Ritual, Performance, and Politics in the Ancient near East

Description:

"In this book, Lauren Ristvet rethinks the narratives of state formation by investigating the interconnections between ritual, performance, and politics in the ancient Near East. She draws on a wide range of archaeological, iconographic, and cuneiform sources to show how ritual performance was not set apart from the real practice of politics; it was politics. Rituals provided an opportunity for elites and ordinary people to negotiate political authority. Descriptions of rituals from three periods explore the networks of signification that informed different societies."--Provided by publisher.

subjects: Middle east, social life and customs,  Middle east, politics and government,  Middle east, civilization,  Antiquities,  Politics and government,  History,  Ritual,  Rites and ceremonies,  Political culture,  Pilgrims and pilgrimages,  Political customs and rites,  Festivals,  Social archaeology,  Social aspects