The mortal wives of the gods : a comparative study focusing on the installation manual of the NIN.DINGIR from Emar and the Nitocris adoption stela from Thebes
My research project focuses on the significance of the role of mortal wives of the gods in 13th century Emar and Thebes in the Third Intermediate and early Late Period. I will analyse how the godsâ human âwivesâ were thought to provide a direct link between their communities and the divine. The starting point of the investigation will be a brief overview of the history of the two cities and their marriage practices, as well as some religious functions and rituals similar to the ones that will be considered in the case studies. The first case study will focus on the ritual for the installation of the Storm-godâs high priestess (NIN.DINGIR) in Emar, Syria, from the 13th century BC. The second case study will focus on the role of the Godâs Wife of Amun in Thebes, Egypt, as attested on the stela of Nitocris, daughter of the Saite king Psamtik in the 7th century BC. The aim of the examination of these two cultic offices is to detect the way in which humans and gods interacted through women. This allows the interpretation of ancient religious practices as a form of diplomacy featuring two social spheres: the human and the divine. The last chapter will analyse the similarities and differences between the
Tabatabai, S.
The mortal wives of the gods : a comparative study focusing on the installation manual of the NIN.DINGIR from Emar and the Nitocris adoption stela from Thebes. My research project focuses on the significance of the role of mortal wives of the gods in 13th century Emar and Thebes in the Third Intermediate and early Late Period. I will analyse how the godsâ human âwivesâ were thought to provide a direct link between their communities and the divine. The starting point of the investigation will be a brief overview of the history of the two cities and their marriage practices, as well as some religious functions and rituals similar to the ones that will be considered in the case studies. The first case study will focus on the ritual for the installation of the Storm-godâs high priestess (NIN.DINGIR) in Emar, Syria, from the 13th century BC. The second case study will focus on the role of the Godâs Wife of Amun in Thebes, Egypt, as attested on the stela of Nitocris, daughter of the Saite king Psamtik in the 7th century BC. The aim of the examination of these two cultic offices is to detect the way in which humans and gods interacted through women. This allows the interpretation of ancient religious practices as a form of diplomacy featuring two social spheres: the human and the divine. The last chapter will analyse the similarities and differences between the
wife god comparative_study focus installation manual adoption project_focus significance role wife god third intermediate early_late period analyse god human wife think provide direct link community divine start_point investigation brief_overview history two_city marriage practice well religious function ritual similar consider case_study first case_study focus ritual installation storm god high syria second case_study focus_role god wife egypt attest daughter king aim examination cultic office detect way human god interacted woman allows interpretation ancient religious_practice form diplomacy feature social sphere human_divine last analyse similarity_difference