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In: O. Drewnowska and M. Sandowicz (eds.) Fortune and Misfortune in the Ancient Near East. Proceedings of the 60th RAI at Warsaw, 21-25 2014. Pp. 201-210.
In Sumerian traditions of the third millennium and Early Old Babylonian period Enmerkar has a positive image. Two milestones in Sumerian history are ascribed to him, the founding of Uruk and the invention of the cuneiform script. However, in the Akkadian Cuthean legend of Naram-Sin his image is rather negative. This literary work, which was transmitted since the Old Babylonian period into the first millennium, gave Enmerkar a bad name for generations. Yet, it seems that his old merits were not completely forgotten.
American Journal of Archaeology, 2023
Modern historians of ancient Mesopotamia are chiefly concerned with the deeds of the kings and mainly use sources which reflect conditions at the apex of Mesopotamian society. This paper attempts to investigate possible traces of discontent and opposition as well as the criteria involving the loss of the legitimacy of power in Early Mesopotamia. We will deal with two major types of sources: the early curse formulas in "royal" inscriptions, and the school-based tradition of Sumerian proverbs. Especially the latter allow for a more socially-balanced understanding of history.
The Sun-god's particular patronage of the legendary first dynasty of Uruk is well documented in the Sumerian epic tradition, even as evidence for the veneration of the god in this city is minimal. It is argued here that the Sun-god's special status is part of a broader network of relationships centering upon the goddess Inana, which sought to identify the kings-of Uruk and later of Ur-not only with her lover, Dumuzi, but also with her twin brother, Utu, thereby doubly affirming their bond with the patroness of Uruk. The equation of the ostensibly contradictory roles of lover and brother, a unity of opposites, motivates aspects of the imagery and metaphorical language of the Uruk I epic cycle. * I am indebted to Nicole Brisch, Monica Crews, and Jennie Myers for their comments, suggestions, and assistance. Citations of Sumerian literary texts follow Black et al. 1998-2006, with the following abbreviations for literary sources: DG = Death of Gilgamesh, EE = Enmerkar and Ensuhkeshdana, ELA = Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta, GA = Gilgamesh and Aka, GBH = Glgamesh and the Bull of Heaven, GEN = Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld, GHa = Gilgamesh and Huwawa A, GHb = Gilgamesh and Huwawa B, LB1 = Lugalbanda 1, LB2 = Lugalbanda 2, SKL = Sumerian King List. The abbreviations of publications used are those of The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago and/or The Sumerian Dictionary of the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Citations and translations of the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh (Gilg.) follow George 2003.
Elam and its Neighbours. Proceedings of the 2016 International Congress Held at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz (Germany).
Susian, Elamite, Awanite, Anšanite? Father Vincent Scheil once described Puzur-Inšušinak as “a kind of Susian Gudea” because of the role he played in Elam and the numerous objects and texts carrying his name . Contrary to his contemporary Gudea, however, the origins and cultural background of Puzur-Inšušinak remain matters of a dynamic scholarly debate. He can be considered the first Elamite king on record to have ruled over Susa, Anšan and much of the Iranian plateau. His conquest and occupation of northern Babylonia, the city of Akkad included, may have lasted for at least eight years, suggesting that in many ways this monarch inherited the imperial aspirations of the house of Sargon. While there is much yet to learn about this enigmatic individual, his artistic accomplishments indicate that he may have sought to claim court-based artistic traditions established by the imperial workshops of the Akkadian monarchs. This paper examines these traditions, seeking to query the multiple identities of this ruler and to offer a resemblant portrait characterized by the harmonization of Akkadian, Post-Akkadian and Elamite traditions. Contents. I. Introduction; II. Archaeological and Artistic Evidence; Architecture, §1. The Temple of ŠU.GU, §2. Architectural Elements: The Steps of Inšušinak; Monumental Sculpture in Limestone, §3. Standing Statue of Puzur-Inšušinak in Court Garment, §4. Seated Statue of Puzur-Inšušinak in Sandals, §5. The Goddess Narundi, §6. Pair of Pierced Roaring Guardian Lions, §7. Votive Table with Lion Head, §8. Pierced Boulder with Serpent, Lion and Foundation Scene, §9. Pierced Boulder with Coiled Serpent; Small-Scale Sculpture, §10. Statuette a, §11. Statuette b, §12. Statuette c, §13. Seated Statue of Naked Man; §14. Bitumen Vessel with Human Figure-handle; §15. The Lion-man; Glyptic, §16. Sealing of Puzur-Inšušinak son of Šu-Ea; III. Discussion: Evaluating Context. IV. Conclusion: Puzur Inšušinak, last king of Akkad?
A discussion of the significance of BaMB 2 89. (A minor correction has been added to the file; 6/8/15.)
Agnès Garcia-Ventura (ed.): What’s in a Name? Terminology Related to the Work Force and Job Categories in the Ancient Near East, 2018
For Karel, the laureate of this volume … From underneath the ever so charming 'Professor Zonnebloem' 1 -look a 'multi-disciplinary' person appears: exploratory (blowing ammonium chloride on tablets without any protection), critical (asking why you actually think you are reaching a floor level over and over again), determined (writing applications for yet another project), balanced (keeping a stable ratio between assyriology and archaeology), innovative (realizing the mini-dome for 3D reading of tablets), amiable (staying up late during excavations with a glass of beer or wine), funny (telling stories of past rencontres and excavations in Iraq and Syria), adventurous (riding the motor cycle through the Near East), … In working at the Near Eastern Department of the KU Leuven and while excavating in Tell Beydar and/or Tell Tweini, he influenced a great part of our lives and it has to be said: this actually was (and still is) a very nice part of our lives. And for that, we want to pass along an extremely warm thank you to Karel.
2023
Conference "Tempus Fugit. Challenging Time(s) and Text(s) in Order to Refine Ancient Egyptian Historical Chronology" (Vienna 10-13.07.2023)
Where did Mesopotamian kings come from? In the second third of the 19th century BCE, the kingdom of Larsa in southern Mesopotamia went through a politically tumultuous phase. During this period, a complex individual emerges: Kudur-Mabuk, a man of Elamite origin, whose political career can be traced back to the reign of Sin-iddinam (1849-1843 BCE). But only a decade later, he would witness his sons Warad-Sin (1834-1823 BCE) and later Rim-Sin (1822-1763 BCE) becoming kings. Who was Kudur-Mabuk and what is the evidence for his career? How did an Elamite establish a political career in southern Mesopotamia and set the stage for his sons to become kings? During the time of the last kings of the Nur-Adad dynasty, Kudur-Mabuk was a high official of the kingdom of Larsa, as it is shown by three administrative documents related to the royal court. They mention Kudur-Mabuk with female and male musicians, "the house of women," or Ṣilli-Adad, probably the future king of Larsa in 1835 BCE. In one, dated to the last year of king Sin-iddinam (1843 BCE), Kudur-Mabuk appears alongside female mourners probably related to the funeral ceremony of Sin-iddinam. Thus Kudur-Mabuk was already a prominent figure of the kingdom, even before the accession of his son Warad-Sin in 1834 BCE. During this time, Kudur-Mabuk seems to have exercised some functions at Maškanšapir, the capital of the land of Emutbal in the northern part of the kingdom. An important element of Kudur-Mabuk's identity is his Elamite origins. Kudur-Mabuk bore an Elamite name, which means "(The god) Mabuk is a protector." Since the names of his father Šimti-šilhak and his daughter Manzi-wartaš are also Elamite, it is probable that Kudur-Mabuk's family hailed from Elam. The earlier history of this family remains unknown. However, it is interesting to observe that a foreigner was able to become a high dignitary of a Mesopotamian kingdom, and even to integrate its royal court.
The Oxford History of the Ancient Near East aims to become the standard source for anyone interested in the subject, much like the Cambridge Ancient History was for earlier generations of readers around the world. It is intended to serve as a reference work and the new backbone for teaching and researching the three millennia bc from the emergence of complex states to the eve of the conquests of Alexander of Macedon. Organized in five volumes and more than seventy chapters, it provides a comprehensive survey of the history of the ancient Near East, including Egypt, and contextualizes this core region in a wider geographical horizon that stretches from the headwaters of the Nile and the Aegean Sea to Central Asia and the Indus region. The field owes significant advances to recent archaeological discoveries and textual research, including on clay tablets, papyri, and rock inscriptions. The Oxford History of the Ancient Near East offers the reader a chronologically organized overview of the current state of scholarship, highlighting problems and priorities for current and future research. Each chapter presents primary evidence (material and if available, textual), emphasizing the impact of new finds on historical reconstruction
L. Feliu, J. Llop, A. Millet Albà, J. Sanmartín (edd.), Time and History in the Ancient Near East, Proceedings of the 56th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale at Barcelona, 26-30 July 2010, Winona Lake, Indiana: EISENBRAUNS 2013, 635-644.., 2013
This paper proposes to investigate three aspects of the highest political office of the Sumerian city of Ur at the very beginning of the third pre-Christian millenium, between the very inauguration of Ur as the land’s first-rate political center at the beginning of the 3rd millenium and the regnal period of king Mesannepada of Ur and Kish (2563–2524 b.c.e.).
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Dina Katz