Male nudity in ancient Mesopotamian art

Abstract

This thesis attempts to study nude male representations in Mesopotamian art. It analyzes examples of male nudity in art and textual material from the Protoliterate to the Neo-Assyrian period in Northern and Southern Iraq. It aims to investigate the implications that the male nudity in Mesopotamian art carries and both the social and conceptual aspects that are attributed to male nudity in Mesopotamian society. It argues how nude male representations are embedded within cultural, religious and political aspects of the society. The thesis also shows the context dependent state of male nudity and how it is used as a marker in ancient Mesopotamian art pointing to various identities, physicalities, and political and religious configurations.