Lise

During our discussion of Nippur, I was fascinated by Nippur’s Lament and the Hymn to Enlil as representative of the ways in which those living in Nippur interacted with the gods and their city. The founding of Nippur was considered a holy act, and thus the city was inexorably tied to Enlil and other gods through the festival of its foundation. In my paper, I want to analyze the sacred texts of the hymn and the lament potentially along with other inscriptions found at the temples of Nippur. There are many dedication inscriptions that might make sense to discuss in conjunction with the Hyman and the Lament, and in doing so relate specific building projects to broader views of Nippur presented in the Hymn and the Lament. My goal, if possible, is to relate the themes and agenda of these texts to their archaeological/architectural expression in the city. A question that could be said to characterize my research is: how did the buildings of Nippur reflect the values portrayed in these holy texts?

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