Creare il sovrano, distruggere il sovrano: la rappresentazione del potere in Mesopotamia attraverso la statuaria monumentale

Abstract

The contribution analyses the mode of production, uses, meaning and modes of destruction of
ancient Mesopotamian statues depicting the king and élites of the towns. Royal statues in particular
were meant to be a medium between the town and the deities, ensuring the well-being of people and
land. As such, they were imbued with a special significance, beyond the portraiture of individual beings,
and were thus the object of voluntary destruction and/or purposeful damage when they were seized by
hostile agents