ABSTRACT
Throughout this endeavor, I have tried to approach Mesopotamian collecting by analyzing a series of case studies that demonstrate how luxury objects were conceived of in Mesopotamia, why they were collected, and what role the collections played in the constitution of royal identity. The analysis has allowed a conscious consideration of the phenomenon of royal collecting throughout the various Mesopotamian periods and regions, and a full realization that the practice of royal collecting was not monolithic, with each millennium bringing new royal practices and opportunities for royal identity construction. Due to the diversity of objects collected and collecting practices, each of the case studies presented here has demonstrated that the collection of luxury objects mediated in the formation of royal identity and ultimately in the acquisition, legitimization, and maintenance of political power.
