How To Do Things With Tears

Paul Delnero

Published by De Gruyter 2020

How To Do Things With Tears

Ritual Lamenting in Ancient Mesopotamia

Paul Delnero

Volume 26 in the series Studies in Ancient Near Eastern Records (SANER)

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501512650

Overview
Contents

About this book

In contrast to other traditions, cultic laments in Mesopotamia were not performed in response to a tragic event, such as a death or a disaster, but instead as a preemptive ritual to avert possible catastrophes. Mesopotamian laments provide a unique insight into the relationship between humankind and the gods, and their study sheds light on the nature of collective rituals within a crosscultural context.

Cultic laments were performed in Mesopotamia for nearly 3000 years. This book provides a comprehensive overview of this important ritual practice in the early 2nd millennium BCE, the period during which Sumerian laments were first put in writing. It also includes a new translation and critical edition of Uruamairabi (‘That city, which has been plundered’), one of the most widely performed compositions of its genre.

Author information

Paul Delnero, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	I
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	VII
Chapter 1 Doing Things with Tears Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Chapter 2 Lamenting in the Early Second Millennium Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	41
Chapter 3 Writing and the Performance of Sumerian Laments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	106
Chapter 4 Emotion and Sumerian Laments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	174
Chapter 5 Sound and Meaning in Sumerian Laments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	225
Chapter 6 Conclusion – the Cultural Function of Mesopotamian Lamenting Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	295
Appendix 1 Edition of uru₂-am₃-ma-i-ra-bi (Kirugus 1–5) Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	307
Appendix 2 Catalogue and List of Old Babylonian Sources for Sumerian Laments by Type Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	379
Appendix 3 Lists of Phonetic Writings in Phonetically Written Lament Sources Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	521
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	651
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	663

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
Audience: Scholars, students, institutes of assyriology, ritual studies, comparative religion, anthropology
Pages
- Front matter: 8
- Main content: 668
Illustrations
- Tables: 4
Keywords: Mesopotamia; Sumerian; Lamenting; Ritual

eBook

Published: August 10, 2020
ISBN: 9781501512650

Hardcover

Published: August 10, 2020
ISBN: 9781501519468