House Most High: The Temples of Ancient Mesopotamia

Philadelphia and London J. B. Lippincott Company / printed at the Washingron Square press, 1915

comprehensive exploration into the depths of ancient Mesopotamian culture. This book meticulously covers various facets of life in Babylonia and Assyria, offering a holistic view of these ancient civilizations. The Book/ work is divided into several well-structured chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of Mesopotamian life. He begins with the archaeological excavations that unearthed these ancient societies, detailing the discoveries that have helped shape our understanding of their world. The book then transitions into the decipherment of the cuneiform script, a pivotal moment in historical linguistics that unlocked the rich literary and administrative records of these civilizations. A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the historical timeline of Babylonia and Assyria, tracing their rise and fall through the ages. Jastrow provides a detailed narrative of key events and figures, giving readers a clear picture of the political and social dynamics that influenced these empires. Religion plays a central role in Jastrow's analysis. He delves into the pantheon of gods worshipped by the Babylonians and Assyrians, examining their mythology, rituals, and temples. This section is particularly enlightening, as it reveals the spiritual life and practices that were integral to these societies. The book also explores the legal and commercial systems of Babylonia and Assyria. Jastrow provides insights into their laws, trade practices, and economic organization, illustrating how advanced and complex their societies were. This includes an examination of famous legal codes, such as the Code of Hammurabi, which has had a lasting impact on legal traditions. Art (tablets , bowls , monuments , relics , amulets ) and literature are also extensively covered. Jastrow presents an array of artistic achievements, from monumental architecture to intricate jewelry, showcasing the creativity and craftsmanship of these ancient peoples. The literary traditions, including epic poetry and hymns, are analyzed, revealing the richness of Mesopotamian thought and expression. Throughout the book, Jastrow's writing is detailed and scholarly yet accessible. He combines archaeological evidence with historical analysis, providing a well-rounded perspective on Babylonia and Assyria. The numerous illustrations and plates included in the book enhance the reader's understanding, offering visual context to the textual descriptions. The Civilization of Babylonia and Assyria is an invaluable/rare - phenomenonal resource for anyone interested in ancient history. Morris Jastrow Jr. has crafted a thorough and engaging account that brings to life the achievements and daily realities of two of the world's earliest civilizations. ## Contents ### Chapter Page I. Excavations at Babylonian and Assyrian Sites 1 II. The Decipherment of the Cuneiform Script 63 III. Survey of Babylonian and Assyrian History 120 IV. The Gods of Babylonia and Assyria 187 V. The Cults and the Temples of Babylonia and Assyria 237 VI. Law and Commerce 283 VII. The Art of Babylonia and Assyria 367 VIII. Specimens of Babylonian and Assyrian Literature 427 Index 497 Below are listed all the illustrations in their entirety for not only easy reference but as wrote in Tags so this work can be found if someone was to type in any of these specific tablets to Monument place names hence this beautiful comprehensive work may be found) - note The below group of Explorers to Scholars are owed allot of gratitude for their sacrifice in these specific studys we now take advantage of today in the 20th to 21st century's- I. Group of Explorers of Babylonia and Assyria, and Early Decipherers of Cuneiform Inscriptions: Sir Austen Henry Layard, Sir Henry C. Rawlinson, Georg Friedrich Grotefend, Rev. Edward Hincks, Jules Oppert, George Smith, Ernest de Sarzec, John Henry Haynes 1 II. Map of Babylonia and Assyria 5 III. Fig. 1. Mound and Village of Khorsabad, the Site of the First Excavations in Assyria 14 Fig. 2. Birs Nimrud, the Site of the Ancient City of Borsippa. The Ruined Edifice is the Remains of the Seven-storied Stage-Tower 14 IV. Fig. 1. Hunting Scene in a Forest (Khorsabad) 16 Fig. 2. Procession of Captives, Bearing Tribute (Khorsabad) 16 V. Fig. 1. Winged Bull with Human Face from the Palace of Sargon at Khorsabad, Guarding the Entrance to One of the Large Halls 18 Fig. 2. Attempted Restoration of Sargon's Palace 18 VI. Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, King of Assyria (858-824 B.C.), Illustrating His Triumphant Wars. The Second Row Shows the King Receiving the Tribute of Jehu, the King of Israel 20 VII. Fig. 1. King Sennacherib of Assyria (705-681 B.C.) in His Chariot (Kouyunjik) 22 Fig. 2. Carrying Material Across a Stream—Palace of Sennacherib at Kouyunjik (Nineveh) 22 VIII. Hunting Scenes from the Palace of Ashurbanapal, King of Assyria (668-626 B.C.) 24 Fig. 1. Lion Hunt Fig. 2. Hunting Wild Horses IX. Tablets from Ashurbanapal's Library 26 Fig. 1. Omen Tablet, with Colophon at the Bottom of the Left-hand Column Fig. 2. Syllabary, Furnishing Explanations of Cuneiform Signs X. Shamash, the Sun-god, Seated in His Shrine at Sippar 37 XI. Fig. 1. Specimen of Babylonian Boundary Stone, Containing Record of Grant of Land, with Numerous Designs Representing Symbols of the Gods; Found at Abu Habba 39 Fig. 2. Stone Pedestal (Steatite) with Crouching Figures, from Telloh 39 XII. Figs. 1 and 2. Excavations of Palace of Gudea, Ruler of Lagash (c. 2450 B.C.) and of Later Edifice Erected on the Same Site 41 Fig. 3. Terra-cotta Cylinder, Containing Detailed Record of Gudea's Building Achievements and of His Devotion to the Gods 41 XIII. Fig. 1. Diorite Seated Statue of Gudea, Ruler of Lagash (c. 2450 B.C.) 43 Fig. 2. Standing Statue of Gudea 43 XIV. Fig. 1. Specimens of Tablets and Inscribed Cones Found at Telloh 45 Fig. 2. Necropolis at Telloh, Showing Methods of Burial 45 XV. Fig. 1. Slipper-shaped Coffins (Persian Period) Found at Nippur 48 Fig. 2. Incantation Bowls with Aramaic Inscriptions Found at Nippur 48 XVI. Fig. 1. White Stone Statue of the Goddess Ninlil (Bismya) 53 Fig. 2. Design on an Inscribed Boat-shaped Vase (Bismya) 53 Fig. 3. Design on an Inlaid Vase (Bismya) 53 XVII. Fig. 1. Excavations at Kaleh-Shergat, the Site of Ashur, the Ancient Capitol of Assyria 57 Fig. 2. Memorial Steles Erected at Ashur in Honor of Rulers and High Officials 57 XVIII. Fig. 1. The Lion of Babylon. Glazed Tile Work of the Days of Nebuchadnezzar II., King of Babylonia, (604-561 B.C.) 60 Fig. 2. Archway of Colored, Glazed Tiles (Khorsabad) 60 XIX. Fig. 1. Ruins at Persepolis 64 Fig. 2. Remains of the Propylæa of the Palace of Xerxes I (486-465 B.C.) at Persepolis 64 XX. Specimens of the Three Classes of Cuneiform Characters on the Monuments at Persepolis. B and G (Through Which Grotepend Discovered His Key) Represent Class I, i.e., Old Persian; C Represents Class III, i.e., Babylonian-Assyrian; D Represents Class II, i.e., Neo-Elamitic 70 XXI. Fig. 1. Portion of the Great Rock Sculpture and Inscription of Darius I (522-486 B.C.) Showing Darius Receiving the Nine Rebels and Pretenders to the Throne 83 Fig. 2. Vase of Xerxes I (486-465 B.C.), Containing the Name of the King in the Three Classes of Cuneiform Characters (Old Persian, Neo-Elamitic and Babylonian-Assyrian) and in Egyptian Hieroglyphics 83 XXII. Fig. 1. Sumerian Type 121 Fig. 2. Limestone Head (Bismya), Showing Early Semite Type in Babylonia 121 XXIII. Fig. 1. Obelisk of Manishtusu, King of Kish (c. 2600 B.C.) 134 Fig. 2. Bust of Manishtusu 134 XXIV. Fig. 1. Lugal-daudu, King of Adab, as Type of Sumerian 143 Fig. 2. Marduk-nadin-akhi, King of Babylonia (c. 1140-1086 B.C.) From a Boundary Stone of the King's Reign, as Type of Semite 143 XXV. Fig. 1. Prism Containing in Ten Columns the Annals of Ashurbanapal, King of Assyria (668-626 B.C.) 174 Fig. 2. Clay Cylinder, Containing the Account of Cyrus' Capture of Babylon (539 B.C.) 174 XXVI. Fig. 1. Stele of Ashurnasirpal III, King of Assyria (883-859 B.C.) 178 Fig. 2. Stele of Esarhaddon, King of Assyria (680-669 B.C.) with Two Royal Prisoners, Tirhaka, King of Ethiopia, and Ba'alu, King of Tyre 178 XXVII. Terra-cotta Votive Images of the God Enlil and of His Consort Ninlil (Nippur) 188 XXVIII. Fig. 1. The God Marduk in Conflict with the Monster Tiamat, the Symbol of Primeval Chaos 211 Fig. 2. Procession of Gods, Mounted on Animals with Which They Were Symbolically Associated; Rock Sculpture at Malthiyeh in the Mountains of Kurdistan, Two Days North of Mosul 211 XXIX. Fig. 1. Nabu, the Chief Deity of Borsippa 218 Fig. 2. Ishtar as the Mother Goddess 218 Fig. 3. Ishtar as the Goddess of War. Rock Sculpture in the Zagros Mountains, with Votive Inscription of Anubanini, King of the Lulubi (c. 2400 B.C.), to Whom the Goddess is Bringing Prisoners of War 218 XXX. Fig. 1. Marduk, the Chief Deity of Babylon 223 Fig. 2. Adad, the God of Storms 223 XXXI. Fig. 1. Ashur (?), the Chief Deity of Assyria 229 Figs. 2 and 3. Winged Discs as Symbols of the God Ashur, Originally a Sun Deity, but as the Head of the Assyrian Pantheon, Also a God of War 229 XXXII. Fig. 1. Types of Demons 241 Fig. 2. Human-headed Lion, a Type of Monstrous Being Akin to the Demons 241 XXXIII. Assyrian King Worshipping the Tree of Life, Accompanied by Winged, Semi-divine Beings as Guardians and Fertilizers of the Tree. The Scene is Symmetrically Repeated. Above the Tree is the Symbol of the God Ashur, Represented as a Winged Disc with Human Torso 246 XXXIV. Typical Babylonian and Assyrian Temples, Built on Stage-towers, the More Primitive Form of the Pyramid 248 XXXV. Fig. 1. Entrance to the Temple Court of the Goddess Eanna, at Warka (Erech), Built by Sargon I, King of Babylonia (c. 3800 B.C.) 250 Fig. 2. Exterior of the Temple of Nabu at Borsippa 250 XXXVI. Fig. 1. Seals Representing a Scene of...

2014

2021

In ancient Mesopotamia, the functions of the temple were manifold. It could operate as an administrative center, as a center of learning, as a place of jurisdiction, as a center for healing, and as an economic institution, as indicated in both textual and archaeological sources. All these functions involved numerous and diverse personnel and generated interaction with the surrounding world, thereby turning the temple into the center of urban life. Because the temple fulfilled all these functions in addition to housing the divinity, it acquired agency in its own right. Thus, temple, city, and divinity could merge into concerted action. It is this aspect of the temple that lies at the center of the following considerations.

B a n d 366 H e r a u s g e b e r M a n f r i e d D i e t r i c h • O s w a ld Loretz • Hans Neumann Lektor Kai A. Metzler B e r a t e r g r e m i u m Rainer Albertz • Joachim Bretschneider Stefan Maul • Udo Rüterswörden • Walther Sallaberger Gebhard Selz • Michael P. Streck • Wolfgang Zwickel 2 0 1 0 U g a r i t -V e r l a g M ü n s t e r 2 0 1 0 U g a r i t -V e r l a g M ü n s t e r

ABSTRACT ‘’Mesopotamia’’ has special and utmost importance. This area triggers too many questions in ‘’thinking heads’’, such as: • Why Solomon Temple erected on the fertile soils of Jerusalem? • Why Babylonians torched Jerusalem in 586 BC at the order of King Nabuchodonosor II, and razed the Temple. • On arriving at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel’s great work was the rebuilding of the temple. Why? • Why the very first University of the World inaugurated in Harran? • What are the prominent mysteries of this unique and incomparable part of the World? • In fact, does Gabara Bridge really exist? If the answer is ‘Yes’’, where was the exact place of it? • Who was the real architect of the Solomon Temple? Hiram or anybody? This talk; is going to try finding out some plausible answers for those immense questions.

Current Research in Early Mesopotamian Studies. Workshop Organized at the 65th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Paris 2019. Dubsar 21, 2021

The aim of this brief article is to provide some quantitative data on newly published written sources kept in major museums and private collections, as well as to offer an overview of the current state of research on the history and culture of third millennium Mesopotamia before the rise of the Ur III dynasty.

The four 'building' inscriptions published here are inscribed on a clay cone and three clay nails, and all belong to the cuneiform tablet collection of Mr.

My paper will be dedicated to the flows we can observe between the temples and the Old Babylonian practice documents. It will issue a list of legal and administrative documents indicating in one way or another an activity related to the temple. An attempt will be made to discern this activity and understand its nature. This activity is in general economic, social or religious, but we will try to classify it in the private or the public sphere. The idea is to better understand the role of state institutions considered as public and the role of persons acting on their private account. By focusing on their relationship with the temples, we introduce in the equation "private and state" the data "temple" in order to improve our understanding of the Old Babylonian society.

Krieg und Frieden im Alten Vorderasien.

1988

Ancient Near Eastern Temple Inventories in the Third and Second Millennia BCE: Integrating Archaeological, Textual, and Visual Sources Proceedings of a conference held at the LMU Centre for Advanced Studies, November 14–15, 2016, 2019

I deal with the evidence for private cults in southern Mesopotamian houses between the end of the third and the beginning of the second millennium BC. The focus will be mainly on Ur, where several features were singled out and named “private chapels.” Other sites will also be taken into account for comparison. The main idea that some sort of cult ceremony was performed in private houses is not questioned. However, discrepancies in the evidence will be analysed, which might have some meaning for the interpretation of the real nature of these private cults.