Gods in Love - (Cuneiform Monographs) by Rocío Da Riva & Nathan Wasserman (Hardcover)

About the Book

The Divine Love Lyrics is a collection of around 50 cuneiform texts from 1st millennium BCE Assyria and Babylonia, documenting a religious festival centered on Babylon's principal deities: Marduk, his consort Zarpanitu, and his lover, Istar of Babylon. The texts feature poetic amorous dialogues and bold sexual descriptions, interwoven with detailed ritual instructions. This exceptional corpus provides a unique insight into the interplay of religion, literature, and ritual in the later phase of the ancient Mesopotamian culture.

Book Synopsis

The Divine Love Lyrics is a thematically cohesive collection of approximately 50 cuneiform texts from the 1st millennium BCE, originating in Assyria and Babylonia. These texts are connected to religious ceremonies in Babylon that revolved around the city's principal deities: Marduk, his wife Zarpanitu, and his lover, Istar of Babylon. Long recognized as a significant corpus in Assyriology, particularly through the pioneering work of W. G. Lambert, the Divine Love Lyrics have often been referenced in discussions of love, sexuality, and ritual in Mesopotamian culture. Yet, despite their importance, no comprehensive edition or detailed study of these complex and often enigmatic texts has been undertaken--until now.
This book aims to fill that gap. By expanding the known corpus, clarifying its structure and themes, and providing a meticulous edition and translation of each tablet, it offers a thorough philological foundation for future research. The study deepens our understanding of this fascinating yet challenging body of texts, shedding new light on their literary, religious, and cultural significance within the later phases of ancient Mesopotamia.