source URL: https://www.boundless.com/art-history/prehistoric-art/neolithic-art/art-ancient-near-east/ Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/courses/ARTH110#1.2.2 Attributed to: Boundless www.saylor.org Page 1 of 4 Figure 2: View of the excavated ruins at Tell Halaf, Syria It was the first find of the Neolithic culture, subsequently dubbed the Halaf culture; characterized by glazed pottery painted with geometric and animal designs.
  • "Oval" Temples in Southern Mesopotamia

    "Oval" Temples in Southern Mesopotamia

    Dorota Ławecka Early Dynastic "Oval" Temples in Southern Mesopotamia Światowit : rocznik poświęcony archeologii przeddziejowej i badaniom pierwotnej kultury polskiej i słowiańskiej 9 (50)/A, 35-47 2011 Ś wiATowiT · IX (L)/A · 2011 D o r o t a L a w e c k a E a r l y D y n a s t i c “ O v a l ” T e m p l e s in S o u t h e r n M e s o p o t a m i a Three sanctuaries surrounded by an oval perimeter The spot, where the temple was erected, had been wall and dating from tire Early Dynastic Period are known carefully prepared, with a large expenditure of work. The from Southern Mesopotamia.1 One (at Khafajah) is locat­ nearly oval temenos is enclosed with a double line of walls. ed in die Diyala Valley, die remaining two have been dis­ A courtyard stretches between the two walls, near to the covered at die southern sites of Al-Ubaid and Al-Hiba. entrance into the sacred precinct; a house located there Due to their general similarity, these structures are often (called “House D”) is interpreted by P. Delougaz as tire seen and discussed as a single type or interpreted as the dwelling of a priest. The surface of the courtyard raises ca. upshot of a common Mesopotamian tradition of religious 0.7 m above the surrounding ground, so it is accessed via architecture. In bodi case, emphasis is laid on the similari­ four stone steps.
  • A Comparison of the Role of Bārû and Mantis in Ancient Warfare

    A Comparison of the Role of Bārû and Mantis in Ancient Warfare

    A Comparison of the Role of Bārû and Mantis in Ancient Warfare Krzysztof Ulanowski Divination played a huge role in both the Mesopotamian and Greek civiliza- tions. Diviners were consulted by their clients in all possible situations. The results of divination were especially important during times of war, when asso- ciated with the very life of the king along with thousands of others. Divination was a salient characteristic of Mesopotamian civilization; likewise, in Greek politics and warfare, a leader who ignored omens would incur the ominous anger impressions of those by whom he was followed.1 In this paper I will compare the role and responsibility of diviners in two different civilizations in relation to the affairs of war. What did the Assyrian bārû and the Greek mantis (μάντις) have in common and in what ways did they differ? Could they really decide the course of battles? Would it be possible to describe the skills of the bārû priest in the words of Euripides: “the best mantis is he who guesses well”?2 War When writing systems first appeared in the history of both Mesopotamian and Greek civilizations, the first written works not only had a codifying- mythological nature, but above all a military character. Weil’s essay, L’Iliade ou le poème de la force holds that “the true hero, the true subject at the centre of the Iliad is force”.3 Homer was the poet of war and the Iliad needs hardly be mentioned. In the case of Mesopotamian civilization, one could refer not only to The Gilgamesh Epic, but also to many other Sumerian, and therefore early texts which have war as a leading motif, such as The Victory of Eanatum 1 M.A.
  • Chapter 8 Building a State: Genoa's Rise and Fall

    Chapter 8 Building a State: Genoa's Rise and Fall

    Chapter 8 Building a State: Genoa’s Rise and Fall Many countries today are facing the challenge of building states that effectively promote political stability, curtail political violence, and foster economic prosperity. Late medieval Europe witnessed a wave of attempts to create such states, particularly in the form of the city- states of northern Italy (see, for example, Waley 1988). No micro-analytical examination of this process of state-building has been conducted and its lessons has not been uncovered. This chapter examines the state-building process in the city-state of Genoa, which emerged from obscurity to become one of the wealthiest cities in Europe but whose history was characterized by frequent intracity political violence and relative economic decline. The chapter provides a microanalytical examination of the historical process of state-building in Genoa while explicitly recognizing the need to study the polity as an equilibrium outcome in which actors can choose between predatory and economic behavior. Two perspectives dominate the study of the relationships between political institutions and economic prosperity, neither of which adequately accounts for Genoa’s experience. The first perspective assumes the existence of a predator-ruler, a ruler with a monopoly over coercive power. According to this view, promoting prosperity entails building institutions that enable the ruler to credibly commit to respecting property rights.1 This perspective cannot be applied to the city-state of Genoa, which had no de facto ruler with or without a monopoly over coercive power at the time it was established. The second, neo-Hobbesian, perspective on state-building assumes that the state reflects attempts by economic agents to advance their interests, as “the state produces order,” and provides other public goods that benefit them (Hardin 1997, p.