Sex and Eroticism in Mesopotamian LiteratureSex and Eroticism in Mesopotamian Literature is a new contribution to current debates about sex and eroticism. It gives an insight into Mesopotamian attitudes to sexuality by examining the oldest preserved written evidence on the subject - the Sumero-Akkadian cuneiform sources - which were written between the 21st and the 5th centuries B.C. Using these long-neglected and often astonishing data, Gwendolyn Leick is able to anlayse Mesopotamian views of prostitution, love magic and deviant sexual behaviour as well as more general issues of sexuality and gender. |
Contents
| 9 | |
A MYTH OF MALE | 30 |
PHALLICISM IN SUMERIAN LITERATURE | 48 |
THE BRIDAL SONGS | 64 |
INANNA AND HER BROTHER | 80 |
INANNA REJOICING IN HER VULVA | 90 |
MY CONSORT MAID INANNA LADY VOLUPTUOUSNESS OF HEAVEN AND EARTH | 97 |
COURTLY LOVE POETRY | 111 |
EROTICISM IN AKKADIAN LITERATURE | 173 |
AKKADIAN LOVE POETRY | 291 |
LOVE MAGIC AND POTENCY INCANTATIONS | 292 |
SIN AND POLLUTION | 293 |
WITCHES DEMONS AND THE AMBIVALENCE OF LOVE | 294 |
THE ARTICULATION OF SEXUAL JEALOUSY 21 LOVE AND EROS IN AKKADIAN NARRATIVE LITERATURE Glossary Notes | 296 |
| 298 | |
| 311 | |
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Common terms and phrases
addressed Akkadian Alster aspect associated Assyria Babylonian become beginning beloved Bridal bring brother called composition concerned context cultural deities demons described desire divine Dumuzi Earth Enki Enki's Enkidu Enlil erotic especially expressed fact father female fertility function garden Gilgameš girl give goddess gods hand heart Heaven holy human husband hymns important Inanna incantations intercourse interesting Ištar Jacobsen Jacobsen 1987a king Kramer Lambert lapis lazuli lines literary literature look lord lover magic male marriage married meaning mentioned Mesopotamian metaphor millennium mother myths Ninlil original passage period person poetry present probably prostitute reference relationship represented ritual role royal seems seen sexual sister social Songs speaks stands status suggests Sumerian sweet tablet taken temple term traditional translation Uruk vulva wedding wife woman women young