The Meaning of Colour in Ancient Mesopotamia












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            * The Meaning of Colour in Ancient Mesopotamia
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            As part of the recently formed partnership between Charles University and Brown University

            Rhode Island, United States), Dr Shiyanthi Thavapalan paid a visit to the Czech Institute 
            at the Faculty of Arts. On the 26th of March she delivered a talk based around her PhD dis
            “The Meaning of Colour in Ancient Mesopotamia”.

            The way in which language shapes how one thinks and functions in the world is central to D
            work. At the lecture, a simple experiment was conducted to help illustrate this. Attendees
            shut their eyes and point in the direction they believed to be South East and it was quick

            that no one in the room could knowingly indicate this direction.
            Dr Thavapalan went on to talk about ‘Kuuk Thaayorre’, a language spoken by an indigenous g

            Australia. Whilst we are familiar with body centred terms (such as “left” or “ahead”) to n
            Kuuk Thaayorre speakers instead use cardinal directions: North, South, East and West. This
            the point they begin learning to speak, in order to do so properly and be understood, they

            orientated. Their language has formed the way they navigate the world around them, equippi
            different set of cognitive abilities.
            The focus of Dr Thavapalan’s work is the Akkadian language and how this affected cognition

            As only certain types of documents and artefacts remain from this ancient culture, there a
            to how to investigate this.
            In order to seek insight into the mentality of Mesopotamian people, Dr Thavapalan directed

            towards colour – how people talked about and used colour in these times. A lot of colourfu
            Mesopotamia had been recovered, therefore resources were not limited to only textual sourc
            Commonly used in colorimetry is the Munsell colour system which was devised in the first d

            century. Three colour dimensions are taken into account in this system: hue, saturation an
            This system however, as Dr Thavapalan pointed out, is a very Anglocentric way to consider 
            did not consider hue a defining feature when identifying colours. Instead, brightness and 

            the focus. For example, warqu meaning ‘pale’ also meant ‘green’ and ‘yellow’. The term for
            mu, could also signify ‘red’. Not that they didn’t see the variety of colours one might ea
            today as blue, red, green, and so forth, but insight into their mentality can be obtained 

            perceived colour so differently from the way people do today.
            Interestingly, in Akkadian language there existed no word for ‘colour’ (though the concept
            did exist). For Akkadian speakers, talking about characteristic appearance was how they co

            communicated colour. Comparisons and metonyms relating to natural objects, such as plants,
            minerals, were common.
            A case study was provided by Dr Thavalapan in which this is observable. Amethyst, a semi-p

            quartz, was likely imported from Egypt. The Akkadian word for the stone, ?ašm?nu, became i
            documents as it is traceable to the word Egyptians had for amethyst.
            Hašm?nu became the appearance word of amethyst, a term that denotes the stone. However, th

            gradually also became a colour term in Akkadian language. For example, in the textile indu
            amethyst wool – what can only be considered to be a purple dyed wool.
            Developments in craft industries can also be proven to affect language and meaning of term

            talked through an example concerning the language Ugaritic, in which the term lapis lazuli
            was used to refer to purple dyed wools, alongside referring to the recognisable blue stone
            g?n also extended to refer to wools blue and green in colour. The only explanation is that

            industry, lapis lazuli came to designate wools that underwent a particular dyeing techniqu
            developed and had this range of colours produced from the process.
            To conclude, Dr Thavapalan discussed current research into imitations in ancient Mesopotam

            the creation of these imitations shatters the link established between traditional, precio
            and their appearance and qualities. As their language is seen to be so rooted in this link
            materials allowing for imitations would have affected the way in which people considered m

            Akkadian language.
            Colour is regarded as a cultural experience and the way in which Akkadian speakers concept
            categorised and denominated colour allows for insight into Mesopotamian thought and experi

            about language, trade and development also stem from this kind of research. The modern eye
            this knowledge and regard ancient Mesopotamian art and Mesopotamian use of colour as an ae
            found appreciation.
                                                                                                      
            Melissa Batcharj is a third year student at Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland where sh
            University under the Faculty of Arts and was keen to take on a role at iForum as it provid
            chose to work with iForum to gain more insight into Czech culture and extend her writing s