Born in Heaven, Made on Earth

Born in Heaven, Made on Earth: The Making of the Cult Image in the Ancient Near East, Volume 1, examines the complex role of cultic imagery in antiquity. While often dismissed as mere idols in Western tradition, these figures held profound religious significance throughout the ancient Near East. Michael B. Dick explores how these objects functioned as living representations of the divine within various cultural frameworks.

This history volume presents three scholarly essays that investigate specific rituals, such as the Mesopotamian mis pi, which served to give birth to the deity through the cult image. A fourth essay provides a modern analogy to offer a contemporary perspective on these ancient practices. Born in Heaven, Made on Earth, Volume 1, offers a detailed academic study of how religious societies bridged the gap between the celestial and the terrestrial through material culture.