Le pietre di Jerwan, fine art giclée inkjet print on Photo Rag cotton paper, 50x58,3 cm, 2016
Le pietre di jerwan
Sennacherib, il re assiro, salito al potere dopo la morte di suo padre, il re Sargon II, trasferisce la capitale a Ninive, l’odierna Mosul (Iraq), dove, secondo fonti storiche, ordinò la costruzione del suo famoso "Palazzo senza rivali." Il grande Re è stato anche in grado di portare l'acqua a Ninive da cinque fiumi, è stata scavata un’ampia rete di canali nelle sezioni rocciose delle zone vicine. A Jerwan, costruisce un ponte per il suo acquedotto, uno dei primi della storia e una delle più imponenti opere d’ingegneria idraulica. Le pietre con cui è costruito il ponte di Jerwan raccontano la storia del grande re. Nella cultura assira la scrittura ha un valore sacro: questa idea di sacralità è stata tramandata nel tempo e ha lasciato una forte influenza sia sulla religione islamica, così come cristianesimo siriaco.
Sennacherib, the Assyrian King, came to power after the death of his father, King Sargon the II. During the beginning of his reign, he moved the capital to Nineveh in present day Mosul (Iraq), where, according to historical sources, he ordered the construction of his famous “Palace without Rival.”
The great King was also able to bring fresh water to Nineveh from five rivers by ordering the excavation of an ample network of canals in the rocky sections of the neighboring area. The famous stones can now be found on the Jerwan Aqueduct, one of the grand works of hydraulic engineering built under the great King. The writing that is found on such stones, tells the story of King Sennacherib, almost as if they originated directly from his palace.
In ancient culture, and Assyrian culture in particular, writing had a sacred value: only few citizens had the ability to read, and even less to write. This idea of sacredness has been passed down over time and has left strong influences on both the Islamic religion, as well as Syriac Christianity.
Sennacherib, the Assyrian King, came to power after the death of his father, King Sargon the II. During the beginning of his reign, he moved the capital to Nineveh in present day Mosul (Iraq), where, according to historical sources, he ordered the construction of his famous “Palace without Rival.”
The great King was also able to bring fresh water to Nineveh from five rivers by ordering the excavation of an ample network of canals in the rocky sections of the neighboring area. The famous stones can now be found on the Jerwan Aqueduct, one of the grand works of hydraulic engineering built under the great King. The writing that is found on such stones, tells the story of King Sennacherib, almost as if they originated directly from his palace.
In ancient culture, and Assyrian culture in particular, writing had a sacred value: only few citizens had the ability to read, and even less to write. This idea of sacredness has been passed down over time and has left strong influences on both the Islamic religion, as well as Syriac Christianity.