mesopotamia w1p1

What was Mesopotamia politically?

A collection of individual city-states.

Is there a unified kingdom of Mesopotamia?

No, 'Mesopotamia' refers to a modern cultural grouping.

Was there a separation between natural and supernatural in Mesopotamia?

No, they were fully integrated.

What did Mesopotamian cosmology believe about elements?

All elements have will and conscious power.

How did Mesopotamians view physical entities and spirits?

As one and the same.

What is a supernatural being in Mesopotamia?

An entity with greater power than humans.

What were wind, water, and plants seen as?

Manifestations of supernatural powers.

What is the divine hierarchy in Mesopotamian cosmology?

1. Gods, 2. Spirits, 3. Humans

What were key values in Mesopotamian religion?

Obedience and consideration.

What were symptoms seen as in Mesopotamia?

Encoded messages between patients and community.

Were physiological processes emphasized in Mesopotamian medicine?

No, explanations were not a priority.

Who was the patron god of Babylon?

Marduk.

What are other names for Marduk?

Bull calf of the son and son of Enki.

Why are Marduk’s names important?

They show divine relationships and alliances.

Why might people pray to gods like Marduk?

To ask them to intervene with other gods.

What were Marduk’s attributes?

Wisdom, judgement, magic, water, vegetation.

What was Marduk's role in the divine council?

Head of the divine council.

Why was Marduk powerful in healing?

He was the healer of the gods.

Who was the patron goddess of Isin?

Gula.

What was Gula also called?

Lady of Isin.

What was Gula consistently linked to?

Medical practices.

What were Gula’s healing tools?

Healing hands, soothing bandages, dangerous scalpels.

What did Gula assist with besides illness?

Childbirth and fertility.

Which goddess did Gula adopt traits from?

Divine midwife Ninmah.

What could Gula both do?

Cause and cure disease.

What types of ailments did Gula treat?

Skin ailments, stomach issues, connective tissue problems.

Who is Asalluhi?

Son of Enki and divine assistant.

Who is Asalluhi often paired with?

Gula in incantations.

What was unusual about Asalluhi?

He assisted a midwife despite being male.

Are there any images of Asalluhi?

No, none survive.

Who is Enki?

God of the fresh waters of the underworld.

How is Enki depicted?

With water flowing from his arm.

Which side does Enki take in human affairs?

He sides with humans.

What are Enki’s attributes?

Wisdom, magic, arts, and crafts.

Who is Utu/Shamash?

Sun god and protector of legal and medical matters.

Who was Utu/Shamash’s twin?

Inana.

Who was Utu/Shamash fathered by?

Nanna, the moon god.

What were Utu/Shamash’s values?

Truth and justice.

What kind of being is Lamastu?

A mix of demonic spirit and goddess.

What makes Lamastu dangerous?

She has free will, unlike gods.

Who does Lamastu target?

Babies and pregnant women.

What is Lamastu known as?

An anti-midwife.

How does Lamastu travel?

On the wind.

Why is Lamastu especially dangerous?

She operates outside divine rules.

Who are Asag and Asakku?

Spirits of disease and disorder.

What does Asag represent?

Smashing force.

What does Asakku represent?

Disorder.

What is the nature of Asag/Asakku?

Capricious and free-willed.

What do Asag/Asakku usually attack?

Musculoskeletal system and skin.

Who opposes Asag/Asakku?

Gula.

What types of sources survive from Mesopotamia?

Archaeological and textual, both primary and secondary.

What are the two types of Mesopotamian medical texts?

Therapeutic and diagnostic.

What is the format of a therapeutic text?

Symptom → Remedy preparation → Administration → Prognosis.

How much of Mesopotamian texts have been published as secondary sources?

About 15%.

What is a challenge with interpreting medical texts?

They have no measurements or consistent terminology.

Why do scholars assume Mesopotamian medicine had some success?

Because texts were reused for centuries.

What kind of ingredients were used in Mesopotamian remedies?

Unpleasant things like ox dung and gazelle dung.

Why were unpleasant ingredients used?

To treat like with like or to identify frauds.

What might remedies contain besides physical ingredients?

Incantations.

How were healers believed to heal?

By channeling the powers of gods.

What form did diagnostic texts take?

Omen literature using if… then structure.

Can someone get sick from someone else’s actions?

Yes, illness could come from family sin.

To whom did Mesopotamian healers owe their skills?

Gula.

What determined a healer’s title?

The type of communication between humans and gods.

Who was an Asu?

A physician who examined symptoms and performed healing.

What did an Asu’s healing involve?

Ritual obedience and decoding divine messages.

Who was an Asipu?

An exorcist or magician who read signs from the gods.

What tools did an Asipu use?

Amulets, incantations, and symbolic healing.

How did healers learn their craft?

Through apprenticeships.

Was there competition between different types of healers?

No, they operated alongside each other.