Akkadica
Assyriological Center
Georges Dossin
Georges Dossin
|
Akkadica Assyriological Center
Georges Dossin |
Conspectus Librorum - Book Review:
Hardcover, Pp. XII - 298 (220 ill.). ISBN 3-7278-1519-1 (Fribourg) ISBN 3-525-53007-2 (Göttingen). Price: sFr. 87,- Order: Academic Press Fribourg Pérolles 42 CH-1700 Fribourg - Switserland Fax: +41-(0)26-426 4300 eduni@st-paul.ch In the Triumph of the Symbol the author, Tallay Ornan, aims to analyse modes of divine representations in the art of Mesopotamia from the mid-second to the first millennium BCE, and this especially through a thorough study of first millennium evidence. Besides this, she tries to shed light on the development of the Israelite perception of the divine image. The Israelites knew a very distinctive and unique approach to the divine image and can only be understood after a delineation of its similarities with other Near Eastern phenomena. It is interesting to bring Mesopotamian imagery in relation to the Biblical phenomenon, as in both cultural expressions the divine was conceptualized in human form; and both civilizations knew rejection or an abstention from divine anthropomorphism. The volume comprises an introduction, 6 well-written chapters on the subject, conclusions presented in chapter 7, a comprehensive bibliography, an index and a total number of 220 well-presented illustrations. Chapter 1 deals with Middle Babylonian and Middle Assyrian anthropomorphic deities. It is stated that cylinder seals dated to this period seem to display a wider repertoire of divine depictions than monuments. The non-anthropomorphic Middle Babylonian and Middle Assyrian divine iconography is discussed in Chapter 2, while Chapter 3 is entirely devoted to the Babylonian monuments and glyptics with representations of anthropomorphic divinities, unfortunately few in number, dating from the ninth to the sixth centuries. Ornan concludes that in spite of the small yield of artefacts depicting major human-shaped deities, major human-shaped gods and goddesses were used in Mesopotamian temples and sacred precincts as foci of cult. It seemed that when those images were represented outside sacred places, their representation was transformed into a non-anthropomorphic visual metaphor. Neo-Assyrian human-shaped representations of deities are the subject of Chapter 4 (p.73-108). It is of interest to note that images of major human-shaped gods and goddesses do not occur in Assyrian palaces. Furthermore it is argued that occasional images in palatial decoration are very small, while non-anthropomorphic images of deities rarely occur on Assyrian wall reliefs. According to the author the "expulsion" of prominent human-shaped divinities from palaces was probably based on the exaltation of the king. By removing major deities from the palaces, it generally seemed that there was no competition between god and king. A clear exception is noticed on monuments dating from the reign of Sennacherib when images of the prominent Assyrian divine in human form were represented. Chapters 5 and 6 deal with divine non-anthropomorphic iconography in Babylonia and Assyria. In Chapter 5 Ornan illustrates the growing importance of symbolic representations on monuments, such as kudurrus and stelae, as well as on glyptic art. From the evidence on royal stelae and rock reliefs it becomes obvious that Assyrians tend to favour non-anthropomorphic divine imagery. While anthropomorphic renderings of deities are avoided on Assyrian monumental art, they are clearly present on ninth-eight century BCE cylinder and stamp seals, as shown in Chapter 6. Ornan suggests that the discrepancy between those two media of art may be based on their different background. Seals tend to hold on to traditional conventions, whereas in palatial monumental art, being a new mode of pictorial display, "modern" approaches were more easily accepted. This on the other hand does not take away the fact that during the last phase of Assyrian glyptic art (7e C. BCE) the divine anthropomorphic depictions were usually replaced by symbolic representations. In her conclusions, "The avoidance of anthropomorphic portrayal of deities in Mesopotamia and the Biblical image ban", presented in Chapter 7, the author juxtaposes the biblical notion of divine imagery with the Mesopotamian (p. 168-182). "Triumph of the Symbol", generally spoken, is an interesting and valuable contribution that should find a place on the bookshelf of scholars interested in Babylonian and Assyrian iconography. Ingrid Swinnen Vrije Universiteit Brussel |