Copies and Degrees of Similarities: Accuracy in the Mimesis and its Violations in the Ancient Near East

Many of the concepts expressed in the preceding pages demolish the construct of 'copy', and not only in the domain of the classical sculpture where it was remained segregated for a long time. In the Ancient Near East, this topic has become a specific field of discussion only in the last few decades and with reference to the literate culture. In particular, copying activity has been specifically associated to other practices, such as antiquarianism and collecting. The common thread was identified in the phenomenon of the preservation of artefacts and oral/written traditions; such custom was substantially aimed to the legitimation of the political power and social hierarchies, as well as their transmission into the future