What was the purpose of the lamassu?

What was the purpose of the lamassu?

Lamassu were supernatural spirits, sometimes called demons or genies depending on which language you’re translating from, who served to protect the gods, as well as the important human structures. Lamassu always had the body (and therefore strength) of a bull, but the head (and therefore intelligence) of a human.

What does the carved figure of lamassu signify?

The Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a protective deity, who is usually female. She is often represented as a standing figure that introduces guests to another, superior god. So she is actually a servant.

What were the lamassu made of?

The lamassu from Nimrud now in the Metropolitan Museum in NYC is made from alabaster (gypsum).

What two things are Mesopotamia responsible for creating?

The Mesopotamians made many technological discoveries. They were the first to use the potter’s wheel to make better pottery, they used irrigation to get water to their crops, they used bronze metal (and later iron metal) to make strong tools and weapons, and used looms to weave cloth from wool.

What two rivers gave Mesopotamia name?

The ‘two rivers’ of the name referred to the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers and the land was known as ‘Al-Jazirah’ (the island) by the Arabs referencing what Egyptologist J.H. Breasted would later call the Fertile Crescent, where Mesopotamian civilization began….

What is another name for Mesopotamia?

Mesopotamia is sometimes called “Jazira” or “Al-Jazira.” It was later referred to as “the Fertile Crescent” by Egyptologist J.H.

What is ancient Mesopotamia sometimes called?

Mesopotamia of ancient times was located where Iraq is today. It also included land in eastern Syria, and southeastern Turkey. Its name means “land between the rivers” in Greek. It is sometimes known as “the cradle of civilization” because it was where civilization first developed.