The Long Road Out of Eden: Early Dynastic Temples, a Quantitative Approach to the Bent-Axis Shrines

This study was conducted to quantitatively assess the architectural data stemming from 70 buildings usually considered as bent-axis temples, a type of Mesopotamian temple mainly constructed from 2900 to 2300–2200 BC. The study reviews, region-by-region and site-by-site, the dimensions of the rooms c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Religions (Basel, Switzerland ) Switzerland ), 2021-08, Vol.12 (8), p.666
Main Author: Butterlin, Pascal
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Archaeology
Archaeology and Prehistory
Architecture
bent-axis temples
Buildings
Early City States
Humanities and Social Sciences
Mosques & temples
Religion
sacred architecture
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Summary:This study was conducted to quantitatively assess the architectural data stemming from 70 buildings usually considered as bent-axis temples, a type of Mesopotamian temple mainly constructed from 2900 to 2300–2200 BC. The study reviews, region-by-region and site-by-site, the dimensions of the rooms considered the “holy of holies”, registering width, length, and surface area. The results are discussed in comparison to the previous reception rooms of the tripartite buildings, considered the original matrix from which these shrines developed. The chronological and regional differences that are outlined provide some insights about the kind of social units that were involved in the use of those buildings, which were key structures in the urban fabric of Early City states.
ISSN:2077-1444
2077-1444
DOI:10.3390/rel12080666