The Art of Divination in the Ancient Near East

The Art of Divination in the Ancient Near East PDF Author: Stefan M. Maul
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781481308595
Category : Divination
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The art of divination in the ancient Near East : reading the signs of heaven and earth by Stefan M. Maul (2018).

The Art of Divination in the Ancient Near East

The Art of Divination in the Ancient Near East PDF Author: Stefan M. Maul
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781481308595
Category : Divination
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The art of divination in the ancient Near East : reading the signs of heaven and earth by Stefan M. Maul (2018).

The Art of Divination in the Ancient Near East

The Art of Divination in the Ancient Near East PDF Author: Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Studies Stefan M Maul
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781481308601
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
You stars of Anu, I call on you! You stars of Enlil, turn to me! You stars of Ea, all of you together, gather around me! I have offered you a pure sacrifice, I have scattered pure incense to you, I have poured out pure beer for you. Eat what is pure, drink what is sweet! With these words, the Babylonians invoked the gods of the night as they prepared their sacrifices under a clear, starry sky. Discovering divine will was a part of everyday life for the people of the ancient Near East. Every state action and every military campaign was preceded by a king's meticulous ritual that petitioned the gods for a sure answer about the outcome of their endeavors. But royals were not alone in their quest. Wealthy merchants, simple craftsmen, poor widows--everyone wanted and needed certainty for future undertakings. Those who could afford it sacrificed a flawless sheep, whose liver was used by the diviner to determine the answer. Others sought guidance in oil and flour. The desire for certainty in the face of an unknown future unified all classes in the ancient world. Stefan M. Maul, a noted expert on ancient Near Eastern divination, offers an overview of this fascinating subject. Maul surveys the "art" of divination as it expanded from Sumerian roots to Babylonian mastery, cataloging its evolving methodology--from entrails to astrology--and the class of experts who performed it. He argues that the discernment of the will of the gods, though vital for political counsel, was far from a cynical ploy of the elite: at root this was a genuine attempt to unite Mesopotamian cultures under a common purpose. What seems to the post-Enlightenment world a mere superstition was, in its own way and to its own ends, a robust scholarly enterprise that lent these ancient peoples a sense of control over a world populated by fickle forces. These practices remind us that the desire to know the future is a part of what it means to be human, regardless of time or place.

Etruscology

Etruscology PDF Author: Alessandro Naso
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
ISBN: 1614519102
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 2173

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Book Description
This handbook has two purposes: it is intended (1) as a handbook of Etruscology or Etruscan Studies, offering a state-of-the-art and comprehensive overview of the history of the discipline and its development, and (2) it serves as an authoritative reference work representing the current state of knowledge on Etruscan civilization. The organization of the volume reflects this dual purpose. The first part of the volume is dedicated to methodology and leading themes in current research, organized thematically, whereas the second part offers a diachronic account of Etruscan history, culture, religion, art & archaeology, and social and political relations and structures, as well as a systematic treatment of the topography of the Etruscan civilization and sphere of influence. 

Magic and Divination in the Ancient World

Magic and Divination in the Ancient World PDF Author: Leda Ciraolo
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004497366
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Book Description
This collection of essays focuses on divination across the Ancient World from early Mesopotamia to late antiquity. The authors deal with the forms, theory and poetics of this important and still poorly understood ancient phenomenon.

Divination, Politics, and Ancient Near Eastern Empires

Divination, Politics, and Ancient Near Eastern Empires PDF Author: Alan Lenzi
Publisher: Society of Biblical Literature
ISBN: 9781589839977
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Advance your understanding of divination’s role in supporting or undermining imperial aspirations in the ancient Near East This collection examines the ways that divinatory texts in the Hebrew Bible and the ancient Near East undermined and upheld the empires in which the texts were composed, edited, and read. Nine essays and an introduction engage biblical scholarship on the Prophets, Assyriology, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the critical study of Ancient Empires. Features: Interdisciplinary approaches include propaganda studies Essays examine how biblical and other ancient Near Eastern texts were shaped by political and theological empires Index of ancient sources

Neo-Assyrian and Greek Divination in War

Neo-Assyrian and Greek Divination in War PDF Author: Krzysztof Ulanowski
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004429395
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 588

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Book Description
Neo-Assyrian and Greek Divination in War is about practices which enabled humans contact the divine. These relations, especially in difficult times of military conflict, could be crucial in deciding the fate of individuals, cities, dynasties or even empires.

A Companion to Ancient Near Eastern Art

A Companion to Ancient Near Eastern Art PDF Author: Ann C. Gunter
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118336755
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 703

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Book Description
Provides a broad view of the history and current state of scholarship on the art of the ancient Near East This book covers the aesthetic traditions of Mesopotamia, Iran, Anatolia, and the Levant, from Neolithic times to the end of the Achaemenid Persian Empire around 330 BCE. It describes and examines the field from a variety of critical perspectives: across approaches and interpretive frameworks, key explanatory concepts, materials and selected media and formats, and zones of interaction. This important work also addresses both traditional and emerging categories of material, intellectual perspectives, and research priorities. The book covers geography and chronology, context and setting, medium and scale, while acknowledging the diversity of regional and cultural traditions and the uneven survival of evidence. Part One of the book considers the methodologies and approaches that the field has drawn on and refined. Part Two addresses terms and concepts critical to understanding the subjects and formal characteristics of the Near Eastern material record, including the intellectual frameworks within which monuments have been approached and interpreted. Part Three surveys the field’s most distinctive and characteristic genres, with special reference to Mesopotamian art and architecture. Part Four considers involvement with artistic traditions across a broader reach, examining connections with Egypt, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean. And finally, Part Five addresses intersections with the closely allied discipline of archaeology and the institutional stewardship of cultural heritage in the modern Middle East. Told from multiple perspectives, A Companion to Ancient Near Eastern Art is an enlightening, must-have book for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of ancient Near East art and Near East history as well as those interested in history and art history.

Time and History in the Ancient Near East

Time and History in the Ancient Near East PDF Author: Lluis Feliu
Publisher: Penn State Press
ISBN: 1575068567
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 861

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Book Description
In July, 2010, the International Association for Assyriology met in Barcelona, Spain, for 5 days to deliver and listen to papers on the theme “Time and History in the Ancient Near East.” This volume, the proceedings of the conference, contains 70 of the papers read at the 56th annual Rencontre, including the papers from several workshop sessions on “architecture and archaeology,” “early Akkadian and its Semitic context,” “ Hurrian language,” “law in the ancient Near East,” “Middle Assyrian texts and studies,” and a variety of additional papers not directly related to the conference theme. The photo on the back cover shows only a representative portion of the attendees, who were warmly hosted by faculty and students from the University of Barcelona.

Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament

Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament PDF Author: John H. Walton
Publisher: Baker Academic
ISBN: 1493414364
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 384

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Book Description
Leading evangelical scholar John Walton surveys the cultural context of the ancient Near East, bringing insight to the interpretation of specific Old Testament passages. This new edition of a top-selling textbook has been thoroughly updated and revised throughout to reflect the refined thinking of a mature scholar. It includes over 30 illustrations. Students and pastors who want to deepen their understanding of the Old Testament will find this a helpful and instructive study.

Divination in Ancient Israel and Its Near Eastern Environment

Divination in Ancient Israel and Its Near Eastern Environment PDF Author: Frederick H. Cryer
Publisher: Burns & Oates
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 376

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Book Description