From Hidden to Visible. Degrees of Mental and Material Construction of an 'Integrated Whole' in the Ancient Near East

The complex relationship between environment, materials, society and materiality with reference to the composite artefacts in the ancient Near East is the topic of this book. On the one hand are the objective and natural attributes of materials, possibly exalted from their transformation: a form of fascination immanent in all kinds of technical activity which promotes the transition from the ordinary into an 'extra-ordinary' realm, imbuing the object with new meaning. On the other is the idea that properties of materials are not fixed attributes of 'matter' but are processual as well as relational: the qualities of artefacts are subjective and included in the worldview of artisans making them, as well as in the mind of those who observe or appreciate them. Thus, the craftsmanship is oriented to the achievement of sophisticated products through assemblage techniques and the blending of contrasting properties and qualities of materials. The term 'composite' is a combination of the power of technology and the ability to form new images: the strict relationship between creativity, technology and manufacturing produces novel interactions and solutions.