Did most major ancient cultures (e.g. the Mesopotamians) consider the heart as the main cognitive organ?
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This is not a definitive answer, but I just read some lists of proverbs from various cultures and compiled a few below.
The two things I would say are held in common by the samples below:
The heart is the seat of emotion, whether joy or sorrow.
The heart is the seat of moral character, whether virtue or wickedness.
In our modern understanding, we might distinguish those things from the role of the "cognitive organ". For us, that phrase suggests reason and logic. However, their absence in the proverbs below does not, in my opinion, mean that they thought that reason and logic were situated elsewhere. Rather, I think they would fold it into (2) above; decision-making ultimately reflects your character.
At least one author, Silva (1975), says that the Hebrew term for heart denotes "the seat of the mental faculties" (p. 106) (and even says this influenced the range of Greek kardia), which I'd take as the same conclusion: "mental faculties" refers both to "cognitive organ" and to (1) and (2) above.
Random sampling of "heart"-related proverbs. (I tried to exclude ones that could easily have been paraphrases by the translator, e.g. "I was sick at heart". You could of course find better, more comprehensive collections, throw out mine, and improve methodology in other ways, but this is just to suggest a direction.)
When I married a malicious husband, when I bore a malicious son, an unhappy heart was assigned to me.
A loving heart builds houses. A hating heart destroys houses.
As if it were a fertile spot, the heart does not abandon the good.
Utu's glance is prayerful. Utu's heart is compassionate.
The rich man's heart is sick, it is very sick indeed.
That which matches my tears hurts my heart alike.
- Upon a glad heart oil is poured out of which no one knows.
As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you ... write them on the tablet of your heart.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.
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