Semantics and Function of Stelae in the Ancient Architecture of the Near East in the Era from the Neolithic Man to the Epic Gilgamesh and the Biblical Jacob

The subject of the study is such a phenomenon in the cult architecture of the Near East region (Levant, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Elam) as the erection of stelae. Special attention is paid to the semantics of stelae, which had a sacred meaning for ancient people. The purpose of the research is to identify the main functions and meanings characteristic of such a typological unit in the architecture of the Near East as the stela (stele). The relevance of the research is determined by the development of interdisciplinary discourse in this issue among domestic (N. Ya. Merpet, E. V. Antonova, A. B. Zubov, T. V. Kornienko, V. V. Emelianov) and foreign (J. Mellaart, K. Schmidt) scientists. The scientific research of the article is based on the architectural-ontological research method: analysis of architectural objects (Göbekli Tepe, Nevali Çori) with the identification of typological and compositional features, analysis of literary sources in the form of sacred texts (the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Bible) with the identification of the semantic field of meanings. The novelty of the study is determined by the identification of the architectural and ontological role of stelae in the ancient architecture of the region. As a result of the study, a number of basic semantic meanings and functions characteristic of such a typological unit in the architectural tradition of the Near East as the stela (stele) are given. These conclusions can be applied in such areas of the humanities as history, philosophy, cultural studies, religious studies, art history, architecture, archeology and other sciences.