Nudity and partial body exposure in ancient Mesopotamia : with a special focus on Babylonia

Abstract

This work aims to tackle any ambiguity concerning nudity and partial exposure practices in the broad geographical area that is known as ancient Mesopotamia. Unfortunately, not much material is available which directly tackles this topic, however the work of a few prominent scholars on the subject was employed. As a result, the material involved in this research consists of defining nudity, considering the difference between the male and the female nude at the time, determining if certain nudity/exposure was due to sexuality or fertility, and if customs such as attire and bathing had any symbolic meaning when it comes to the exposed body. Both ancient iconography from this region as well as coeval literary sources were employed along this study. Forming part of this dissertation is a an afterword which compares the Mesopotamian nude and the Classical Greek nude. At the end of this dissertation the author concluded that one mostly finds iconographies, as well as ancient texts, characterising the female nude, whilst male partial exposure only helps in transmitting a message of heroism or else enslavement. Complete male nudity is rarely encountered.