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The stele of the vultures. An example of legitimizing royal authority in Early Dynastic Mesopotamia. by Daniel Lau This is an unchanged script of a talk held at the Internationales Wissenschaftsforum Heidelberg on May 17th 2013. The presentation was given during an international workshop „Materiality of Writing in 3rd millennium Mesopotamia“ of the SFB 933 Materielle Textkulturen. I have to thank the organizing committee for the invitation to the workshop and I have to thank my dear friends Steffi Brümmer and Maren Johanning for reading the manuscript. My first public talk, ten years ago, was about the Lagash-Umma border conflict and the stele of the vultures. Today, the stele will be my topic again, but with a different focus. In the next 20 minutes I will give a presentation talk about the stele of the vultures as a media for authorizing and re-creating kingship in Early Dynastic Mesopotamia. I will present a work in progress, proposing how to apply Luhmann's systems theory in ancient near eastern archaeology or assyriology. Slide 2 If we now take a look at the outline of my talk you can see that after a brief introduction and an overview on the stele of the vultures to refresh our memory on the most important details. Afterwards, I will turn to Luhmann's systems theory and explain his basic on about how communication between systems works. Finally I will apply Luhmann's theory on the stele of the vultures as a tool to understand the recreation of royal authority in ancient Lagash. Slide 3 1. Introduction The stele of the vultures was dicovered by the french archeological mission to Tello, ancient Girsu, in 1878. The stele was broken into several pieces scattered across a large area. Five of the fragments were found on - and at the foot of - Tell K , one fragment was found in a secondary context on Tell A. A seventh fragment was acquired by the British Museum on the art market in 1900 and later donated to the Louvre where the seven fragments of the stele are arranged and displayed today. Since the late 19th century several articles have been published on the inscription, the images carved into the stele - and various interpretation-models have been developed. I will not contest any of these; instead I will borrow the interpretation of Bendt Alster (published in Archiv für Orientforschung in 2003/2004) on the sequence of how the images could have been read. This is from bottom to top matching the order in which imagery on other early sumerian artifacts should be understood. Slide 4 Turning now to the artifact itself: the stele is made of limestone, its reconstructed measurements are 1.80 m in height, 1.30 m in breadth and 11 cm in width. The specific weight of limestone is 2.7 g per cubic centimeter. All in all, the stele must have had a weight of about 700 kg. Thus the artifact was not designed for mobility and it must have had a defined firm location. 1 Parrot and others argue that the stele must have been kept on Tell K in the temple of Ningirsu. But of course it could have been moved to the sacred area from elsewhere. Either while still complete, likewise the Codex Hammurapi or the victory stele of Naram-Sin were moved by Shutruk-Nahhunte to Susa. Or the stele of the vultures was already broken into pieces brought to the temple of Ningirsu. If we consider the question from where the stele was moved - the inscription hints at the location. The stele was most likely considered a border stone, erected at the frontier between Lagash and Umma. The stele of the vultures was made during the reign of Eanatum of Lagash (ca. 2470 BC). I will not go into details by describing the inscription or the images carved into the limestone. Instead I will refresh our memory on the text and depictions in a short overview. The Inscription begins with a historical account of the conflict between Lagash and Umma, from the beginning until the birth of Eanatum. The next sequences tell about the birth of Eanatum, his divine given kingship of Lagash and his claim of the contested area in which he refers to old agreements violated by Umma. Followed by a dream sequence in which Ningirsu advices the ruler of Lagash to battle against Umma and to restore the old order. The next paragraphs tell about the victorious battle against Umma, Eanatum erecting a border stele and the restoration of the contested Gu-edinna, temples and fields. The text on the obverse of the stele ends with a treaty between Lagash and Umma and with a long curse formula. The reverse of the stele begins with an account of rulers defeated by Eanatum acting on behalf of Ningirsu and commemorated by the erection of a stele. The inscription ends naming the stele and finishes with a final curse formula as a warning against destroying the stele. Now taking a look at the images from bottom to top, the obverse side of the stele is called "mythological" and shows in a register on the bottom a difficult to reconstruct scene in which a god (?) most likely Ningirsu is standing on a chariot and in front of him stands Ninhursag. The main theme of the obverse side is captured in the top and large register showing a tall standing figure (most likely to be identified as Ningirsu) holding a battlenet with the defeated Ummaites in his left hand and a mace in his right hand ready to smash his victims. Behind Ningirsu stands Ninhursag. The images on the reverse side, which is called the "worldly" side, show Eanatum waging war against Umma. The bottom register tells about a first battle showing Eanatum standing (probably on a chariot) and casting his weapon against a tall figure, possibly the Ummaite ruler (?). The following register shows some people erecting a burial mound and Eanatum taking part in a sacrifice. The third register shows Eanatum again on a chariot and marching behind him his soldiers. The final register shows the victory of Lagash, Eanatums soldiers marching over the bodies of the defeated Ummaites and vultures carrying away heads and body parts of the fallen. 2. Luhmann's systems theory Now, turning to some more recent years in history, I will give a brief overview to Luhmann's systems theory. Niklas Luhmann was born in 1927 and died in 1998. He was a german sociologist rivaling Talcott Parsons theory on social systems. As a Professor of sociology he worked at the University of Bielefeld until 1993. Over the years he developed a grand or universal theory of systems, especially on social systems. The core element of his theory is communication. 2 Before I present more details on Luhmann's understanding of communication I will talk briefly about Luhmann's definition of a system. Slide 5 Luhmanns system is based on a boundary between itself and its environment, which is a chaotic and complex exterior. The interior of a system on the other hand is reduced complexity. And each system has a certain identity reproducing itself by means of operation. This selfreproduction is called auto-poi-e-sis. As a defintion, according to Luhmann, systems operate in difference to their environment and in autopoiesis. Slide 6 Luhmann differentiates between three kinds of systems: organisms, the social and the psychic systems. Every system operates: an organism lives, a psychic system operates by processes of consciousness and perception and social systems communicate. Slide 7 The human being is not a system on its own, but it shares parts of these three systems: The body is an organism, the consciousness a psychic system and human interactions are part of social systems. Again, social systems communicate, they are systems of communication. The most complex social system integrating every communication is society. It is rather simple: whenever communication happens we have a social system. But beware - only social systems communicate - not people. Referring to Luhmann society does not consist of human bodies and brains. Society is a network of communication. Now, we can understand social systems, according to Luhmann, as self-creating and operating in difference from the environment by means of communication. Slide 8 (1) What is communication in Luhmann's sense? Every form of communication within a social system is a selection of information from the chaotic complex outside, thus communication is a reduction of complexity. Communication works between two social systems: In traditional view between a sender and a receiver. Luhmann calls the sender "alter" and the receiver "ego", thus shifting the importance of sending information to the importance of understanding information or meaning. Communication between alter and ego operates in three steps: 1. alter has to select a relevant information from its chaotic environment. alter breaks down or reduces the complexity of the information. Slide 8 (2) 3 2. alter now selects which parts of information to communicate - again there is a selection, because alter cannot communicate the whole information. Slide 8 (3) 3. ego receives the doubly selected and reduced complex information and understands that it is a message which makes sense. ego understands that alter has a lot of information and that the received message consists of only a few details and that most of the original information was not communicated. Communication takes place, only if ego understands the difference between message and information and selects thereof a meaning! One of Luhmanns central theses on communication is, that it is highly unlikely that communication ever will happen. But the use of media as in'centive for communication makes it less unlikely. There are three classes of media: 1. speech, 2. media of distribution like script and 3. media of success like art, political power or fundamental values. Media needs to transport meaning otherwise it won't help to make a communication probable. 1. speech is according to Luhmann a media giving meaning to acoustical signs. Speech can help to understand information of something not perceivable. Example: you can talk about your holiday at the beach even if the audience has never been there before. 2. script codifies speech into graphical signs. Script makes it possible to free communication from the act of speech. Script is not restricted to time or space and even alter may not be known personally to ego. And script can create a large archive which exceeds even human memory. 3. symbolical generalized media of communication or media of success motivates ego to accept alters offer to communicate. Art for instance gives an in'centive for communication. 3. (re-)creating royal authority by the stele of the vultures Now turning back to the stele of the vultures I will apply Luhmann's systems theory on the ancient mesopotamian artifact. Slide 9 1. Identifying Systems: Referring to the Lagash-Umma border dispute, there are several interacting social systems communicating with each other. There are at least six: 1. the king of Lagash and everything concerning kingship, 2. Lagash, 3. Umma, 4. the gods, 5. the temple, and finally, 6. the artisans creating the stele. The stele has been erected by Eanatum, so he is the alter as Luhmann would call it. The communication process thus takes place between the System "Eanatum/kingship of Lagash" and other systems being ego. Before communication can begin an in'centive is needed. 2. Incentive for Communication: A certain stimulus is needed in order to start a communication. The function of the stele as a border stone is set into a broader spatial context. It was placed at 4 the border between Umma and Lagash and therefore had the function to give an in'centive to start a communication between the two systems or city states. The "mythological side" faced the Umma region. The images refer to the consequences which threat Umma if it might break its oaths not to violate the borders again. The "worldly" side faced the Lagash-region and it's images tell the story of Eanatums battle against Umma. The stele is a symbolical generalized media of communication. Thus the materiality of the carved and inscribed limestone as a standing worked piece of art attracts communication between the two systems, of Lagash and Umma, the stele separates from each other. Slide 10 3. Information: Alter/Eanatum chose the information "royal authority" from his greater environment and in a second step he selects the border dispute as a message to communicate. Referring to the stele and the images alone the meaning of the message is still unclear. Speech or text is needed to clarify the meaning. The inscription codifies the spoken words of Eanatum or a narrator into graphical signs storing the information and makes it available through time. The text on the mythological or Umma-facing-side of the stele refers in depth to all kinds of royal legitimation: 1. Eanatum being the child of the gods. 2. Eanatum acting on behalf of Ningirsu, 3. Eanatum's deeds as - a) a fierce warrior and b) as a wise and righteous king erecting a border stele, restoring temples and fields and thus bringing back order to the land. It tells about Umma violating the order and the oaths the ruler of Umma had to swear before several gods. It foreshadows the sanctions which would fall upon Umma if it ever violated the border again. In order to emphasize the text, this stele's side shows Ningirsu ready to smash the trapped Ummaites with his divine weapon. The worldly or Lagash-facing side of the stele tells about the deeds of the king battling other rulers on behalf of the gods. The text also mentions the dynastic origin of Eanatum (another point of legalizing his royal authority) and it names the stele itself. The images show the victorious battle against Umma as a reminder of the warrior-skills of Eanatum and they show him conducting a sacrifice and building burial mounds to show his qualities as a wise and righteous shepherd. Slide 11 To sum it up: The script creates an archive throughout time, it stores the information on royal authority broken down into the message of the border conflict and informs about the function of the stele of the vultures. It also gives out a warning towards Umma to never violate the border again. As only few people had the ability to read, the stele would have reached only a small circle of receivers. Most likely the text was spoken out aloud while reading, probably as a performed act. Several studies hint on the practice of reading out aloud in antiquity and there is no reason to argue that only sumerians read silently. So while reading the text out aloud the information was available to a larger audience which could understand the stored information. Thus the re-creation of Eanatums royal authority and the re-creation of the stele's function as a border stone took place. The audience understood the meaning of the message in regard to the border conflict and accepted the legitimation of Eanatums royal authority. In that way, the system of alter/the sender of the information re-created itself, autopoiesis took place and in Luhmann's sense a communication happened. 5 The communication will go on, even 4.500 years later as I am now the sender or alter and I'll gave the stored information to you, the audience, the receiver or ego and now we have a common ground to discuss my thesis on how to apply Luhmanns theory to mesopotamian inscribed artifacts. 6
The stele of the vultures An example of legitimizing royal authority in Early Dynastic Mesopotamia Institut für Vorderasiatische Archäologie Hüttenweg 7, 14195 Berlin Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 Daniel Lau laudan@zedat.fu-berlin.de 1 outline • introduction • the stele of the vultures • Luhmann‘s systems theory • (re-)creating royal authority Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 2 226 NOUVELLES FOUILLES DE TELLO coiffée du turban. L'indication me fut donnée, dès les premiers jours, par arabes. introduction TRANCHÉE D'ACCÈS C-E Ce point fixe a été l'amorce des nouvelles fouilles au Tell-des-Tablettes que j'ai fait partir la longue tranchée d'accès C-E, destinée à couper ve barrière des remblais. La coupure a été ensuite élargie au Nord et au S deux grands chantiers F et G-G', qui ont établi, dans toute la longueu contact avec nes fouilles. La part de la Tranché la direction nous plaçait nières pente tales du tell ligne des d une zone où l était encore i amené ainsi que sur ce p presque part couches sup Tello, les sé même en deh beaux, les os mains étaien quantité. L crâne; - plu fr5,. vo a9 o RELATION TOPOGRAPHIQUE AVEC LES TELLS VOISINS squelettes é plusieurs po 'tranch/e; tranchée; sépulture rég de deux cloc rie, genre dolium (orientation à 40 grades) ; - ailleurs, deux autres c séparées celles-ci Cros 1914, 226.et plantées verticalement sur des débris humains; double cloche, contenant un squelette, avec des bagues et des boucles d'oreill un autre squelette, placé (orientation à 35 grades, tête au Sud);Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 3 Vjwtgcw/Fcpikp." Vjg"dcuke"cttcpigogpv" qh"vjg"htciogpvu" ecppqv"dg" ugtkqwun{"swguvkqpgf."dwv"c" uvwf{"d{"O0/V0" Dcttgngv" htqo"3;92"pgxgtvjgnguu" {kgnfgf"pgy"kpukijv<"Vjg"cpk/" ocnu"ujqyp"qp"vjg"qdxgtug"ctg"nkmgn{"vq"dg"o{vjqnqik/" ecn"nkqpu"ftciikpi" Pkpiktuw)u"ejctkqv"vqyctfu"vjg"dcv/" vjcp"vjg"ejctkqv" qh"Gcppcvwo"kvugnh" ftcyp"d{" vng."tcvjgt" fqpmg{u"qt"qpcigtu0"Vjg"ockp"hkiwtg"ujqyp"vykeg"qp" tcvjgt" vjcp"Gcp/" vjg"qdxgtug"ku"vjwu"vjg"iqf"Pkpiktuw." pcvwo."cu"jcf"rtgxkqwun{"qhvgp"dggp"cuuwogf0" Kp"c" rkqpggtkpi"uvwf{"htqo"3;:7."eqodkpkpi"ct/" ejcgqnqikecn"fcvc"ykvj"vgzvwcn"gxkfgpeg."K0"Ykpvgt"cv/" c"pgy"tgeqpuvtwevkqp" cpf"kpvgtrtgvcvkqp" qh"vjg" vgorvgf" kp"vyq"ftcykpiu"d{"Gnk¦cdgvj"Ukor/" uvgng."knnwuvtcvgf" uqp06"Ujg"uqwijv" c"enqugt"eqppgevkqp" dgvyggp" vjg"kocigu" 30"K0"1985 Ykpvgt)u" tgeqpuvtwevkqp" qh"vjg"qdxgtug"qh" I.Hki0" Winter - drawn by E. Simpson qh"vjg"tgxgtug"qh" Hki0"40"K0"Ykpvgt)u"tgeqpuvtwevkqp" vjg"Uvgng"qh"vjg"Xwnvwtgu."ftcyp"d{"G0" Ukoruqp0" ¤"Ktgpg"Ykpvgt."3;:70" the stele of the vultures Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 vjg"Uvgng"qh"vjg"Xwnvwtgu."ftcyp"d{"G0" Ukoruqp0" ¤"Ktgpg"Ykpvgt."3;:70" 4 Luhmann‘s systems theory environment system Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 reconstruction by operating autopoiesis 5 Luhmann‘s systems theory systems organisms Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 social systems psychic systems 6 Luhmann‘s systems theory human body = organism Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 =/ interactions = part of social systems system conciousness = psychic system 7 Luhmann‘s systems theory alter sender selecting information Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 8 Luhmann‘s systems theory alter sender alter sender selecting information selecting message Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 8 Luhmann‘s systems theory ! alter sender alter sender ego receiver selecting information selecting message selecting meaning ! Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 8 (re-)creating royal authority Lagaš Eanatum/ kingship Umma artisans gods temple Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 9 (re-)creating royal authority ! Eanatum/ kingship Eanatum/ kingship ego receiver selecting information selecting message selecting meaning ! royal authority Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 border dispute legitimation 10 (re-)creating royal authority re-creation of royal authority by accepting legitimation Eanatum/ kingship text/speech - border dispute - royal authority Freitag, 17. Mai 2013 ego 11