Artefacts bearing cuneiform texts that may be attributed to the discourse of power (e.g. inscriptions about rulers, hymns to rules, administrative documents) will be examined systematically with regard to the reflective elements written on them concerning the materiality and presence of writing (UP 1: Assyriology), and their material presence in antique contexts of reception (UP 2: Near Eastern Archaeology). From this the relationship between discourses and practices will be charted, along with a profile of the implementation of writing in the Ancient Mesopotamian discourse of power.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

UP 1

• Identifying relevant discursive fragments and analysing how they treat a) aspects of ‘materialisation’ and ‘presentification’, b) protagonists and practices, c) relevant arrangements of bodies and things
• Analysis of explicit and implicit statements about the implementation of writing as a material manifestation and ‘instrument’ of rule

UP 2

• Drawing up ‘material profiles’‘, ‘topologies’ and ‘praxeograms’ in order to document and analyse
• aspects of ‘materialisation‘ and ‘presentification’,
• probable practices of reception and protagonists,
• surrounding arrangements of bodies and things