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Document Details :

Title: Le trône et le «char» processionnel de Dagan
Subtitle: De la philologie à l'histoire de l'art
Author(s): GUICHARD, Michaël
Journal: Semitica
Volume: 59    Date: 2017   
Pages: 5-56
DOI: 10.2143/SE.59.0.3239905

Abstract :
A mass of administrative documents coming from the grand palace of Mari enables us to describe the stages of manufacturing of luxurious seats intended for the gods. Fifteen texts are presented here in full. The most important and the most impressive throne was the one offered to Dagan. It is possible to partially reconstruct the aspect of such a complex piece of furniture and to list the sculptures and images which decorated it. A rich religious scene reveals itself to us, with the statue of the seated god, the king in prayer and numerous supernatural creatures, some well known, others less. A similar iconographic program was reproduced on a palanquin dedicated to Dagan. The article suggests that this vehicle may have been comparable to the processional floats (pasos) which parade in Spain during the Santa Semana.

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