Ideological Power In Mesopotamian Culture

According to Norman Yoffee, individuals and groups in ancient complex societies exploited the transformative nature of power through the manipulation of the three domains of power, political, economic, and ideological power. Economic power refers to the ability to create more specialized production and to organize the production of food and its storage as well as develop trade. Ideological power is found in the use of symbols to create political or cultural unity or congruity. Political power is correlated with a ruler expressing authority through coercion or administrative measures.

Although fluctuations in power had been present in Mesopotamian culture for thousands of years, it was during the Early Dynastic Period (2900-2350 B.C.) that the greatest competition emerged between the major Sumerian city-states such as Uruk and Ur. As the city-states warred against each other, an Akkadian, who named himself Sargon or

The Greeks named the city Hierakonpolis, or “City of the Falcon”, in reference to a local god. The falcon god was the predecessor of Horus, the god of order and symbol of Egypt’s kings. Nekhen’s rulers received both ideological and political power through their link with, or personification of, Horus. A statue of Horus placed upon a pole, guarded a large and colorful shrine in the middle of Nekhen where worshippers deposited their sacrificial offerings. The ideological power exuded by Nekhen made it an important spiritual destination. Political power was also expressed in the tombs of the elites and rulers. Tomb 100, located in a cemetery outside of Nekhen, is a royal tomb with painted walls that show how the occupant fought against chaos and upheld the ideals of Horus. Palettes found in Nekhen, similar to the Narmer palette, illustrated the military prowess of rulers and were likely tools of propaganda used to proclaim superior political power over rival