This research focusses on de spatial context of the wall reliefs in the Northwest Palace of Assurnasirpal II, at Nimrud. This palace was built by Assurnasirpal II as the administrative centre of...Show moreThis research focusses on de spatial context of the wall reliefs in the Northwest Palace of Assurnasirpal II, at Nimrud. This palace was built by Assurnasirpal II as the administrative centre of the new capital of the empire at the beginning of the 9th century B.C. While doing so, the capital was moved from Assur to Nimrud. A lot of research has been done on Neo-Assyrian palaces, which often focusses on the wall reliefs that decorated the rooms of the palace. However, the wall reliefs have mainly been investigated in isolation. Especially the iconography of the images and their meaning have gotten a lot of attention. For example, images of hunting and war scenes are often associated with propaganda. However, to be able to make a statement about the meaning of these images, it is necessary to look at the context of these reliefs. The palace – and the rooms in the palace itself – were not accessible for everyone, and a great distinction can be made between the public and private quarters of the palace. In order to investigate the spatial context of the wall reliefs, the images on the reliefs, written sources, and reconstructions of the positions of the reliefs have been used. Firstly, the reliefs in each room, de locations of these rooms in de palace, and the images on the reliefs have been investigated. One can recognise different themes on the images: war scenes, hunting scenes, the bringing of tribute to the king, and religious scenes. Secondly, the functions of the rooms, and the designation between public and private quarters have been included in the research.Show less
Summary This thesis deals with the research question whether music played a pivotal role in complex societies, which emerged during the ED period (2900-2450 BCE) in Sumer, present day southern Iraq...Show moreSummary This thesis deals with the research question whether music played a pivotal role in complex societies, which emerged during the ED period (2900-2450 BCE) in Sumer, present day southern Iraq. In relation to this assessment, the focus of this study is on the social identity of the musician and on the evolution of the stringed music instrument. Accordingly, a literature study has been conducted focusing on a selection of relevant artifacts encountered at the Royal Cemetery of Ur: 1) the stringed music instruments, 2) the cylinder seals, and 3) the artifacts with cuneiform texts. Complex Society and Music: One of the key socio-political developments, which occurred during the ED IIIa period (2600-2450 BCE), was that kingship became hereditary. As such the legitimacy of kingship towards the citizens, became of critical importance, especially during the transition of power, now from father to son. Therefore the palace ideology, consisting of a body of doctrines, had to be inculcated effectively in society, now more than ever. To achieve this, music would prove to come to the rescue. This, since the elite would select two arenas to fulfill their propaganda needs, one in the domain of the living, the palace, the other in the domain of the death, the (royal) cemetery. The Musician: Therefore the “gala” singer attended not only the royal banquets, at the palace, and plucked the lyre, as can be observed from the cylinder seals and the Standard of Ur. But she also performed during the funerary ritual of the deceased ruler, as can be observed from the contextual evidence, the skeletons of “Dumu-kisal” and her colleagues in relation to the harps and lyres, of the royal cemetery. The Music Instrument: A sumptuous variety of stringed music instruments has been skillfully retrieved by Woolley from the Royal Cemetery, which is testimony to the long evolutionary path these instruments have followed. The lyre is thought to have evolved out of the arched harp (+/- 3000 BCE), which itself is interpreted to have developed from the hunter’s bow. The number of strings increased from 3-5 during the Uruk period to 11-15 observed during the ED period, enhancing the tonal capacity of the instrument significantly.Show less
This BA thesis investigates the worked-bone assemblage of Late Bronze Age (LBA) Tell Sabi Abyad (ca. 1230-1150 B.C), a settlement mound located in the Raqqa province of Northern Syria. The LBA...Show moreThis BA thesis investigates the worked-bone assemblage of Late Bronze Age (LBA) Tell Sabi Abyad (ca. 1230-1150 B.C), a settlement mound located in the Raqqa province of Northern Syria. The LBA settlement comprises a Middle Assyrian stronghold. It was a military and administrative centre which primarily functioned as a fortified farmstead, named a dunnu by the Assyrians. The goal of this thesis is to determine the character of the assemblage and to shed light on the function and role of the bone artefacts in the LBA society. In addition I have performed a diachronic analysis to find out whether the assemblage changed through time. The worked-bone assemblage is a relatively small but diverse. It comprises approximately 105 artefacts. A preliminary classification, based on morphology, is presented. The assemblage consists of three categories: bone tools, bone ornaments and other bone objects. The category bone tools comprise awls, combs, needles, spatulas and nails. The bone ornaments exist from beads, inlay, plaques and a bracelet. The other bone objects comprise discs, polished knucklebones and a number of miscellaneous objects. First, the function of the artefacts is analysed based on their morphology and when possible, traces of use. For some artefacts, the analysis of the morphology could not shed light on a plausible function. To further elucidate their function and role, the context of the artefacts was analysed. I have tried to elucidate in which areas of the LBA settlement the bone artefacts were used. From the context and morphology it appears that the worked-bone artefacts were used in domestic buildings, workshops and in open areas of the Late Bronze Age settlement. They were probably used for pottery production and in the production of basketry, matting and leather working. The bone objects had a diverse role in society as they were used as tools, jewellery, personal ornaments, game pieces and grave goods. They were present in every phase of the LBA occupation. The worked-bone objects of LBA Tell Sabi Abyad may have been small in numbers but were used in all dimensions of society for a large variety of activities.Show less
