L’Empire néo-assyrien (934-610 av. J.-C.) a conquis la majeure partie du Proche-Orient en quelques siècles. S’il modifie la carte géopolitique de la région, l’impact concret qu’il exerce sur les territoires avec lesquels il entre en contact est difficile à cerner. La tendance générale était jusqu’à il y a peu de considérer que les Assyriens contrôlaient étroitement toute leur périphérie par une présence importante de militaires et de fonctionnaires, tout en initiant un processus d’« assyrianisation ». Ce travail doctoral propose d’évaluer l’importance et la nature de la présence assyrienne dans le royaume de Hamat (nord-ouest de la Syrie) et de déterminer s’il existe un lien entre présence et influence assyriennes. Les résultats d’une analyse des sources historiques et archéologiques montrent que la présence assyrienne à Hamat était bien plus subtile que ce que l’on aurait pu croire. D’une part, l’élite provinciale assyrienne insistait sur sa légitimation auprès des autochtones et sa coopération avec l’élite locale plutôt que sur l’utilisation de la force pour maintenir le joug de l’Empire. D’autre part, loin d’indiquer une colonisation assyrienne ou un changement de culture, l’influence de la culture assyrienne à Hamat se traduirait plutôt par l’adoption par l’élite locale de nouveaux objets de prestige qui contribuaient à la consommation ostentatoire et à l’émulation compétitive / The major part of the Near East was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire (934-610BC) in a few centuries. If the geopolitical map of the region was altered, the concrete impact it exerted on the territories with which it came into contact is difficult to appraise. Until recently there was a general tendency to consider that the Assyrians tightly controlled their whole periphery by maintaining a high number of soldiers and personnel, while initiating a process of “Assyrianization.” This doctoral thesis tries to assess the importance and nature of the Assyrian presence in the kingdom of Hamat (in northwest Syria) and to determine whether there is a link between the presence and influence of the Assyrians. The results of an analysis of historical and archaeological sources show that the Assyrian presence in Hamat was much more subtle than what might have been envisaged. On the one hand the Assyrian provincial elite insisted on being legitimized with the natives and cooperating with the local elite rather than using force to maintain the yoke of the Empire. On the other hand, far from indicating an Assyrian colonization or a change of culture, the influence of Assyrian culture in Hamat would rather translate into the local elite adopting new objects of prestige that contributed to conspicuous consumption and competitive emulation.

The present study was intended as a new approach to the study of the military equipment of the Late Assyrian period which has traditionally relied upon the pictorial representations of the palace reliefs. By examining extant artifacts from the first millennium in their own right, with the reliefs merely serving to contextualize them, a truer understanding of Assyrian arms and armour can be gathered. This is necessary because the artwork only provides us with a filtered view of the real world, the reliefs are as much works of propaganda as of history. The approach taken here is to first examine the existing weapons typologically, and then to evaluate whether such weapon types appear to be accurately represented in contemporary artwork. Textual sources are also used where they can aid in the discussion. Five categories of arms and armour were studied: swords and daggers, spearpoints, shields, armour and helmets. The quality and quantity of the items in these categories varied significantly, providing for a much better representative sample of some items than others. Further questions concerning the possible ritual, rather than military, use of some of the existing artifacts were raised. However, the main conclusions reached were that the reliefs suffer not only from a propagandistic viewpoint which sometimes obscures the reality of Assyrian warfare, but that they also suffer from artistic license and spatial restraints, the difficulties in representing three-dimensional objects in a two-dimensional manner, the possible unfamiliarity of the artists with changing military technology and methods of construction, and finally, our inability to understand artistic short-hand for what were commonplace objects to the contemporary viewer. These have led to misunderstanding both as to the dating and chronological changes in weaponry, and also to the tactics used by the Late Assyrian military. This study of the artifacts themselves reveals a more mundane, utilitarian, and conservative military force which shows both a basic homogeneousness throughout the empire, and the myriad tiny variables of an army on the move drawing weapons and troops from many regions.

Ce travail de doctorat en archéologie du Proche-Orient entend questionner les preuves matérielles des phénomènes de globalisation et de la formation de l’empire néo-assyrien (IXe-VIIe s. av. J.-C.). L’empire néo-assyrien a été imaginé très tôt par des savants européens, nationalistes et positivistes du XIXe siècle. Ils lui reconnaissent un espace central qu’ils dénomment « le triangle assyrien » et l’érigent comme foyer culturel. La culture assyrienne serait dès lors diffusée au gré de l’expansionnisme des souverains motivés par une idéologie impérialiste. Les premiers archéologues confirment la singularité ethno culturelle des vestiges remise en cause aujourd’hui grâce à un renouvellement des méthodes et des activités de recherche au nord de l’Irak. Le premier volet de notre étude propose une approche épistémologique et historiographique des notions de « culture matérielle » et de « région centrale». Il s’agit d’éviter les obstacles méthodologiques pour penser l’histoire des contacts et des circulations des techniques des Anciens entre l’Euphrate et les contreforts du Zagros. Le deuxième temps de l’analyse consiste à enquêter sur les modèles de peuplement et les productions matérielles dans l’ouest de la Djéziré, en se concentrant sur le site de Tell Masaïkh pour lequel une typo-chronologie des poteries est proposée. Enfin, par une mise en perspective de ces deux temps d’analyse, les rythmes d’installation et les orientations des échanges et des interactions des populations de ces régions sont précisés. Ces conclusions démontrent une appartenance de l’empire assyrien à un réseau globalisé au Ier millénaire, hérité d’une longue durée des contacts en Mésopotamie du Nord. / This dissertation examines material evidence of the phenomena of globalization and the formation of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (9th - 7th century BCE). The Neo-Assyrian Empire was first concieved of by nineteenth-century European scholars, nationalists, and positivists. They identified it as a central space which they called "the Assyrian triangle" and envisioned as a cultural hub. The Assyrian culture would then radiate outward according to the expansionist policy employed by rulers motivated by an imperialist ideology. Previous archaeological examination confirms the ethno-cultural uniqueness of the vestiges now being revisited thanks to a renewal of research methods and activities in northern Iraq. The first part of this study proposes an epistemological and historiographical approach to the concepts of "material culture" and "central region," in order to avoid any methodological obstacles in thinking about the history of contact and the circulation of ancient technologies in the region between the Euphrates and the foothills of Zagros. The second part of this study investigates the settlement patterns and material production in the western Jazirah, focusing on the site of Tell Masaikh for which a typo-chronology of the pottery is proposed. Finally, by putting into perspective these analyses, settlement rythmes and the direction of exchanges and interactions among the populations of these regions are made clear. The conclusions of this study show that the Assyrian empire belonged to a globalized network in the first millennium, which resulted from the long history of cultural contact in northern Mesopotamia.

ASSYRIAN TRANSNATIONAL POLITICS: ACTIVISM FROM EUROPE TOWARDS HOMELAND ARIKAN BUR&Ccedil / AK Department of International Relations Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sabine Strasser January 2011, 105 pages This thesis examines the transnational political practices Assyrian diaspora undertakes in Europe to generate a positive change in the minority rights of Assyrians in Turkey. Based on inductive reading of existing literature on transnational migration and transnational politics and my own research I conducted in the form of expert interviews in Germany, Sweden and in Turkey with transmigrants and the representatives of Assyrian organisations I discuss the reasons, the contexts and the actual transnational political practices Assyrians undertake in Europe. The thesis argues that Assyrian transnational political practices intensified 2000 onwards after Assyrian community have developed a self representation of their emigration experience and have been through an identity building process in Europe which is referred to as &ldquo / Europeanization&rdquo / in this study. The thesis considers Mor Gabriel Case, which started to be seen in 2008 in Turkey, awakening a milestone in the fresh history of transnational political activism of this community / since the solidarity and transnational political networking towards this case are unprecedented in the Assyrian diaspora&rsquo / s half century of history in Europe. By focusing on the activities carried out with regards to this case, the study lastly attempts to reveal the inner tensions vested within the transnational political network and argues for further critical examination of the complex relations among Assyrian diaspora, the place of origin and the receiving countries.

The present study was intended as a new approach to the study of the military equipment of the Late Assyrian period which has traditionally relied upon the pictorial representations of the palace reliefs. By examining extant artifacts from the first millennium in their own right, with the reliefs merely serving to contextualize them, a truer understanding of Assyrian arms and armour can be gathered. This is necessary because the artwork only provides us with a filtered view of the real world, the reliefs are as much works of propaganda as of history. The approach taken here is to first examine the existing weapons typologically, and then to evaluate whether such weapon types appear to be accurately represented in contemporary artwork. Textual sources are also used where they can aid in the discussion. Five categories of arms and armour were studied: swords and daggers, spearpoints, shields, armour and helmets. The quality and quantity of the items in these categories varied significantly, providing for a much better representative sample of some items than others. Further questions concerning the possible ritual, rather than military, use of some of the existing artifacts were raised. However, the main conclusions reached were that the reliefs suffer not only from a propagandistic viewpoint which sometimes obscures the reality of Assyrian warfare, but that they also suffer from artistic license and spatial restraints, the difficulties in representing three-dimensional objects in a two-dimensional manner, the possible unfamiliarity of the artists with changing military technology and methods of construction, and finally, our inability to understand artistic short-hand for what were commonplace objects to the contemporary viewer. These have led to misunderstanding both as to the dating and chronological changes in weaponry, and also to the tactics used by the Late Assyrian military. This study of the artifacts themselves reveals a more mundane, utilitarian, and conservative military force which shows both a basic homogeneousness throughout the empire, and the myriad tiny variables of an army on the move drawing weapons and troops from many regions.

abstract: Assyrians face numerous concerns resulting from the status of a stateless people. Overcoming immigrant transitions, difficulties related to diaspora, and the implications of these on Assyrian culture are pressing matters to be addressed in the evolution of the Assyrian nation. In order to develop a strategy to benefit individuals, families and the nation, Hometown Associations, a form of nonprofit organization, may be used to connect, assist, and progress Assyrian communities. This thesis provides background, rationale for, and guidelines to creating Hometown Associations for Assyrian communities. Ultimately, Hometown Associations and other forms of cultural organizations appear to be a viable means toward community solidarity and cultural preservation. However, further research and more diverse subjects are required to assess the generalizeability of the findings discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Social Justice and Human Rights 2014

Review too The Assyrian Dictionary of the University of Chicago, Vol. 20: U/W. Martha T. Roth (editor-in-charge), with the assistance of Timothy J. Collins, Hermann Hunger, Remigius Jas, Jennie Myers, Erica Reiner†, and Joan Goodnick Westenholz; Manuscript Editor: Linda McLarnan. Chicago: The Oriental Institute, 2010. xxxii, 411 pp. Preis: $ 105,00. ISBN 1-885923-43-0.

This study is about the first and second generation Assyrians in Sweden. It aims to understand what shapes their identity, and how they integrate in their host country Sweden. Previous studies have looked into the transformation of ethnic identity and integration of Assyrians in Sweden and the role that the collective memory plays. While these studies provided a good framework they have some limitations. Firstly they are not in English so do not have as much reach globally and there was no distinct comparison of first and second generation Assyrians. Lastly, there have been no contemporary studies conducted, considering the growth of the diaspora it is important to come back to these questions. It is the hope that our research can start to bridge the gap that is left from these limitations, thus providing the rationale for our study. By using different theories on ethnic, indigenous and situational identity, the impact of cultural trauma and the process of acculturation, we drafted a set of interview questions for each theory. Based on the empirical data collected from the interviews, we argue that first and second generation Assyrians both agree that they have multiple identities but that their Assyrian identity is the most important for them. Secondly, we argue that the collective memory is still very prevalent in the consciousness of these individuals but that it is more palpable in the first generation rather than the second because of their personal experiences linking the past to the present. The second generation are more removed from the trauma related to the collective memory as they themselves make their own identity and rituals in a new context that is Sweden by integrating both cultures they grew up in. And lastly, we argue that the collective memory is a driving factor for integration in Sweden for both first and second generation Assyrians as they appreciate greater freedoms and rights despite being an indigenous ethnic and religious minority.

Typically, when we think of Sweden it is often thought in terms of a harmonious society where diversity, equality and freedom has intertwined itself into the daily fabric of society. This essay explores the experiences and expectations of immigrants who arrived in Sweden in the 1980’s. It is a qualitative study and uses semi-structured interviews and focuses in particular on immigrants of Syriac and Assyrian decent who arrived in this time period. In general, this paper aims to look at how and what information they had been communicated before entering the country and whether or not their own personal expectations were met in regard to access to food, shelter and education. The overarching research question is: the experiences of immigrants and aid workers alike – are they in line with the communicated expectations they had upon entering Sweden. The aim is to explore what motivated the immigrants to choose Sweden in particular and if there were any hindrances or predispositions that they encountered. The results that emerged from the qualitative data suggest in general the move to Sweden was based on the communicated experiences of relatives and the church, thus what they had expected and experienced was similar. This essay is guided by a constructivist epistemology with a hermeneutic perspective that aims to describe, analyse and draw conclusions based on the purpose of the case study.

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