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The Multiple Lives of Hammurabi: Historical and Historiographic Narratives through Objects

Cinzia Pappi

Kommentar

Ever since the discovery of the stele bearing his code of laws, King Hammurabi (1792–1750 BC) of Babylon (modern-day Iraq) has been widely recognized in the Western world as one of the most prominent figures of the ancient Near East. Although largely known through secondary contexts, Hammurabi’s complex and charismatic character embodied the spirit of his era (18th–16th century BC), leaving a lasting imprint on the collective memory of later Near Eastern civilizations until at least the 6th century BC. How he became a key political and cultural reference point in Mesopotamian consciousness? Furthermore, why he became in modern time a symbol of moderate governance and justice? This seminar will analyze through objects and texts the transmission dynamics through space and time of the personality of Hammurabi and the culture of his age. It will include a series of introductory lectures addressing the temporal, geographical, and museological contexts of key primary sources. Participants will contribute through oral presentations, dicussing individual objects and the historiographic narratives associated with them. In connection to specific topics, students will engage with assigned readings and participate in Q&A sessions with leading experts in the field. Object Selection Criteria: Objects selected for analysis will be those directly or indirectly related to Hammurabi and his era, corresponding to the first half of the 2nd millennium BC, demonstrating evidence of transmission across time and/or space. These objects may include, but are not limited to: inscribed artifacts, architectural elements, artistic representations, and objects found in later contexts that reference Hammurabi. The goal is to select objects that facilitate an exploration of the evolving historical narratives surrounding Hammurabi. Learning Objectives: This seminar aims to equip participants with essential academic tools, including: • Critical Analysis of Scholarly Literature: Developing proficiency in evaluating and synthesizing academic research. • Academic Language Proficiency: Mastering the precise and effective use of academic language in oral and written presentations. • Research-Based Historical Narrative Construction: Building skills in developing coherent and well-supported historical narratives. • Academic Storytelling Techniques: Learning to craft engaging and informative narratives from material culture, tailored to an academic audience, using evidence-based argumentation and clear structure. Assessment: Final assessment will consist of a 5,000-word paper based on individual study objects discussed during the oral presentations or during the Q&A sessions. Detailed guidelines and a list of possible research questions will be provided during the seminar. Schließen

Literaturhinweise

Aruz, Joan, Kim Benzel, and Jean M. Evans. Beyond Babylon: Art, Trade, and Diplomacy in the Second Millennium B.C. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2009. • Barrelet, Marie-Thérèse, and Jean-Marie Durand. La Figure du roi dans l’iconographie et dans les textes depuis Ur Nanse jusqu’à la fin de la 1ère dynastie de Babylone. Paris: Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuthner, 1974. Charpin, Dominique. Hammu-rabi de Babylone. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 2003. English translation: Hammurabi of Babylon. London: I.B. Tauris, 2012. • Van De Mieroop, Marc. King Hammurabi of Babylon: A Biography. Malden, Mass: Wiley, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470696095 • Ornan, Tallay. “Unfinished Business: The Relief on the Hammurabi Louvre Stele Revisited.” Journal of Cuneiform Studies 71, no. 1 (2019): 85–109. https://doi.org/10.1086/703854 Schließen