
- 312 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Living and Dying in Mesopotamia
About this book
Exploring life, death, and the afterlife in Mesopotamia, Alhena Gadotti and Alexandra Kleinerman examine how life and death experiences continually developed over the course of nearly three millennia of Mesopotamian history. To achieve this, the book follows the life cycle of the people of the Tigris and Euphrates River valleys from 3000 BCE to 300 BCE, from birth, through death, and beyond.
This book is the first to interrogate the relationships between living and dying through case studies and primary evidence. Including letters written by both women and men, the book allows readers to enter the minds of the ancients. First, the authors focus on life through topics such as the rituals surrounding birth, marriage, and religion. The authors then examine the common causes of death, the rituals associated with death, and the Mesopotamian views of the netherworld, its gods, and inhabitants. Concepts of gender fluidity, both in life and death, are considered alongside evidence from epigraphic data. Illustrating daily life as a multifaceted subject affected by time, space, location, socioeconomics, and gender, this book creates a window into the conditions and concerns of the Mesopotamian people.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Halftitle Page
- Dedication Page
- Title Page
- Contents
- List of Figures and Maps
- Acknowledgments
- Note on the Conventions
- List of Abbreviations
- Timeline
- Maps
- Chapter 1 Introduction: History and Evidence
- Chapter 2 The Mesopotamian Belief System
- Chapter 3 From Birth to Adolescence
- Chapter 4 Life Rituals
- Chapter 5 The Stuff of Life
- Chapter 6 The Organization of Society
- Chapter 7 From Dying to Death
- Chapter 8 Death Rituals
- Chapter 9 The Stuff of Death
- Chapter 10 The Organization of The Netherworld
- Notes
- Selected Bibliography
- Index
- Imprint