"The civilizational and religious connotations of the head of bulls in some areas of civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula from the beginning of the third millennium until the end of the first millennium BC."

Abstract

This research investigates the motif of bull ׳s heads in the arts of some areas of civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula .It deals with the religious and civilizational connotations of their representation, in the civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula, such as the Dilmun civilization on the west coast of the Arabian Gulf; as well as the civilizations of western and southern Arabia. The article will discuss also the possible impact of some civilizations of the Near East especially Mesopotamia, on the Arabian Peninsula in the representation of this motif and its various uses. The date of research is during period from the third millennium B.C. until the end of the first millennium BC. One of the difficulties of research is that the religious significance of the bulls in the arts of Arabian Peninsula cannot be separated from the reverence of the bull itself. The bull considered as a symbol of power and fertilization, especially in agricultural environments. It was also one of the most important animals produced, besides that it was a symbol of the presidency and monarchy.

Keywords

• heads of bulls
• horns of bulls
• arabian peninsula
• dilmun
• mesopotamia
• arabian gulf
• crescent
• god of the moon