Deciphering chaos in the narratives of order

Tensions and Negotiations between Deities and Humans in the 'Uruk Vase' (c. 3000 B.C.)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/0870-4112_3-9_15

Keywords:

History of Religions, Southern Mesopotamia, Mesopotamian mythology, Late Uruk period, Inanna/Ištar

Abstract

The artifact known as 'Uruk Vase' affirms itself as a narrative of order, par excellence. Yet, a closer look at the arrangement and conjugation of its various iconographic elements, which display an intimate dialogue with the object itself, as well as with its cultic-ritualistic functions, allows us to read a somehow latency of chaos, which so deeply frightened ancient Mesopotamians.

Focusing our attention on the conflicts implicit in this artifact, in this paper we will discuss the dialectics between the concepts of order and chaos whose constant tension defined and gave meaning to human, natural, and cosmic existences.

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Published

2023-12-20

Issue

No. 9 (2023): Conflict and Conflictualities

Section

Article

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Biblos

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows sharing the work with recognition of authorship and initial publication in Antropologia Portuguesa journal.