Table of Contents

Part I. Human and Animal Ontology in Assyrian Art: Introduction; 1. Ashurnasirpal II; 2. Tiglath-Pileser III; 3. Sargon II; 4. Sennacherib; 5. Ashurbanipal; Conclusion to Part I; Part II. Kingship and Priesthood in the Art of Ashurnasirpal II: Introduction; 6. The king, non-king; 7. 'La sale dite 'g''; 8. The mixta persona; 9. The king and the 'sacred tree'; 10. The encounter; Conclusion to Part II; Part III. The Semantics of Sages and Mischwesen in Assyrian Art and Thought: Introduction; 11. Before the flood; 12. Fertilization and purification; 13. King the man, the king-man; 14. 'Tiamat's brood'; 15. The ancient Mesopotamian flood traditions; 16. Lord of the netherworld; Conclusion to Part III; Epilogue.

Promotional Information

In this book, Mehmet-Ali Ataç argues that the palace reliefs of the Neo-Assyrian Empire hold a meaning deeper than simple imperial propaganda.

About the Author

Mehmet-Ali Ataç is Assistant Professor of Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology at Bryn Mawr College. A scholar of the art of the ancient Near East, he has contributed to The Art Bulletin and The Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions.

Reviews

'There is much in this book that ancient and art historians will find of interest. The method of analyzing Assyrian art in the light of the wide body of textual sources and comparative mythology is most welcome.' Bryn Mawr Classical Review

'All interested in the adaptation of primordial myth to illustrate a later art will find many thought-provoking observations in this book.' American Journal of Archaeology

'The field of ancient Near Eastern studies has traditionally been characterized by the philological virtue of attending closely to the text. Ataç's book demonstrates how this virtue is as relevant to the reading of visual material as it is to the study of verbal records.' Journal of the American Oriental Society