Temple Complexes, Religious Ritual, and the Order of Nature
A Milestone Documents E-text
Table of Contents
Temple Complexes, Religious Ritual, andthe Order of Nature
https://doi.org/10.3735/9781961844568.book.part.008

  You don't have access to this content. Please try to log in with your institution. Sign In

Abstract

Beginning with the Uruk period (ca. 4000 BCE), ancient Near Eastern religious traditions were closely connected with the emerging city-state, at least in southern Mesopotamia. Even before the advent of writing, it seems that each city-state was centered on a large temple complex dedicated to its patron god or goddess. In fact, the earliest public structures found appear to be religious buildings (divine houses, or, rather, temples). The temple complex probably controlled the life of the city and perhaps needed a large bureaucracy to oversee daily rituals. The temple estate also required a vast amount of land to supply the frequent sacrifices.

Contents