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ARCH 0412 from Gilgamesh to Hektor: Heroes of the Bronze Age

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ARCH 0412 from Gilgamesh to Hektor: Heroes of the Bronze Age ARCH 0412 From Gilgamesh to Hektor: Heroes of the Bronze Age February 8-10, 2016: Uruk: The City of Heroes & The Epic of Gilgamesh Announcements • First assignment coming up (due Feb 12, Friday): ‘Creating a Digital Gilgamesh Exhibit’ • Two parts: Prepare an exhibit, upload/post link on Canvas AND share it with the rest of the class in a 5 minute presentation. • Groups? Hero in Mesopotamia • Gilgamesh Epic • City of Uruk • Mesopotamian mythology What were the main components of the city of Uruk? What are the main themes in the epic of Gilgamesh? How does knowing about the archaeology of Uruk change our understanding of the Epic of Gilgamesh? What are some common themes in Mesopotamian myths? Within this corpus, does the Epic of Gilgamesh represent the norm or the exception? Uruk & Gilgamesh Timeline: Concentrate on Key events, monuments and objects Period Dates Key Events Key Monuments Key Objects (BCE) Early Ubaid 4500-4000 Late Ubaid 4000-3500 Early Uruk 3500-3200 White Temple, Eanna Late Uruk 3200-3000 Proto-cuneiform Warka Vase, Warka mask Early Dynastic I 2900-2750 City wall Early Dynastic II 2750-2600 Reign of Gilgamesh Early Dynastic IIIa 2600-2500 (Standard of Ur)* Early Dynastic IIIb 2500-2350 (Stele of Vultures)* Akkad 2350-2200 Neo-Sumerian (Ur III) 2100-2000 Gilgamesh written down Old Babylonian 2000-1600 * The Standard of Ur and the Stele of Vultures were not found in Uruk, but contributes significantly to our understanding of kingship in Southern Mesopotamia at the time ‘Urban Revolution’ and Uruk Urban Revolution (Gordon Childe, 1930s) 1. Extensive size and population 2. Agricultural surplus and the labour division it supports 3. Taxation 4. Monumental public buildings 5. Ruling class 6. Means of recording and exact sciences 7. Invention of writing 8. Sophisticated artistic expression 9. Trade over long distances 10. The state Early Sumerian cities Uruk: ‘The First City’ Uruk’s city wall covered c. 10 km and enclosed more than 400 ha. Uruk: The First City A reconstruction of Babylon’s city wall during the Neo-Babylonian Period (6th century BCE) The city wall of Uruk, as seen in 2003 th Mud-brick and Reconstruction of the Late Bronze Age (14-13 preservation at Uruk century BCE) city wall of Hattusa City and Countryside at Uruk City and countryside: topography, visibility Uruk as seen in aerial photography The Urban Landscape at Uruk Two key areas for the late 4th millennium BCE: - The White Temple - Eanna District The ‘White Temple’ • Dedicated to the Sky God Anu • A ‘high temple’ sitting on a 13 meter high terrace • Buttressed on the exterior • Altar and table in the central room for offerings • Mainly used in the 3rd millennium BCE The ‘White Temple’ • White plastered inside and outside (hence the name) • 3 entrances and the ramp does not lead to any of them – space, visitor, impact The Eanna Precinct • Dedicated to Inanna, goddess of love, fertility and war • Built heavily in the 4th millennium BCE, but took on White Temple’s importance during the 2nd and 1st millennia BCE • All ground temples, no artificial terraces • Yielded a lot of textual records and important artifacts Composite plan of the Eanna district (note, for instance, that the Ur-Nammu ziggurat dates to 2100-2000 BCE) The Eanna Precinct The Eanna Precinct The Uruk (Warka) Vase: • ca. 3000 BCE • Alabaster vessel with scenes of ritual activity • Top register: a priestess or Inanna herself receiving gifts, the ruler is possibly depicted • Middle register: Naked priests process with food and drinks • Bottom register: The natural world- animals, plants and the Euphrates The Eanna Precinct Mask of a woman: • ca. 3200-3000 BCE • Limestone • 20 cm high • Would have been attached to a body • To be used with inlays and adornments Kingship ‘After kingship had descended from heaven, Eridu became the seat of kingship. In Eridu, Aululim reigned 28,800 years as king. Alalgar reigned 36,000 years. … Eridu was abandoned and its kingship was carried off to Bad-tabira. … The Flood then swept over. After the Flood had swept over, and kingship had descended from heaven, Kish became the seat of kingship. In Kish a total of twenty-three kings reigned 24,510 years, 3 months, 3 ½ days. Kish was defeated; its kingship was carried off to Eanna. In Eanna, Meskiaggasher, the sone of the Sun God Samas reigned as Priest and King 324 years. … Lugalbanda, the shepherd, reigned 1,200 years. … Gilgamesh, whose father was a nomad reigned 126 years. … Erech was defeated, its kingship was carried off to Ur.’ The Sumerian King List (The Weld-Blundell Prism) c. 2000-1800 BCE (Old Babylonian) Ashmolean Museum, Ashm 1923-444 Kingship and Ritual in Ancient Mesopotamia Standard of Ur, c. 2600 BCE | from the Royal Tombs of Ur Obverse Side : ‘Peace’ Kingship and Ritual in Ancient Mesopotamia Standard of Ur, c. 2600 BCE | from the Royal Tombs of Ur Obverse Side : ‘Peace’ Kingship and Ritual in Ancient Mesopotamia Standard of Ur, c. 2600 BCE | from the Royal Tombs of Ur Reverse Side : ‘War’ Kingship and Ritual in Ancient Mesopotamia The Stele of Vultures: • ca. 2500 BCE • Found in Girsu • Narrates the border conflict between the city-states of Lagash and Umma and the victory of Eannatum (king of Lagash) • Obverse (mythological): Ningirsu, the patron deity of Lagash, capturing enemy troops in a net • Reverse (historical): King Eannatum leading the troops • Collaboration of mortal and divine as a must for victory Uruk in the Later Periods Uruk in the Ur III period (21st century BCE) – when the Epic of Gilgamesh was written down Ziggurat dedicated to Inanna at the center of the city The Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet I-IV: Meeting Enkidu and Setting Off Tablet V: The Combat with Humbaba Tablet VI: Killing the Bull of Heaven Fired clay mask of Humbaba Cylinder seal and its impression depicting Gilgamesh (on the left) 2000-1700 BCE and Enkidu (on the right) killing the Bull of Heaven as Ishtar (far Excavated at Diqdiqqah left and far right) tries to prevent them 8 cm high Early 1st millennium BCE BM 127443 Made of chalcedony, 2.9 cm high and 1.3 cm in diameter BM 89435 Tablet VI-XI: Death of Enkidu, wanderings of Gilgamesh and Return Cylinder seal and its impression depicting a bearded hero, possibly Gilgamesh, grasping a bull and a lion c. 2700 BCE Made of lapis lazuli, 2.7 cm high and 1.4 cm in diameter BM 129461 The Epic of Gilgamesh: Main Themes • Fear of death and the inevitable mortality • The ‘path to wisdom’: being formed by successes and failures • Friendship • Nobility of heroic enterprise • Immortality of fame • City and countryside | Civilized and barbarian Next Class Mythology and deities in Mesopotamian pantheon: Is Gilgamesh the norm or the exception? Presentations on the Digital Gilgamesh Exhibit.
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