The Standards of Mesopotamia in the Third and Fourth Millennia Bce: An Iconographic Study (Orientalische Religionen in Der Antike)

"Depictions of standards form a fundamental part of the visual repertoire of ancient Mesopotamia. These depictions can offer great insight into the thought world of the peoples with which they are associated, because different standards were associated with different deities, and could be found in multiple contexts. In this book, Renate Marian van Dijk-Coombes examines the standards which are represented in the visual culture of the third and fourth millennia BCE, covering the Uruk, Early Dynastic, Akkadian and Neo-Sumerian periods. She analyses each of the different standards, how they looked, what they symbolised and the context(s) in which they were found. In addition, developments and changes in the representation of these standards are traced across the periods under discussion.Depictions of standards form a fundamental part of the visual repertoire of ancient Mesopotamia. These depictions can offer great insight into the thought world of the peoples with which they are associated, because different standards were associated with different deities, and could be found in multiple contexts. In this book, Renate Marian van Dijk-Coombes examines the standards which are represented in the visual culture of the third and fourth millennia BCE, covering the Uruk, Early Dynastic, Akkadian and Neo-Sumerian periods. She analyses each of the different standards, how they looked, what they symbolised and the context(s) in which they were found. In addition, developments and changes in the representation of these standards are traced across the periods under discussion."--Publisher Cover Title Preface Table of Contents List of Abbreviations Chapter 1: General Introduction 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Definition 1.3. Previous Studies on Mesopotamian Standards 1.4. Methodology 1.4.1. Text and Image 1.4.2. The Iconographic Method 1.4.3. Sources 1.5. Research Design 1.6. Research Questions 1.7. Outline Chapter 2: The Uruk Period (4000–2900 BCE) 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Ring-Post 2.2.1. Introduction 2.2.2. Ring-Post with Streamer 2.2.3. Ring-Post without Streamer 2.2.4. Doppelvolute 2.2.5. Ring-Post Summary 2.3. Ringed Pole 2.4. Bügelschaft 2.5. Knobbed Pole 2.6. Floral/Star Standard 2.7. Uncertain 2.8. Summary Chapter 3: The Early Dynastic Period (2900–2334 BCE) 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Bügelschaft 3.2.1. Scenes with the Bügelschaft in Association with Architecture 3.2.2. Mythological Scenes with the Bügelschaft 3.2.3. Summary 3.3. Knobbed Pole 3.4. Crescent Standard 3.4.1. Simple Crescent Standard 3.4.2. Crescent Standard with Animal-Footed Base 3.4.3. Crescent Standard Summary 3.5. Bird Standard 3.6. Floral and Star Standards 3.7. Uncertain 3.8. Incorrectly Identified as Standards 3.8.1. Bull Standard 3.8.2. Crescent Standard 3.9. Summary Chapter 4: The Akkadian Period (2334–2150 BCE) 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Bügelschaft 4.2.1. Introduction 4.2.2. Contest Scenes and the Nude Hero 4.2.3. In Association with Deities 4.2.4. In Associations with Divine Symbols 4.2.5. Scenes of Human Activity 4.2.6. Decoration on the Bügelschaft 4.2.7. Summary 4.3. Knobbed Pole 4.4. Crescent Standard 4.5. Star Standard 4.6. Pennant Standard 4.7. Tasselled Standard 4.8. Rod with Balls and Lion-Griffon Standard 4.9. Uncertain 4.10. Summary Chapter 5: The Neo-Sumerian Period (2157–2004 BCE) 5.1. Introduction 5.1.1. Second Dynasty of Lagaš (circa twenty-second century BCE) 5.1.2. Third Dynasty of Ur (2112–2004 BCE) 5.2. Bügelschaft 5.3. Crescent Standard 5.3.1. Contest Scenes 5.3.2. Presentation Scenes 5.3.3. Adoration Scenes 5.3.4. Unusual Scenes 5.3.5. Summary 5.4. Knobbed Pole 5.4.1. ‘Typical’ Knobbed Pole 5.4.2. Knobbed Pole Variations 5.4.3. Summary 5.5. Star Standard 5.6. Rod with Balls 5.7. Scorpion Standard 5.8. Lion Standard 5.8.1. Procession of Standards 5.8.2. Contest Scenes 5.8.3. Presentation Scenes 5.8.4. Summary 5.9. Bird and Bird-Man Standards 5.9.1. Contest Scenes 5.9.2. Presentation Scenes 5.9.3. Adoration Scenes 5.9.4. Boat Scene 5.9.5. Processions of Standards 5.9.6. Summary 5.10. Anzu Standard 5.11. Mušh̬uššu Standard 5.12. Snake Standard 5.13. Uncertain 5.14. Summary Chapter 6: Summaries, Analyses and Conclusions 6.1. Summary and Analysis of Each Standard 6.1.1. Ring-Post with Streamer 6.1.2. Ring-Post without Streamer 6.1.3. Doppelvolute 6.1.4. Ringed Pole 6.1.5. Bügelschaft 6.1.6. Knobbed Pole 6.1.7. Floral And Star Standards 6.1.8. Crescent Standard 6.1.9. Bird And Bird-Man Standards 6.1.10. Anzu Standard 6.1.11. Pennant Standard 6.1.12. Tasselled Standard 6.1.13. Rod With Balls 6.1.14. Lion-Griffon Standard 6.1.15. Lion Standard 6.1.16. Scorpion Standard 6.1.17. Mušh̬uššu Standard 6.1.18. Snake Standard 6.2. Summary and Analysis of Functions or Contexts 6.2.1. Standards in a Ritual Context 6.2.2. Battle Standards 6.2.3. Standards in an Architectural Context 6.2.4. Standards Associated with a Specific Place 6.3. Summary and Analysis of Each Period 6.3.1. The Uruk Period 6.3.2. The Early Dynastic Period 6.3.3. The Akkadian Period 6.3.4. The Neo-Sumerian Period 6.4. Final Conclusions Catalogue Bibliography Index of Ancient Sources Index of Authors Subject Index Standards are represented in the visual culture throughout Mesopotamian history. Renate Marian van Dijk-Coombes examines the standards of the third and fourth millennia BCE and details which standards are recorded in the visual repertoire over time.