Substitution in Ancient Mesopotamian War Rituals

Ritual performance has its own set of beliefs. In particular, ritual in the broadest sense, performative behavior that is accepted as normal and not identified as such, or external conduct are the means by which the generative matrix of ideology is produced. From significant social and political gatherings to everyday actions by individuals, these rituals take many forms. War is another ritualized human habit. It is a set of practices that require a lot of preparation and design before the war action. In order to decide on the best course of military action and whether to go to war, the gods had to be consulted and enlisted in ancient Mesopotamia. Every phase of war, from peacetime to hostilities and from the demands of a military campaign to the return to daily life, is marked and facilitated by rituals. In some war rituals substitutes are used, such as clay figurines or animals, to symbolize the enemy. Then, these items or animals become the target of violence. Substitution is a way that the royal power is asserted. It is the pious king who is favored by the gods and enforcing divine justice who will ultimately beat the enemy, and success is always certain. The aim of this study is to draw attention to the practices of substitution in the war rituals of Ancient Mesopotamian New Assyria and Babylion period in the light of sample war ritual texts.