Nathan Wasserman

Akkadian Love Literature of the Third and Second Millennium Bce Nathan Wasserman

Akkadian Love Literature of the Third and Second Millennium BCE is the first systematic treatment of the corpus of Akkadian compositions related to love and sex in Ancient Near Eastern Studies. More than 30 cuneiform texts (including two hitherto unpublished compositions) are carefully edited and translated, accompanied by a thorough philological commentary: monologues and dialogues of hymnal character, incantations to overcome a refusing lover or gaining sexual power, and ancient catalogues counting the names of (mostly lost) love-related hymns. The style of the Akkadian amatory corpus and its key-metaphors and images are discussed, the way Akkadian describes lovemaking, copulation and sexual climax is presented, and the terms used in Akkadian literature for sexual organs are outlined. Parallels to other literary bodies of ancient love lyrics can also be found.