Two Competing Religious Traditions Underlying the Façade-Type Architectural Models from Ancient Western Asia

Bibliographic Data

ID3261076
AuthorsDavid T Sugimoto (Keio University, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume16
Issue2
Pages259
Publication date2025-02-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel16020259
OpenAlexW4407748438
LanguageEN
References cited16

This study clarifies the religious traditions underlying the façade-type clay architectural models unearthed from ancient Western Asia by analyzing their iconography apropos each period. The façade-type models considered in this study are one-storied, with a distinct façade, one large opening, and the cella crafted in the niche, three-dimensional, or jar style. The analysis reveals (a) the distribution areas of the most common niche style shifted from the third millennium BC Mesopotamia, through the Middle and Late Bronze Ages and the early Iron Age Levant area, to the Iron Age IIB-C Phoenician areas; (b) the jar style is known only from the second millennium BC Levant and eventually merged with the niche style; and (c) the three-dimensional style is found sporadically. The earlier examples have either a male or a female figure inside the gate, although some have neither. The Levantine examples are without figural representations or with a bird, lions, and female figurines. It may be concluded that two competing religious traditions continued for three millennia, wherein the models with a male figure or without figures represent the tradition of the sovereign god originated in Sumer, whereas those with female figures and decorative motifs reflect the Inana-Ištar cult

Ancient history · Geography · Eurasian Exchange Networks · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · History · Islamic Studies and History · Geology · Paleontology

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