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Thesis (Th. D.)--Grace Theological Seminary, 1981. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 249-268).

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis aims to examine to what extent the visual representations of ancient Mesopotamia portrayed the royal ideology that was present during the time of their intended display. The iconographic method is used in this study and this allows for a better understanding of the meaning behind the work of art. This method allows the study to better attempt to comprehend the underlying ideology of the work of art. The eight images studied date between three thousand BCE and one thousand BCE and this provides a broad base for the study. By having such a broad base it enables the study to provide a brief understanding of how the ideology adapted over two thousand years. The broad base also enables the study to examine a variety of different gestures that are portrayed on the representations. This thereby provides the reader with a better understanding of why certain gestures were used and how the underlying ideology was communicated through these movements. The study concludes that while the gestures lend a life-like appearance to the representation they do not solely portray an underlying ideological message. Rather, they enhance the already inherent ideological message. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek tot watter mate die visuele voorstellings van Ou Mesopotamië die koninklike ideologie — van die tyd toe hulle uitgestal is — uitgebeeld het. Die ikonografiese metode is in hierdie studie gebruik en maak dit moontlik om 'n beter begrip van die betekenis agter die kunswerk te verkry. Die metode stel die studie in staat om die onderliggende ideologie van die kunswerk beter te verstaan. Die agt bestudeerde beelde dateer tussen drieduisend v.C. en 'n duisend v.C. en bied 'n breë basis vir die studie. So ‘n breë basis stel die studie in staat om te verstaan hoe die ideologie oor meer as twee duisend jaar aangepas is. Die breë basis stel die studie ook in staat om 'n verskeidenheid verskillende gebare wat uitgebeeld word, te ondersoek. Hierdeur verskaf dit die leser met 'n beter begrip waarom sekere gebare gebruik is en hoe die onderliggende ideologie deur middel van hierdie bewegings gekommunikeer is. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat terwyl die gebare 'n lewensgetroue voorkoms aan die voorstelling gee, hulle nie uitsluitlik onderliggende ideologiese boodskappe uitbeeld nie. Inteendeel, hulle versterk die reeds onderliggende ideologiese boodskap.

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In this essay I examine several christian and jewish theologians views on the similaritys between, and the highly likely common history of, the biblical storys of the creation and the flood and corresponding mesopotamian myths. The goal of this exersice is to find what influences the theologians views on the subject, aswell as finding out what those views are. Examined factors include when the theologian wrote, whether he was/is jewish or christian, and whether he was/is conservativ or liberal.  The biggest factor examined in this essay seems to be whether the theologioan is conservative or liberal. Intressting to note is also that most theologians either seem to accept both the existense of similaritys and the common history or reject them both.

The region of Southern Mesopotamia, modern-day southern Iraq, saw a number of important socio-cultural transformations during the 4^th - 3^rd millennia BC, which led to the emergence of the world's first urban, literate civilisation. These crucial developments reverberated across the neighbouring regions and greatly contributed to the later Classical and Judaeo-Christian traditions. Despite the importance of this period, our understanding of its chronology is limited. The main aim of this thesis is to build a reliable absolute chronology for the Uruk, Early Dynastic, and Akkadian periods in Mesopotamia using radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating. Radiocarbon dates published in the archaeological literature underwent a thorough evaluation in order to ensure that only reliable measurements were included in the analysis. New dates were produced for the periods and contexts most lacking in radiocarbon data. Archaeological and textual sources were used to create Bayesian models in order to produce even more precise time estimates. The resulting periodisation of Mesopotamia was compared to the contemporary cultural sequences of ancient Iran and the Syrian Jezirah. While corroborating the standard Middle Chronology model, the results highlighted a number of intricacies relevant to our understanding of the early history of the Mesopotamian civilisation. Most importantly, this thesis argues that the developmental process was one of long periods of cultural continuity punctuated by sudden changes and shorter phases of innovation and creativity.

The mid 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamia is defined by the ebb and flow of power politics, with the Old Babylonian state, the Kassite state, and the kings of the Sealand, vying for power over the southern alluvial plains. Although widespread sociopolitical instability is acknowledged during this period, the scarcity of archaeological and textual evidence has often seen it labelled as a “Dark Age” in Mesopotamian history. Recent excavation at the site of Tell Khaiber (2013-2017), southern Iraq, provides the first material to be reliably associated with this Dark Age, and more specifically to the period of Sealand control. This thesis attends to the pottery assemblage from Tell Khaiber as a means of assessing the everyday lives of a community adapting to this upheaval. This research examines the pottery assemblage on multiple analytical levels, synthesising a vast body of textual, archaeological, scientific, and material data. Firstly, a comprehensive Sealand period typology is subjected to stylistic comparison on both a local and (inter)regional level, in order to assess the shifting networks of interaction at play during this period. The thesis then turns to a detailed analysis of pottery production, focusing particularly on production techniques, the standardisation of the product, and the scale of the industry. Finally, various pottery use-contexts are established, and the distribution of these activities are mapped onto Tell Khaiber’s public building. Since these multi-faceted pottery engagements articulated with the (re)production of Sealand society and economy, this research provides unparalleled insights into the everyday workings of this poorly understood state system.