L’objet de cette thèse est l’étude d’un groupe d’ivoires, trouvés dans plusieurs sites du Proche-Orient ancien, connu sous le nom d’ivoires égyptisants. Nous avons examiné les différentes interprétations possibles, quant à l’origine et la signification de ces objets, en examinant les sources bibliographiques à notre disposition. Sans proposer une révision fondamentale des hypothèses présentées jusqu’à aujourd’hui, ce travail, en se fondant sur des témoignages archéologiques, iconographiques et textuels, essaye de mettre en évidence les différentes voies de transmission des motifs iconographiques égyptiens dans le répertoire iconographique du Proche-Orient ancien et cela notamment dans l’art de l’ivoire. Après une discussion générale sur l’ivoire et sur les différentes sources dont disposaient les artistes de l’antiquité, nous sommes arrivés à la conclusion que les ivoires égyptisants étaient le produit des artistes locaux du Proche-Orient ancien, qui se sont inspirés de l’art égyptien,soit à travers les échanges commerciaux, soit à travers les objets égyptiens trouvés dans plusieurs sites du Levant. Quant à l’interprétation de ces motifs, nous pensons que les artistes du Proche-Orient ancien ont représenté les objets de culte égyptien sans forcément comprendre la signification religieuse ou symbolique que ces motifs représentaient pour les Égyptiens. Ceci dit, ces artistes n’ignoraient pas complètement le message général attaché à ces objets ; ils ont adopté et adapté l’iconographie égyptienne en suivant les conventions de l’art proche-Oriental selon leur besoin du moment. / The purpose of this thesis is the study of a group of ivories found in several sites of the ancient Near East, known as egyptianizing ivories. We studied various interpretations as to the origin and meaning of these objects by consulting the bibliographic sources at our disposal. Without proposing a fundamental revision of the hypotheses made so far, this study, based on archaeological, iconographical and textual evidence, tries to highlight the different routes of transmission of the Egyptian iconographic motifs into the iconographical repertoire of the Ancient Near East, with a special emphasis on the art of ivory carving. After a general discussion on the ivory and the various sources available to the artists of antiquity, we concluded that the egyptianizing ivories were the product of local artists of the ancient Near East, that were inspired by the Egyptian art, either through trade or through the Egyptian artefacts found at several sites in the Levant. As for the interpretation of these motifs, we believe that the artists of the Ancient Near East have represented Egyptian cult objects without necessarily understanding the religious or symbolic meaning that these motifs had for the Egyptians. That said, these artists were not completely unaware of the general message attached to these objects; they have adopted and adapted the Egyptian iconography by following the conventions of the ancient neareastern art according to their needs.

Our perception, of the Omrid kings of the Kingdom oflsrael in the ninth century BCE, is based on the Books of 1 and 2 Kings in the Hebrew Bible. The Biblical author's concentration, on Omrid apostasy rather than on their abilities and accomplishments, has robbed these competant monarchs of the prominence allotted to kings like David and Solomon. Recent archaeological excavations, in conjunction with extra-Biblical sources, have however projected a different image. Excavations at the royal Omrid cities of Samaria, and especially Jezreel, have indicated that Omri, and his son Ahab, had erected immense and grandiose structures. These edifices bear testimony to periods of peace, stability and great economic prosperity. The Omrids deserve new assessments as to their accomplishments, and therefore, by means of visible and tangible structural remains, I wish to promote the persuasion of archaeology as vindication of Omrid grandeur and achievement at Samaria and Jezreel. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Biblical Studies)