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ABSTRACT Dumuzi's Dream: Dream Analysis And Symbolism In Ancient Mesopotamia Dr. Curtiss Hoffman Dr. Curtiss Hoffman teaches Anthropology at Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater, Massachusetts, where he teaches courses in archaeology, myth, religion, and consciousnesas. His doctoral research was on animal symbols on ancient Mesopotamian cylinder seals, and he has an abiding interest in the relationship of these symbols to consciousness in Mesopotamian culture. Summary of Presentation An exploration of the world's earliest known dream text, from 2nd
millennium B.C. Sumer, provides insights into methods of dream interpretation
and symbolism in Mesopotamian culture. We will investigate this popular
ancient dream through texts and visual imagery. Other Mesopotamian dreams will
be introduced for comparison. Learning Objectives: 1) To learn about ancient Mesopotamian dream interpretation 2) To explore the relationship of textual and image-based representations of an ancient dream 3) To understand what dreams meant within the context of a culture which is the foundation of Western civilization. Evaluation questions: 1) Do I understand Mesopotamian dream symbolism better as a result of this presentation? 2) Can I relate what I have learned in this presentation to other methods of dream interpretation with which I may be familiar? 3) Did the instructor clearly elucidate the relationship of visual imagery to text in this presentation?
Abstract . Each submission must include an abstract (250-500 words) detailing what is being proposed. The abstract should be submitted in a readable and publishable form so that it can be reproduced in ASD publications. ASD reserves the right to publish these abstracts. In the case of Papers, include a full reference list (not included in the 250-500 words). Tables, figures, and illustrations should be limited to one additional page. In the case of Symposia, Panel Discussions, and Focused Discussion Sessions, give details of each presenter's material. For General Events, describe the presentation in as much detail as possible and include illustrative examples of material that will be used. Mesopotamian civilization (specifically, the Sumerians) was the first to develop writing, and consequently the first from which we have literary texts, dating back to the late Second Millennium B.C. Some of these texts contain accounts of dreams, especially dreams of royal figures. The earliest of these texts, and evidently the earliest recorded dream in human history, is the dream of king Dumuzi of Uruk. This dream text is embedded within the framework of the larger epic of the Descent of Inanna (Ishtar), and it covers themes concerning life, death, the seasons of the agricultural year, the proper role of the king, etc. In this case, not only do we have the dream text itself, we also have its interpretation, by Dumuzi’s sister Geshtin-Anna, in the text of the epic. She appears to have played the role of a professional dream interpretress. There are also about a dozen cylinder seals which appear to depict the motifs of Dumuzi’s dream, though they have often been misinterpreted as relating to a different epic. Evidently Dumuzi’s dream was a popular subject of discussion and depiction in ancient Mesopotamia. In my paper, I will examine this dream and its interpretation, as well as its pictorial representation, within the Mesopotamian cultural context. I will also compare it with several other well-known dreams from Mesopotamia: the dreams of Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and Utnapishtim. I will also consider the practice of dream-divination in this ancient culture, as well as the imagery apparently derived from dreams and its significance to the culture.
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