Religion as Represented in the Art of the Ancient Near East

Abstract

This essay looks at matters of religion in the art of the ancient Near East both from the point of view of religion as subject matter in the imagery of works of art, and religion in its wider sense that includes philosophical ideas of a sacral character that permeate the rationale of artistic production. In the first half of the essay, the discussion is centered on the way religion has been viewed and treated in the scholarly literature on the art of ancient Mesopotamia. Then follows a selective historical survey of questions and debates pertaining to religion and religious themes that have dominated the field of the history of ancient Near Eastern art.890 Mehmet-Ali Ataç

المعنى الرمزی لمفهوم اللاهوت والتمثیل المناظر الطبیعیة فی "شعلة النصر من نارام سین"

“…The artistic features in visual arts were deeply influenced with the religion philosophy in ancient Mesopotamia. ""As far as the visual expression of this sacred dimension is concerned, our material evidence comes primarily from art objects and artifacts" (Atac, 2008). and it expressed not an individual trend but a community trend .…”

Influences of Egyptian Lotus Symbolism and Ritualistic Practices on Sacral Tree Worship in the Fertile Crescent from 1500 BCE to 200 CE

“…As both a symbol and iconographic prop, sacral tree images on palace and temple reliefs, murals, seals, jewelry and ritualistic implements of the Middle East continue to "provoke more discussion and controversy than almost any other element in Mesopotamian art" (Black et al 1992, p. 170). Portrayals and historical uses of these motifs remain an enigma to most historians and evoke little agreement with respect to their botanical identity and allegorical significance (Atac 2008;Giovino 2007, pp. 21-30).…”