Goddesses in Context examines from different perspectives some of
the most challenging themes in Mesopotamian religion such as gender
switch of deities and changes of the status, roles and functions of
goddesses. Julia M. Asher-Greve and Goodnick Westenholz incorporate
recent scholarship from various disciplines into their analysis of
textual and visual sources, representations in diverse media,
theological strategies, typologies, and the place of image in religion
and cult over a span of three millennia.
Different types of
syncretism (fusion, fission, mutation) resulted in transformation and
homogenization of goddesses’ roles and functions. The processes of
syncretism (a useful heuristic tool for studying the evolution of
religions and the attendant political and social changes) and gender
switch were facilitated by the fluidity of personality due to multiple
or similar divine roles and functions.
Few goddesses kept
their identity throughout the millennia. Individuality is rare in the
iconography of goddesses while visual emphasis is on repetition of
generic divine figures (hieros typos) in order to retain
recognizability of divinity, where femininity is of secondary
significance.
This richly illustrated book demonstrates that
goddesses were never marginalized or extrinsic and that their continuous
presence in texts, cult images, rituals, and worship throughout
Mesopotamian history is testimony to their powerful numinous impact.
This richly illustrated book is the first in-depth analysis of
goddesses and the changes they underwent from the earliest visual and
textual evidence around 3000 BCE to the end of ancient Mesopotamian
civilization in the Seleucid period. Goddesses in Context is a
compelling contribution to Mesopotamian religion and history as well as
to history, art history, history of religion and gender studies.
