Religion of Mesopotamia 3101-DW0067-OG

The lecture shall be addressed to the students of archaeology, especially these interested in the Near East and Mesopotamia, as well as to the studying other disciplines (no previous preparation as to the history and archaeology of Mesopotamia shall be required). At the introductory stage, basic problems of defining, describing and interpreting religious systems in general shall be discussed, and then various aspects of Mesopotamian religion presented - beliefs, pantheon, institutions, cult, and rituals. While most important writings of the "religious literature" shall be within the scope, no less stress shall be put on viewing and explaining archaeological evidence - buildings, cultic and ritual furniture, and iconography of the gods, mythological and ritual scenes. Besides the "official, monumental and solemn" religion of the elites, we shall also look for the "common religion of every-day life".

Type of course

general courses

Learning outcomes

Extended knowledge about the Mesopotamian religion, as manifested in different source materials (texts, ikonography, architecture, small finds), with various possibilities of their analyse and interpretation. Understanding of the role of religion in both private/individual life and in the social dimension. Ability to identify and explanate complex iconographic presentations (from recalling specific deities and their symbols to elaborated cultic-religious scenes and their context). Archaeological basis for a reconstruction of the "religious behaviour" and the "Weltanschauung" systems.

Assessment criteria

Oral exam - memorisation of basic informations (pantheon, cultic centres, forms of cult, cosmo- and theological narrations); presentation of an iindividually chosen feature or artifact, or some problem issue, adequately illustrated and an attempt of own interpretation

Bibliography

Literatura
(zestaw zawiera przede wszystkim opracowania ogólne i „metodyczne”; podczas wykładu wskazane będą także inne publikacje, związane z poszczególnymi tematami)

J. Black, A. Green, Słownik mitologii Mezopotamii. Bogowie, demony, symbole, Katowice 1998, 2006
E. Cassirer, Esej o człowieku. Wstęp do filozofii kultury, Warszawa 1977 (szczególnie rozdz. VII – Mit i religia, 159-218)
O. Drewnowska-Rymarz et al., Do boga, pana mego, mów! Babilońskie i asyryjskie hymny, modlitwy, zaklęcia i rytuały, Warszawa 2005
E. Durkheim, Elementarne formy życia religijnego. System totemiczny w Australii, Warszawa 1990
M. Eliade, sacrum.mit.historia, Wybór esejów, Warszawa 1974
M. Eliade, Historia wierzeń i idei religijnych. I: Od epoki kamiennej do misteriów eleuzyńskich, Warszawa 1988
M. Eliade, Traktat o historii religii, Łódź 1993
T. Jacobsen, The Treasures of Darkness. A History of Mesopotamian Religion, New Haven-London 1976
J. Keller et al., Religie wczoraj i dziś, Warszawa 1971
J. Keller et al., Zarys dziejów religii, Warszawa 1976
K. Łyczkowska, Babilońskie zaklęcia magiczne, Warszawa 1995
K. Łyczkowska, K. Szarzyńska, Mitologia Mezopotamii, Warszawa 1981
A.L. Oppenheim, Ancient Mesopotamia. Portrait of a Dead Civilization, Chicago 1977
R. Otto, Świętość. Elementy racjonalne i irracjonalne w pojęciu bóstwa, Wrocław 1993
R. Pattazzoni, Wszechwiedza bogów, Warszawa 1967
F. Pomponio, Nabu. Il culto e la figura di un dio del Pantheon babilonese ed assiro, Roma 1978
R. Ranoszek, Religie starożytnej Mezopotamii, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem religii babilońsko-asyryjskiej, (w:) J. Braun (red.), Mezopotamia, Warszawa 1971, 212-233
A. Sołtysiak, Bogowie nocy. Motywy astralne w religiach starożytnej Mezopotamii, Kraków 2003
A. Wierciński, Magia i religia. Szkice z antropologii religii, Kraków 1995

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3101-DW0067-OG in USOSweb