Rituals and Ceremonies for the Opening of Cities and Civil Structures in the Neo-Assyrian Period (911-612 BC)

Abstract

The Assyrian kings were interested in construction and development, and this interest was not limited to Assyrian cities only, but included various cities from the regions of the ancient Near East, driven by several motives, including political, military, or economic ones, and some related to immortalizing their own memory. Upon completing the construction, the Assyrian kings established a number of rituals and ceremonies. In terms of rituals, they offered sacrifices, gifts, and vows, and performed rituals of pouring liquid and fumigation that were used in purification processes, as well as bringing statues of the gods and placing them in the place of celebration in order to obtain their blessing and offer sacrifices before them. In terms of ceremonies, the Assyrian kings invited the rulers of the regions of the East to attend the opening of the cities and their civil facilities, and this represents a type of political discourse and military dominance in the Neo-Assyrian era.

Religious rituals played a significant role in forging the unity of the Assyrian people through their collective participation in celebrations, which strengthened the sense of belonging and increased the social fabric of Assyrian society. There was also a propagandistic motive behind holding the opening rituals, through which the kings aimed to demonstrate the economic prosperity of the Assyrian kingdom on the one hand, and on the other hand, to reflect the nature of the power that the Assyrian state possessed.