Euphrat und Tigris im Alten Orient
by Theresa Blaschke
English summary: When we talk about the history and culture of the ancient Near East, we often use the term Mesopotamia, or land “between two rivers” – the region between the Euphrates and the Tigris. These two rivers were formative for the civilizations that developed on their banks. So far, however, there has been no study devoted to the question of how these rivers were perceived in the ancient Near East and how they shaped people’s lives. To answer this question, Theresa Blaschke analyzed cuneiform texts that mention the rivers across all genres and periods of ancient Near Eastern history. Since the historical course of the two rivers is debated, a detailed examination of their geography was imperative. Especially the Tigris emerges as more important for the region than long assumed. In addition, the study deals with the origins and spelling of the river names, river crossings and their perception as borders, the use of rivers as traffic routes, the description of rivers as water suppliers and bringer of abundance, as well as ritual aspects and the question of the deification of rivers. Thus, Blaschke provides for the first time a comprehensive overview of the natural and cultural history of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in ancient times and of life on their shores. German description: Sprechen wir uber die Geschichte und Kultur des Alten Orient, verwenden wir haufig die Begriffe Mesopotamien und Zweistromland – das Land zwischen Euphrat und Tigris. Diese beiden Flusse waren pragend fur die Zivilisationen, die sich an ihren Ufern entwickelten. Bisher existiert jedoch keine Studie, die sich der Frage widmet, wie die beiden Flusse zur Zeit des Alten Orient wahrgenommen wurden und wie sie das Leben der Menschen pragten. Theresa Blaschke zieht zur Beantwortung dieser Frage Keilschrifttexte, die die beiden Flusse namentlich nennen, aus allen Textgattungen und Zeitperioden der altorientalischen Geschichte zur Analyse heran. Da der Verlauf der beiden Flusse zur Zeit des Alten Orient umstritten ist, ist eine detaillierte Auseinandersetzung mit ihrer Geografie zwingend erforderlich. Vor allem dem Tigris ist eine grossere Bedeutung fur die Region zuzuschreiben, als lange angenommen wurde. Daruber hinaus widmet sich die Studie den Themenbereichen der Herkunft und Schreibung der Flussnamen, der Uberquerung der Flusse und ihrer Wahrnehmung als Grenzen, der Nutzung der Flusse als Verkehrswege, der Beschreibung der Flusse als Wasserlieferanten und Uberflussbringer sowie rituellen Aspekten und der Frage der Vergottlichung der Flusse. Auf diese Weise gibt Blaschke erstmals einen umfassenden natur- und kulturgeschichtlichen Uberblick uber Euphrat und Tigris im Alten Orient und das Leben an ihren Ufern.
- By (author) Theresa Blaschke
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