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Mesopotamian Politics

Notes

Notes to Chapter 3. Control over Nature

Giorgio Buccellati – August 2023

3.1 Alteration as an External Form of Control
3.2 The Intervention into Natural Processes
3.3 The Construction of Spaces
3.4 The Production of Artificial Artefacts
3.5 The Development of the Manufacturing Process
3.6 The Ideology of Control
3.7 Political Ideology
3.8 Authority and the Emergence of Hierarchy

ERRORS in databases:
  • "Boson1918Assiriologia.d": duplicate bibliography "Boson1918Assiriologia" for site "Akk-lg".
  • "Bottero1992Reasoning.d": duplicate bibliography "Bottero1992Reasoning" for site "Mes-rel".
  • "Buccellati1972Teodicea.d": duplicate bibliography "Buccellati1972Teodicea" for site "Mes-lit".
  • "Cauvin2000Birth.d": duplicate bibliography "Cauvin2000Birth" for site "Mes-rel".
  • "DMB.d": duplicate bibliography "DMB" for site "Mes-rel".
  • "Edzard2003Sumerian.d": duplicate bibliography "Edzard2003Sumerian" for site "Mes-rel".
  • "Oshima2014Sufferers.d": duplicate bibliography "Oshima2014Sufferers" for site "Mes-rel".
  • "Trinkaus1983Shanidar.d": duplicate bibliography "Trinkaus1983Shanidar" for site "Mes-rel".

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3.1 Alteration as an External Form of Control

  1. The concept expressed by the French term chaîne opératoire well explains the technical complexity of the temporal procedures required in any productive activity. Cf. also 1.4.

    – [ Giorgio Buccellati, July 2020]

  2. On the aspect of the transmission of productive abilities, see also Kelly Buccellati 2012 Apprenticeship.

    – [ Giorgio Buccellati, July 2020]

  3. An example of para-perception already in prehistorical times can be seen in the crafting of prehistoric figurines, for which see e.g. Bailey 2005 Figurines.

    Another interesting example of para/meta-perception can be found in some of the first calendars, for which see e.g. Bourrillon 2018 Aurignacian and Marshack 1991 Tai; cf. Buccellati 2014 Dalprofondo; cf. further (mostly about later times) Cohen 2015 Calendars.

    For calendars in very later times (mostly, the first millennium BC), see e.g. Ermidoro 2017 Time.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, January 2024]

  4. A very well-documented example of alteration of the landscape and control over the territory in the fourth/third-millennium Southern Mesopotamia is represented by the development of sophisticated hydrical sistems and water management; on this topic, see e.g. Mantellini &al 2024 Development.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, January 2024]

  5. On yhe first (alledged) temples/shrines, see e.g. the example of Göbekli Tepe, for which consult Schmidt 2011 Costruirono and Schmidt 2012 Gobekli.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, February 2024]

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3.2 The Intervention into Natural Processes

  1. For the origins of agriculture, see Bellwood 2004 Farmers; cf. also Cauvin 2000 Birth.

    On the relationship between food crises and the origin of agriculture, see e.e. Cohen 1977 Food.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, February 2024]

  2. About the so-called Neolithic revolution and its impact on the growth of population, see e.g. Bocquet- Appel 2008 Neolithic; cf. the fundamental works Childe 1928 Neolithic and Childe 1936 Man, along with their review and updating in Brami 2019 Invention.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, February 2024]

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3.3 The Construction of Spaces

  1. For the definition and principles of the “built environment”, see the Urkesh website, section Mozan Sitewide.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, December 2023]

  2. On villages, see e.g. Moreno Garcia 2011 Village.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, February 2024]

  3. On spacial competence, see e.g. Wynn 1989.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, February 2024]

  4. About the first Neolithic settlements, see mostly the example of Çatal Höyük: Balter 2005 Catalhoyuk, Hodder 2010 Emergence, and Balter 2005 Catalhoyuk.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, February 2024]

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3.4 The Production of Artificial Artefacts

  1. Ehe value of metal weapons had a long-lasting history (and story): just think of the situation told by Homer in his Iliad (whose story is allegedly situated in the Late Bronze Age, i.e. ca. 1500-1200 BC), where in many passages (particularly on the occasion of interchanging the own weapons after a fight or an important deal between two heroes) the weapons of the Trojans (maybe already of iron and sometimes, at least according to Homer’s narrative, of gold) are more valuable (and stronger) than the Achaeans’ ones (still produced in bronze); see e.g. the famous episode of Glaucus and Diomedes in Il. 6, 235.

    – [ Marco De Pietri, December 2023]

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3.5 The Development of the Manufacturing Process

  1. this specialization, along with the food surplus (leading to the redistribution system attested archaologically by the so-called “bevelled-rim bowls”; see e.g. Millard 1988 B R B), will be the core incentive towards the formation of a hierarchical society (cf. above 3.8).

    – [ Marco De Pietri, December 2023]

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3.7 Political Ideology

  1. The image of the leader as a shepherd was long-lasting in time and widespread in the ancient Near East cultural milieu: it will be sufficient to recall here the application of this image (and imagery) to Mesopotamian gods (like Dumuzi [see on Mes-Rel, Alster 1972, Alster 2006, and Xella 2001]), to the God of Israel (see e.g. Ps. 80:1) and later to Jesus described as the “Chief Shepherd” (see e.g. 1Pet. 5:2-4); on this topic, see specifically Westenholz 2004.

    Cf. further Ivy Ewald 2010 Shepherd.

    A text describing the king as shepherd is, e.g., the composition about the Kassite king Agum-Kakrime and the return of Marduk, for which see Foster 20053, pp. 360-364 (cf. related Excerpt).

    – [ Marco De Pietri, December 2023]