« Parce qu’il a entendu sa voix, qu’il le bénisse » : représentations d’orants et d’officiants dans les sanctuaires hellénistiques d’Oumm el-‘Amed (Liban)

Abstract

“Parce qu’il a entendu sa voix, qu’il le bénisse” : Representations of Orants and Officiants in the Hellenistic Sanctuaries of Oumm el-Amed (Lebanon ) The study of the sculptures excavated in or attributed to Oumm el-‘Amed (ancient Hammon), located in South Lebanon, can contribute significantly to our understanding of religious life in the rural context of Hellenistic Phoenicia. In this article I will survey the different forms of anthropomorphic figuration documented in the sanctuaries of Oumm el-‘Amed, looking both at objects in the round and in relief. The diverse modalities of votive self-representation may serve to illustrate a remarkable Phoenician repertoire that derived its wealth from complex processes of cultural appropriation and reinterpretation of Near Eastern, Egyptian, and Cypriot artistic traditions. In light of epigraphic data found at Oumm el-‘Amed, I will attempt to discern the social and religious organization of Hammon through a close examination of the votive sculpture displayed in its sanctuaries.