Losing One's Head in the Ancient Near East - Interpretation and Meaning of Decapitation (Paperback)

In the Ancient Near East, cutting off someone's head was a unique act, not comparable to other types of mutilation, and therefore charged with a special symbolic and communicative significance. This book examines representations of decapitation in both images and texts, particularly in the context of war, from a trans-chronological perspective that aims to shed light on some of the conditions, relationships and meanings of this specific act. The severed head is a "coveted object" for the many individuals who interact with it and determine its fate, and the act itself appears to take on the hallmarks of a ritual. Drawing mainly on the evidence from Anatolia, Syria and Mesopotamia between the third and first millennia BC, and with reference to examples from prehistory to the Neo-Assyrian Period, this fascinating study will be of interest not only to art historians, but to anyone interested in the dynamics of war in the ancient world.

General

Imprint:	Routledge
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Series:	Studies in the History of the Ancient Near East
Release date:	August 2020
Authors:	Rita Dolce
Dimensions:	234 x 156 x 10mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	92
ISBN-13:	978-0-367-59355-1
Categories:	Books > Arts & Architecture > History of art / art & design styles > BC to 500 CE, Ancient & classical world Books > Humanities > History > World history > BCE to 500 CE Books > Humanities > History > History of specific subjects > Military history Books > Humanities > Archaeology > Archaeology by period / region > Middle & Near Eastern archaeology > General Books > History > History of specific subjects > Military history Books > History > World history > BCE to 500 CE Promotions
LSN:	0-367-59355-6
Barcode:	9780367593551

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