Joost Herman

Biographie: 

•  Since 11-2023 Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter at the MCAW Marburg Graduiertenkolleg Inszenierung religiöser Atmosphäre, Centrum für Nah- und Mittelost-Studien, Fachgebiet Altorientalistik.
• 2023 Wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft at Universität Münster Institut für Altorientalistik und Vorderasiatische Archäologie.
• 2020-2022 Research Master's programme in Classics and Ancient Civilizations at ACASA Amsterdam, specialization in Ancient Near Eastern Studies. Extracurricular courses at OIKOS research school and Leiden University. ReMa-thesis: “‘May I Not Come to Shame in the Assembly!’ Bāštu and the Social Emotions of Shame and Pride in the Emotional Community of the Neo-Assyrian Courtly Elite”.
• 2017-2020 Bachelor's programme in Ancient Studies at ACASA Amsterdam, specialization in Ancient Near Eastern Studies. BA-thesis: ‘Marduk Narratives in Sargonid Assyria’.

Project:

My project at the Graduiertenkolleg has the working title “Staging Religion: The Exorcist and the Substitute Image Ritual in First Millennium Mesopotamian Magic.” The aim of this project is to make a critical edition and translation of the hitherto unpublished ritual text alan níg-sag-íl-la / ṣalām andunāni, “the substitute image ritual series”. I will analyse the socio-cultural context of the ritual using the concept of religious atmospheres and the research questions posed by the Graduiertenkolleg.

The substitute image ritual is known from various copies belonging to the library of the Assyrian king Assurbanipal, and it was part of a genre of scholarly compositions now generally known as “anti-witchcraft literature”. These compositions belonged to the repertoire of the ašīpu, a highly educated ritual specialist who used his specialised knowledge to undo the harmful effects of perceived witchcraft and demonic activity. As such, the ašīpu is often likened to an exorcist in modern scholarship.

An important aspect of ašīpu rituals was the creation of figurines and images with different functions. The ašīpu could create apotropaic figurines and install these near doors and windows to keep out evil forces, but he could also create representations of these forces and crush, burn, or bury them in order render them powerless. Figurines or images of the patient were also used by the ašīpu to absorb the fear and anxiety of his patient in the ritual.

In his rituals, the ašīpu performed chants, prayers, and incantations in Sumerian, Akkadian, or even Elamite. He also used musical instruments, dressed in particular ways, and let out terrifying screams. According to ancient Assyrian commentary texts, the ašīpu was an awe-inspiring manifestation of the god Marduk himself, and his knowledge of ancient ritual texts and materia magica ensured that he was an important figure in Mesopotamian religion. In short, the ašīpu was a powerful presence and an expert ritual performer, who specialised in the creation of ritual atmospheres. An in-depth look at the substitute image ritual will improve our understanding of this aspect of the ašīpu’s role.

The guiding questions of the Graduiertenkolleg will provide the framework for this project:

-        How does the ritual specialist achieve his authority and credibility?

-        How is group identity achieved or strengthened?

-        How is divinity made present in the ritual?

-        How are hierarchies and power structures communicated in and through the ritual?

In addition, attention, this project will pay special attention to the different components of the ritual; the ritual space, the use of materia magica, the ritual actions and speech performed by the ašīpu and his patient, and the expected emotional and sensory experiences of the participants in the ritual.  

Besides contributing to the fields of Assyriology and ancient Near Eastern studies, this project will contribute to discussions on the role of magic in ancient religion, and the ways in which scholarly experts make use of space and materia magica to regulate the experience of participants in ritual. It will reflect on the production and dissemination of scholarly knowledge in ancient cultures and discuss the ways in which ritual experts could use this knowledge to create ritual atmospheres. As such, this project will benefit enormously from the interdisciplinary environment of the Graduiertenkolleg.