These were Spirits and were found in Mesopotamia. They were associated with kindness and protection. The Mesopotamian Lama Deities were crafted in obedience to god Shamash, which was also popularly known as the sun god. They were made during the period 2100-2000 BC. Looking at the face, one finds a beautified face that has been made to be extremely sensitive to touch. The beard has been made to be luxurious, and this possibly suggests that the spirit was male. This is because of the beard that is a feature associated solely with males.
The body is hairy and fundamentally towards the head that makes it beautiful and elegant. On the head, the object has a crown that may symbolize the power that is bestowed on it. The spirit was supposed to be extremely powerful; hence, why it is associated with the great god of the sun. The sun is known to be important for every day-to-day activity and possibly that is the reason as to why the crown is placed on the head of the deity. The rest of the body that makes up the deity resembles that of a bull. The deity has the posture of a bull that is peacefully resting on the ground, and one would imagine that a bull has just had its meal and has rested. Some research has shown that bulls are associated with extreme power and muscle, and that could be the reason as to why the Mesopotamians chose to sue the body of a bull instead of any other animal.
The Lama deities were mostly used by the Assyrian kings more than 4000 years ago. The reason the kings designed these deities and fashioned them with human heads and bodies that resembled those of a bull is because they believed that they were protective. They made sure that the king was safe and secure at all times by securing its way as he passed and wading away any evil spirit that could have been sent to harm the king in any way. They also believed that the deity was able to guard the steps of the king wherever he went. This is because he deities were associated with the most powerful god, the god of the sun. The god of the sun was an all-powerful god. He could punish all evil and destroy them completely.
The body of the deity is made up of stone known as serpentine. This stone is known to be very smooth, and it is easy to work on. It is green in color. In fact; the color is linked with water that can provide life in a desert area. Digging deeper to unearth the meaning of this life-giving water in the desert gives the impression that the stone is, in fact, the source of life for those who believe in it. It is the source of hope, the source of security and protection, and this shows the significance that was attached to this deity.
The body of the deity is hollow, and the reason could be to make it light to carry around as the king walks along. This is because it was usually carried around as the Assyrian king walked around conducting his survey on the progress made by his subjects in defending the territory. History tells us that the hollow body of the deity was initially laid out with the shell of Lapis Lazuli. The Mesopotamians are the only people who know the significance of that material to the deity, i.e. why the material was used and not any other material.
Looking at the dimensions of the deity, it is not difficult to establish that it is a 3D design with dimensions of 43/4×73/4×3 ½ inches. The dimensions give it a 3D dimensional figure whose length, breadth and height can be ascertained.
The head of the deity exactly resembles that of a human being. The rest of the body is painted with a glittering color that makes it attractive to the eye. The Mesopotamians must have done a lot of work in crafting this figure. It shows artistic creativity and prowess, characteristic of the Mesopotamian people. Looking at it, an emotional attachment is conspicuous. The Mesopotamians must have been emotional when they were coming up with the best figure for this deity to an extent of giving it the head of a human being with beards. One may ask, why was it important to place beards to the chin of a deity? Whereas the Mesopotamians are best suited to answer that, it is most likely to show age. The age of the deity would signify maturity and, therefore, the Mesopotamians would not be worshipping a young deity on whom they place their hope, trust and protection.
The resting posture of the deity may also have some significance. It shows composure, confidence and assurance that the people are safe under its protection. Regarding size and shape, the deity is characteristically large. That is confirmed by the dimensions that this paper has provided.
References
MFAH. (2014). MESOPOTAMIAN Lama Deity. Retrieved March 16, 2014, from The Museum of Fine Art, Houston: http://www.mfah.org/art/100-highlights/lama-deity/
