CONTACT PEGGY FIRESTONE  
 

Script

Cast

Research Notes

Images of Sumer

Costume and Scene Concepts

Music and Literature of Sumer

Links

Biographies of the Inanna Troupe

Agreement

Dates

Acknowledgements

Coming Soon

 

 

 

RESEARCH NOTES

Pantheon of Gods Appearing in the Play

Brief History & Geographical Description of Sumer

Related Myth: Creativity and the Dual Nature of the Divine Mother

Lists of Objects




LISTS OF OBJECTS

*****

ANIMALS

Gazelles - dust & grass torn up. Mass of tracks by watering hole
Broad padded tracks of lions criss-cross. Sleeping, mock fighting. Young bachelors, no king, nor delicate marks of queens.

Sheep, goats.

Onager - so wild can’t be tamed. Was bred with donkey which was exalted as king of the road. Noble & purely bred, wild ass - fierce as a hailstorm rolling out of the desert.

*****

FOOD

Good wife’s bread. Dried goat meat. Flat bread rolled around a cylinder of salty sheep cheese.

Dates - squashy sweet beneath dry skin.
Slightly muddy H2O from drinking hole.

Beer - sucked through straw that clinked against a silver rim
Beer smooth & well-aged or rough & young

Melon slices interwoven w/thin strips of white cheese.
Put tid bits in his mouth.

Savory pastries filled w/duck meat.
Small birds.
Honey cake.

*****

CLOTHING

Hunter - woolen kilt with fringe tucked up while hunting to protect privates from dust & brambles.

Woman laborer - gown of woven wool.

Man - En’s full regalia:
Pointed crown made up of layers of overlapping horns.
Long white robes of linen blended w/wool.
Embroidered hems w/symbols of goddess.
Electrum medallion flaring w/smooth crystal stones & black onyx.
Bronze knife in sacrificial Priest’s hand.
White robed assistants.

Ensi wears floor length kilt of ruler - rustle of overlapping fronds of linen. Shining bronze breast plate. Heavy gold bracelets. Bronze axe of ancestor strapped into place at waist. Solid reassuring weight of power.

*****

ENVIRONMENT

Little flames from oil lamps light the shrine.
Temple people arranged according to duty & rank.
Drum beat in temple.

En’s room:
Warm, little fire burning in hearth.
Bunches of drying herbs hung from ceiling. Walls lined w/chests of cedar. Cats lying on bed. Spotted striped, descended from pair brought back from Black land (across desert).
Mat of creamy wool before fire. Knock on door frame. Woven tapestry for door.

Clean scent of house, rushes on floor, sweet oils burning

In lamps. Cups - silver panels inlaid w/lapis.

Girls of temple sleep together in dorm. Room where music instruments kept-scarred & scratched frame.

*****

HAIR

Long wavy hair oiled w/frankincense.
Man: short cropped.
Man - Hunter/Country: black bristles.
Man - City & Slave: Shaved head.
Man - Ensi: ringlets

*****

LEADERS

Lugal - war leader
Gala - priest: specializes in ritual singing.
Taught singing to temple little girls (choir). Would hit their palms w/rod if not behave or answered back.
En - priestly spouse of Inanna.
Ensi - ruler of city.

*****

INSECTS

Scorpions
Snakes
Flies

*****

BATH

Bathing chamber lamp-lit. Endless bathing – Steam scented. Step out of bath, whisk w/tamarisk branches – stinking of sheep & sweat.

*****

JEWELRY

Crown w/tamarisk leaves in gold.
Ear pendents.
Necklaces of spriralled gold pendents. Girdle of gem stones.
Gold bracelets, rings.

*****

THINGS

Gong - Smoke of fire: gums & oils. Wood pipes of musicians.
Me (plural n.) - all gifts of knowledge, craftsmanship & power given to humans by Inanna/Gifts of Civilization.
Abzu - Fresh water sea beneath the Earth where Enki lived.
Idiglat - Tigris.
Buranun - Euphrates.
Gula - goddess of healing.
Galla - spirit of the Underworld.
Ishib - priest of purification/sacrificial priest.
Gidim - restless ghost.

*****

FACIAL FEATURES

Eagle nose.
Lithe & fine featured.
Studious lines in face, calm bearing.
Mother from Black Land: Thick brown hair w/lite blue eyes.
Thin arched eyebrows.

*****

TYPES OF WORK

Reinforce canal walls that all from slave to priest has fresh water- deal out barley & beer that none go hungry - est. safe travel, build houses, plant gardens.

Weeping of women because husband taken away to make brick walls – Later: army.

Children have no bread.

Older men & boys not there to do work.

No baker, herdsman.

Aged mother is shepherd in early am. Damp-cold or Lifting shovels of barley into malting ovens.

Men can’t earn bride-prices.

*****

FURNITURE

Bed – Ivory frame.
Clean linens.

 


 
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