September 2014
Vol. 2, No. 9
Welcome to聽The Ancient Near East Today,聽Vol II, No. 9!聽This month, we focus on two cultures from the heartland of the ancient world: Israel and Mesopotamia.
We lead off with ancient Israel. Carly Crouch asks the question of when Israelite identity emerged, while Ronald Hendel describes a new project to create a critical edition of the Hebrew Bible.
Ancient and modern violence in Mesopotamia is a concern addressed as Jordi Vidal reviews the problem of violence against non-combatants in the ancient Near East, while Daniel Schwermer looks at the question of witchcraft. Michael Danti recounts recent fieldwork in Kurdistan, sometimes undertaken within earshot of the unfolding war. Finally, Kurt Prescott gives an overview of ASOR鈥檚 new project to document and preserve Syrian heritage that is being destroyed by war.
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When were the Israelites? Understanding Israelite Identity in the Pre-Exilic Period
By C.L. Crouch
Scholars have long asked, 鈥淲ho were the Israelites?鈥 Less frequent is the question, 鈥Whenwere the Israelites?鈥 Indeed, traditional discussions of Israelite identity have focused overwhelmingly on two periods: the emergence of Israel sometime between the twelfth and tenth centuries BCE and the experience of exile in the sixth century.
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The Hebrew Bible: A Critical Edition 鈥 Toward a New and Improved Version
By Ronald Hendel
Textual criticism 鈥 the comparison of ancient texts of the Hebrew Bible 鈥 has been revitalized by the riches of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The latest outcome is a new project that will construct an improved edition of the Hebrew Bible.
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Kurdistan 2014: Archaeology amid Uncertainty
By Michael Danti
War seemed at the doorstep of Kurdistan, but the ASOR-affiliated Rowanduz Archaeological Program (RAP) conducted its second field season of archaeological excavations, surveys, and geophysical prospection in northeastern Iraqi Kurdistan in May and June 2014.
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Witchcraft in Ancient Mesopotamia
By Daniel Schwemer
Belief in witches was as widespread in Mesopotamia as it was in Europe. Incantation and ritual texts preserved on cuneiform tablets provide a vivid image of witchcraft in second and first millennium Mesopotamia. But a closer look reveals fundamental differences between Babylonian witches and their European counterparts.
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Horrors of War in the Ancient Near East
By Jordi Vidal
War in the Middle East seems ever-present. But the study of war has been neglected, no more so than in the ancient Near East, and especially its impact on noncombatant populations. After the Second World War, military history became a marginal discipline within academia.
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The Ancient Near East Today聽features contributions from diverse academics, a forum featuring debates of current developments from the field, and links to news and resources. The ANE Today聽covers the entire Near East, and each issue presents discussions ranging from the state of biblical archaeology to archaeology after the Arab Spring.