Forms of Creativity in the Intellectual History of Ancient Mesopotamia
Forms of Creativity in the Intellectual History of Ancient Mesopotamia
The goal of the research project (2017-2020) is to describe the forms of creativity in the realms of literature and scholarship and how the creative works influenced genesis, transformation and change of identities in the societies of ancient Near East. The project will examine mechanisms of creativity with the methods of cognitive sciences, social sciences, and in the light of literary and religious studies.
The focus of the research project will be on Mesopotamian forms of creativity and how they developed and changed identities during the intellectual history of the ancient Near East. Ancient Mesopotamian creative works written in different genres and techniques will be scrutinized with regard to the aspects of intertextuality. The iconography and artefacts will also be considered. The so-called "esoteric" texts will be examined from the point of view of ancient identities. Finally, the influence of ancient Mesopotamian texts and identities to the neighbouring cultures and later periods will be studied.
The research project will give a new account how the forms of creativity and identities interacted in Mesopotamia and other ancient societies. The research will also follow the most recent advances in the creativity and identity studies on the international scientific level. The latter aspect will make the results of the research project in a positive sense unpredictable.
Noteworthy publications thus far:
Annus, Amar (2016). The Overturned Boat: Intertextuality of the Adapa Myth and Exorcist Literature. Eisenbrauns