Ancestor of the West : Writing, Reasoning, and Religion in Mesopotamia, Elam, and Greece

207 Pages·2000·2.8 MB·English

by  Jean Bottero

WRITIRNEGA,S ONAINNDRG E,L IGIINO N
MESOPOTAEMLIAAAM,N, D G REECE
JeaBno tteCrloa,r iHsesrer enschmidt,
andJ ean-PiVeerrrnea nt
WithF oar ewobryFd r anc;Zoaibsb al
TranslbaytT eedr eLsaav enFdaegra n
THEU NIVERSTIYO F C H IAGCO PRESS
C H IAGCO ANDL ON DON
JEABNOIT ERO ise meridtiurse cotfLo E'cro lper atidqeuhsea uteetsu des,
ParHiesi .st haeu thoofMr e sopotaWmriintagi:R, e asgo,na inntdh Geo ds
(UniveorfsC ihtiyc aPgroe s1s99,2. )
CLARIHSESRER ENSCiHsaMr IeDsTe aractCh NeRrS .
JEAN-PVIEERRNRAEiN sfT o rmcehra oifrs tudiinec som pararteilvieg aito ns
thCeo lldeegFe r anHceei .se ditoofTr h eGr ee(kUsn iveorfsC ihtiyc ago
Pres1s99,5 ).
Originpaulbllyi sahsLe 'dO rainecnitee tnno uLse':c rei,ft aurar isofned,si eux
© 1996Ed itiAolnbsiM ni chSe.lA .
TheU niverosfCi htiyc aPgroe Cshsi,c a6g0o67 3
TheU niverosfCi htiyc aPgroe Lsts.d,L, o ndon
© 2000 byU nTihvee rosfCi htiyc ago
Alrli ghrtess erPvuebdl.i s2h0e0d0
Prinitne dt he SUtnaitotefeAs dm erica
090 80 70 6O S 040 30 20 1 00 1 23 4 5
ISB0N-:2 2066-751-7(c loth)
LibroafrC yo ngrCeastsa loging-in-DPautbal ication
Bottero, Jean.
[Orient annocuiEsen.ng leits h]
Ancesotfto hrWe e s:tw riting, raenadrs eolniiginingMo ,en s opotamia,
Elama,n dG ree/cJ ee aBno tteCrloa,r iHsesrer enscJhemaind-tP,Vi eerr­re
nan;tt ranslbayTt ereeds Laa venFdaegra n.
p.c m.
TranslaotfiL:o' nO riaenncti enno uest.
Inclubdiebsl iogrraepfheirceaanlnc de si ndex.
ISB0N- 22066-7-175( cl:oa tlhkp.a per).
1.M iddElaes t-vCiilizaTtoi6 o2n22-..W r iting-MiEdadslte- His­
tor3y.M. i ddElaes t-Rel1i.Hg eirorne.n scChlmiadrtiI,sIV s.ee r.n ant,
Jean-PIiIeTIri.lrt ee..
DSs.7B86132 000
93.9'4-dc21 99-12313
@ Thep apeurs eidnt hipsu blicmateieottnsh mei nimurme quirements
oft hAem ericNaant ioSntaaln dfaorIrdn formaStciioenn ces-Perma­
nencoefP apfeorr PrLiinbtreMadar tye riAaNlSZsI3, 9 .-418992.
Contents
ForewboyrF dr an�Zoaibsb alv ii
TranslaNtootre' sx iii
PARTO NE: ReliagnidoR ne asoniinngM esopotamia
JeaBno ttero
1 TheB irotfhC iviliza3t ion
2 TheF irWsrti tin1g 9
3 TheI ntelloigfte hnWeco rel d 34
4 TheG odAs R:e asonRaebllieg io5n1
PARTT WO:W ritinbge tweeVni sibalned I nvisible
Worldisn I ranI,s rael,G raenedc e
ClarHiesrser enschmidt
5 ElamCiitvei liaznadtW iroint ing 69
6 ConsonAalnpth abets, Atlhpeh aGbreete,k
andO ld PeCrusnieainf or9m0
7 OldPe rsCiuanne ifWorrimt:ia nsg
CosmoloRgiitcuaaanlld T e xt 108
8 Writing-SaonmdTe h ougohtnHs e braenw dG reek1 26
PARTT HREEW:r itinagn dC ivRiell igiionnG reece
Jean-PVieerrnraen t
9 Mythasn dR easonin1g49s
10 TheP olSihsa:r Peodw er 164
Notes1 77
Bibliogra1p97h y
Index1 83
111111111111111 1111
BOGAc;Z;ii
oN ivERSiTESi
KOTOPHANESi
437879 v

Foreword
FRANC;OZIASB BAL
Thiwso rekx amitnheMese sopotalmeigaanmc oyr;se p ecailfilicyt,
looaktst hroefet hmea ojri nventpiroondsu bcyet dh seo citehtayt
in tfhoeu rmtihl lennB.iCug.m r eowu to ft heen counbteetrw een
the Sumearnidta hnAesk kadioantn hsle a ntdh aitst odakyn own
asI rawqr:i tirnega,s onainndrg e,l igTihoedn e.v elopomfwe rnitt ­
inigse xamintehdr ouigtrhse lattioto hnte h ougahntd religiosity
thaitte ngendearsse odo ans i t appeaanrdae sid t, waadso pted
byo thpeero plesS-etmhieot feSs y rwiha,oi mprovietad,n dt he
Greewkhso,p erfeicttA.ett dh e culmionfaa l toineogvn o lutiito n,
wasr easonin"ger-aosnrio ng" s,Jaesa n-PVieerrnrasena ty s-and
univerreslailg tihoapntrs o vteobd e t hter ibutoafwr riietsic nagp,­
abloefe stabligsehnienrga lainzdda ebcloen textnuoarlm.is1z ed
A searfcohor r igwionusl idm plpyr oceosfst ersa nsmibsusti on,
herteh ea utholrosoa ktt hes pechiifisct ocroincfiaglu raotfi ons
thesteh reien ventiinos nosm eo ft hec ultutrheasat c cepted,
adoptoertd r,a nsfotrhmeemEd.a cohf t hecsuel tuirnie tsos,w n
waya,n dd ependoinni gti sn divimdautaelrs ioaclia,an ldc, u ltural
circumsttahnecreemsfa,od ruees oef a c ommolne gya.Ic n the pres­
enwto rwke w ilnlo tw itntehses stoafag nee sv oluttihoawnta s
crownbeydG reerke asonoirHn egb remwo notheWihsiml.te h e
Mesotpaomian paotfce irvniiltiyhz aabste ieosnnt easduiblsyt anti­
'
ateidn,t hwee srtnep arotft hOe ldW orladtl eatshte, numerous
ande nduring troiftb huatta rpiaestsoe urrndcaield anlofltl ow
intaos ingcluer reOnnt .tc hoen atrryt,h otsrei butnaerviceeres a sed
toc hanggero,wo ,rf usTeh.u jss,utl ikmaet ergioaolda sn dt echno­
logiMeess,o potaimdieasanis m ultanfleoowuesidln ytt oh eE ast,
intPoe rstiearnrr iietason,di nttoh Wee st, towaarnddf aSrytrhiear ,
intGor eeAcdeo.p taenddm odifibeyAd c haemeAnriadm,a eHaen­,
brewa,n dG reecku ltutrheess,e siodmeeatsiu mnedse rwmeonrte
vii
orl esrasd icchaaln gaensds, o metitmheersye maiunnecdh anged,
reappeahreiraneng d tihne rec urorfte hnotusg hmtyst,ho sr,b e­
liefs.
Thef actth atth tew o entarittiifiecsni aamletldhy Ee a satn dt he
Westi nhertihtoeisdde e ians no swiagyn itfiheaostn ltyw ol arge
brancghreesow u to ft hec ivilitzhaatwtia osbn o rcnl otsoes ix
thousyaenadr si na gMoe sopotuasmuiiaanl.h isArtsyto ,h qeu es­
tioonfo righionlsds su rprfioswreh so eviespr r epatrore edej catn
ideolovgiiecowaf cl u ltuirdaeltny tA.in ds ob ehind theo fn otion
the" Wesotn"e d iscomvaenrysI slaimnifcel nuceAssf. o Irs lam,
whicwhe o ften atttore emdputtc oet he" Ea"si tta, lscoo nceals
manyo ft htee nsitohnaestx ist betEwaesaetnn di tiWstes st a,n d
ith ash adt oc onfronvte ntehrea ble Orients beyond its bound­
aries-IannddCi hai nDao.w es eetkou ndersctiavnidl izaantdi ons
tod atteh ger ebaitf urcaotfti hoehniisrs tboyrf yoc usoinpn ego ples,
cultuarnedes m,p irOersd ?o wsee eokn,t he co,nt tori asroylate
thceo nstietlueemneton ftt hse "Wbeesgntni"i nignm osdti stant
antiqaunidtr ye constthrpeua cttha sl onwgh icthh ewye rter ans­
mittuepdt o tdhaew no fm odertni me?
Thed iredcets cendoafMn etsso potamia, itthmsru olutgihmoiult­
lennhiiaslt, ho arvybee en numaenrddo iuvse Arnsdei .n soafsta hre
incomplete documreenvteatathlie,oar npe p ectaaorhn a vbee en
constant eaxncdhc aonmgmeesrb ceet wedeinf fecruelnrtteu Asl.­
though the opfSr eemstieipncec oep les twhieet nhtiiFnre er tile
Crescdeinndto tfa dIen,d o-Eurpooppeualna toirto hnoss,eu no­f
known origin,t oflc oowni tnittnohu reee dg ioortn o a ppeaatir t s
froenrt.Ssi omger oudpiss appewiatrheodu t alneyan voitnigc eable
traocteh;e vrasr,i oduoscluym enwteerdae,b soribnoe tdh gerro ups,
nowti thohuatv ifinrgsb te nefitedM efsrootpmao miiannufl encfeo:r
examptlheEe,l amites-CwlhaormHi esrsree hnmsicdetx amiinne s
par2t- Mespootamnieai'gsh btootr hsse o uthewahsowt e,r ger ad­
ualcloyn queartte hde oefnt dh see comnidl lennbiytu hmIe n do­
EuropIeraann iaanndbs y t hHei ttfirtoeAmss iMai nowrh,o w ere
alsIon dou-rEoepa.nB uta ll tpheeospepl aerst iciipnsa otmeceda ­
patcyii nt hes amcei vilizatiocno,m mtehrrceoixuacglhh a nges,
peaecfuolrv ioliennvta siaonndcs o,n queTshteds i.f fuosfci uonne ­
iforwmr itiinngv,e nitneM de sopotamiaw,i tnbteeosat srh sia ss,
do tfhrea gmeonftt hsre i cmhyt holotghyai tn spireadu tthhoer s
oft hBei balnedt hawte rael skon owbny t hGer eeks.
Ast hMee sopotaemridaar net woa c losteh fieir nsm ti lleunmn i
B.tCh.pe,r incaicptaolr tsh reie ng iwohno,w erer etmoa iinnp lace
upt ot he adovfIe snltai mn,c lutdheIedr ani(arnesp resbeytn htee d
viii FOREWORD
AchaemeEnmipdi rweh,i cfhe ll under tAhleGe rxeaaantnd,de r
latbeyrt hSea ssantihaGenr se)e;(k fsow rh omt hHee llenainsdt ic
thetnh Ger eco-Rkoimnagnd oamsss uarl eads tpirnegs eanncdae
primarlyu eintncfher ougthhoMeui td dElaes atn)dfi; n allyt,h Aer a­
maeantsh,eS emtiipce oplwehso i nt hes econmdil leunmn i
foundkeidn gdoimnSs y riian,cl uDdainmga scbuessk,tn owfnr om
ittsr eatmientn htBe i ble.
Thuosn tehveeo fI �!atmh rgeree maitl lencnuilatslu- ronee
Semitaincdt hoet heIrnsd o-Europeant-heeenn rtiircrehege ido n.
Andy etth euinri qpueer sonaclointtiientsuo se tda nodu ta bove
thebl endtihnagot c curTrheidis.ss eent hirene naisosfat nhcee
Iranciualnt uunrdeeI rs labme,gn niinignt htee nctehn tuA.rDy.a, s
welals inc otnhtei npureeds eunpct eot, h e ncienntthu orfty h,e
Aramaeiannfl uenecxep,r esisnte hdeA ramaic lSaynrgiuaacg e
adoptbeytd h Nee storainadtn hsJe a cobtihtreosu,wg hhi cahl arge
parotf tGhree epkh ilosopahnidsc caile nlteigfiacpc ays siendt o
ArabMieca.n whtihlceee ,n tuorfi etHshe el leniozfa ttMihioedn d le
Eashta da ssutrhelede gaocfty h Ger eeskusc thh aotn en eeldo ok
no furtthhaeinrn the socfph hoiolloss aonpdht yh eoltohgayt
contintuote eda ch Greekf otlhlooutwghiMhenut gs licmo nquest.
Itw oulbdeu seftuhle,tn o,n othee rteh atth Aer amaeaannds ,
morgee nertahlwele ys teSrenm itfeosl,l oawd eidf fepraetnfhtr om
thaotf tehaes tSeermni twehsi,c h BJoetatnpe rreos einnct hsa pter
2.F ofrr otmh Mee sopotavmainatnap goneit t,h ewye rteh oen es
whof ormtehde c losleisnbtke twetehneS emitfersot mh eA rab
peninsaunldta h Aer ab-Mucsullitmuw rhei,ci hnt heei ghctehn ­
turbye camage r eiamtp erciualrlet b uefofrael lbieonfrgte h Pee r­
siaann dT urkiEsmhp irefsa.c ttIh,nAe r abliacn guaapgpee ars to
bet hhee iorf tArhaem aimci lleunmn,si inicflteo wisn to the same
moladn de veanb soernbtsi sreec tiooftn hsAe r amalieccx oinT.h e
Aramaecaunl thuardee xperieintgcsre eda test development after
thaen nexaotfit ohknei ngdoomfSs y rbiya the AstshyBera ibayn­s,
'
loniaannsdt, h Aec haemePneirdns siA.af taedro pttihneag l pha­
betsiycs tfermo tmh eP hoenicAiraanmsab,ie cc amteh ei nterna­
tionlaaln guoafgt eh Mei ddElaes atn;dt hastt atwuassr einforced
duritnhger eiogfnt heA chaemePneirds iIatrn esp.l aacletldh e
Semtiitco nguients h eFe rtCirlees caenndet l imintahteeea tdse rn
Semtiilca nguaAgsessy,ra inadBn a bylonAiraanm.aw irci tiisna gt
thoer igoifsn o -caslqlueadr e-Hleebtrtesecwrr ipt andt,h et hrough
intermeodfNi aabrayt aoefat nhA,er abwirci tsiynsgt em.
Iti st hus thwrroiutgtihhn agA tr abciacnb e connteocA tread­
maiacn df,u rttheoMr e,s opotaTmhiearie.sm orcee rnttayti ot his
FOREWORD ix
connectthiaotnno o nei nvolvmiyntgha sn dr eligwihoinch,ha s
been scdaonctuimleyn wtietrdhe spteotc htAe r abpiecn inbsuel­a
forIes laTmh.ei nqutirhyat th per esentu nwdoerrkt ianktteosh e
relatbieotnwse werni tirnega,s onainndrg e,l igciaontn h erefore
havneo e quivafloetrnh pter e-IsAlraambwiioccr lIdti.f s u ljluys ti­
fiablet hfIeos rl apmeirci hoodw,e vTeorb .ec onvinocfte hdio sn e
neeodn lmye ntitohnec entprlaaloc cec upbiyew dr itiinng the
Muslidmo gmNao.w heerlesh ea sat heoloofgt yh e" Religoifo ns
theB ookb"e esni mildaervleyl oped iadreooafusi n ndc retaetxet
ando ft hfea lsifiocfaet airolrnie evreo lna.st i
Int rutohft, h tew ob rancohfeM se sopoatnac miivzialtiitohne,
westebrrna nicsht odaiyna betptoetsrii otno r eclaiitpmsa st.
Clotsoet woc entuorfia ersc heoldoigsiccoavloe frd ieepcshi,en rgi
anda nalyhsaevsee,n abltehWdee st ctoon queevrem ro rvea setx ­
pansoefis t osw nh isyt,ao nrdi nt hmee antitmore e sttohrEeea st's
pasatsw, e lWle.lb le fobrieb lairccahle yo,tl hoeegx ploroaftt ihoen
MiddElaes bty E uropean trreacvoetnlusettrewisdh atth en ine­
teenctehn tunraym e"das crgeedo gra"pR heys.eairncthbo i blical
sites, ftohlaoltfoG wriencgo -Roman cwiavsgi rlaidzuaaatcli­loyn ,
companieidn qbuyia rmioensAg r anbo madwsh,ow erbee lieved to
bea r eflecotfit ohnHe e brebwesf oIrser ael.
Theu nexpercetesduo lfat r cheoleoxgciacvaalwt aisto onp ush
thpea sbta cske vemrialll enunpisae,t tthimeny gt ho ft htew ou lti­
matoer igoifnt sh Wee stG:r eeacnedt heB iblJeea.n Bottero has
showenl sewthehireme p ortcaonnts equoefnt chedesi scovoefr ies
Assyrioonlt ohgveyi siotnh peoa fs atn,dJ ean-PVieerrnrahena ts
showhno w tphoiest irveea snogon fit hGer eewkassf ormneodet x
nihiloo ubotuf t cosmomgyotnhbisoc r rofwreodMm e sopotamia.2
This oifda en"a Ea steorrni"g oiftn h Wee stt,h ouight still en­
countmeurcshr esstianccoen,t itnoum eask hee awdayI.ti ns octe r­
taihno,w evtehrai,twt i ltlr iumapslh o nagst hied eoloofog ryi gins
remaiinmsp ervtioot uhsfe a ctthsah ta vbee eens tablbiysh hiesd­
torikcnaolw leAdngdwe e.m uspte rhaps wondetrhW eew shte'tsh er
endlceosnsq uoefsi tto sw np asatn do ft haotfo thceirv ilizations
shounlodt b ea ccompabnyis eidm irleasre aurncdhe rtabkye n
thocsiev iliziantttioho enisr oorwinngs i.
Thiissa l onwga yo ffi,n soafsta hrEe a sitsc o ncerinnse pdi,ot fe
thuen denivaebsltei gesv eirsnyo iotlfh et Mhied dElaes atn do f
thger owicnogn troplrleisnegon fac rec heoldoiggibscyE a als tern
statIents r.u tthh,de i stpaanstht i,g hligbyhp treeds timgoinouu­s
mentisso, f tpelna cientd h see rvoifnc aet ionaildiesotlioicgn i es,
ana gewh ent hea dveonftI slcaomn tintuoe scb oen sidtehree d
x FOREWORD
unprecedfeonutneddmi onmge notft hAer abYse.itt i sn octe rtain
tharte ligdioogumsaa l oniesr espbolnfeso itrh irse duvcevt iision
ofh isrtyoS.u cdho gma-whciocnhs itdheeKr osr anRiecv elation
ast h"es ael"o, rc losoufre ea,r lrieevreo lnast-ihnaesv perre vented
thien vestiogfoa tthiceournl tuarnedcs i viloinzsSa.ct hiolianar ns­
cietnitm es, moreover, tehaeg erGalrnyed Pe weker lscioamne dc ul­
turpaalt rimoannidee xsp lotrheehd i staonrdys cienatcicfiocm ­
plishmoefno ttsh peero pslA.es f oMre sopotaimtsi eae,mt sh aats
greaat th inakseI rb n Khawladswu enla lw aroefh irsi chhe ritage:
"Wheirste h sec ieonftc hePe e rsi.a.?n".sh e as"kWehde.ir ste h e
scieonftc heCe h aldeoaftn hsAe,s syritahBneas b,y lonWihaenrse?
arteh ewiorr kasn dt hree sutlhtegsya trheed"?3
FOREWORD xi