How were treaties between Mesopotamian states connected to the gods?

In ancient Mesopotamia, there was no distinction between secular and religious life, meaning that political agreements were deeply intertwined with theology. The gods were considered active participants in the establishment and enforcement of treaties between political powers.1

The connection between these treaties and the divine was manifested in several ways:

• Divine Oversight: Because all human affairs were believed to be divinely ordered and scrutinized, treaties were placed under the watchful attention of the gods. In broader regional practices, such as those of the Hittites, written treaty documents were deposited in temples—the "house of the god"—to ensure they remained under divine observation.213
• Witnesses: The gods were formally invoked as witnesses to the treaty. This list often included major deities as well as deified elements of the natural world, such as mountains, rivers, and the heavens, which were believed to be beyond human control.3
• Sanctions: The gods were expected to apply sanctions for violating a treaty. These included curses—such as famine, disease, or the destruction of society—and blessings, such as prosperity and peace, which served as motivations for obedience.3

Ultimately, because kings were viewed as the human agents or chief executive officers of their national deities, fulfilling treaty obligations was considered a religious duty essential to the welfare of the state.21