Losing One's Head in the Ancient Near East

Interpretation and Meaning of Decapitation

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Archaeology, History, Ancient History
Cover of the book Losing One's Head in the Ancient Near East by Rita Dolce, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Rita Dolce ISBN: 9781351657099
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: December 15, 2017
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Rita Dolce
ISBN: 9781351657099
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: December 15, 2017
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

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.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

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.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Sacred Calling, Secular Accountability by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book The Criminal Area by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Globalizing Japan by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Perception by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book The Secret War Against Hitler by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book European Recovery and the Search for Western Security, 1946-1948 by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Multinational Investment and Economic Structure by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Making Sense of Messages by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Explaining Illness by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Design for Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Exploration of the South Seas in the Eighteenth Century: Rediscovered Accounts, Volume I by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Philosophy of Sexuality by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Hate Crime by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book World Congress on Intellectual Capital Readings by Rita Dolce
Cover of the book Global Perspectives on E-Commerce Taxation Law by Rita Dolce
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy