Gods and Humans in the Ancient Near East

Gods and Humans in the Ancient Near East

Author: Tyson L. Putthoff

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2020-11-05

Total Pages: 269

ISBN-13: 1108490549

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Gods have always lived among humans. But long ago, they also lived inside us, sharing their nature with mere mortals.


Book Synopsis Gods and Humans in the Ancient Near East by : Tyson L. Putthoff

Download or read book Gods and Humans in the Ancient Near East written by Tyson L. Putthoff and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-11-05 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gods have always lived among humans. But long ago, they also lived inside us, sharing their nature with mere mortals.


Animals and their Relation to Gods, Humans and Things in the Ancient World

Animals and their Relation to Gods, Humans and Things in the Ancient World

Author: Raija Mattila

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-03-11

Total Pages: 487

ISBN-13: 3658243880

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While Human-Animal Studies is a rapidly growing field in modern history, studies on this topic that focus on the Ancient World are few. The present volume aims at closing this gap. It investigates the relation between humans, animals, gods, and things with a special focus on the structure of these categories. An improved understanding of the ancient categories themselves is a precondition for any investigation into the relation between them. The focus of the volume lies on the Ancient Near East, but it also provides studies on Ancient Greece, Asia Minor, Mesoamerica, the Far East, and Arabia.


Book Synopsis Animals and their Relation to Gods, Humans and Things in the Ancient World by : Raija Mattila

Download or read book Animals and their Relation to Gods, Humans and Things in the Ancient World written by Raija Mattila and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-03-11 with total page 487 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While Human-Animal Studies is a rapidly growing field in modern history, studies on this topic that focus on the Ancient World are few. The present volume aims at closing this gap. It investigates the relation between humans, animals, gods, and things with a special focus on the structure of these categories. An improved understanding of the ancient categories themselves is a precondition for any investigation into the relation between them. The focus of the volume lies on the Ancient Near East, but it also provides studies on Ancient Greece, Asia Minor, Mesoamerica, the Far East, and Arabia.


The Storm-God in the Ancient Near East

The Storm-God in the Ancient Near East

Author: Alberto R. W. Green

Publisher: Penn State Press

Published: 2003-06-23

Total Pages: 383

ISBN-13: 1575065371

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In this comprehensive study of a common deity found in the ancient Near East as well as many other cultures, Green brings together evidence from the worlds of myth, iconography, and literature in an attempt to arrive at a new synthesis regarding the place of the Storm-god. He finds that the Storm-god was the force primarily responsible for three major areas of human concern: (1) religious power because he was the ever-dominant environmental force upon which peoples depended for their very lives; (2) centralized political power; and (3) continuously evolving sociocultural processes, which typically were projected through the Storm-god’s attendants. Green traces these motifs through the Mesopotamian, Anatolian, Syrian, and Levantine regions; with regard to the latter, he argues that Yahweh of the Bible can be identified as a storm-god, though certain unique characteristics came to be associated with him: he was the Creator of all that is created and the self-existing god who needs no other.


Book Synopsis The Storm-God in the Ancient Near East by : Alberto R. W. Green

Download or read book The Storm-God in the Ancient Near East written by Alberto R. W. Green and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2003-06-23 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this comprehensive study of a common deity found in the ancient Near East as well as many other cultures, Green brings together evidence from the worlds of myth, iconography, and literature in an attempt to arrive at a new synthesis regarding the place of the Storm-god. He finds that the Storm-god was the force primarily responsible for three major areas of human concern: (1) religious power because he was the ever-dominant environmental force upon which peoples depended for their very lives; (2) centralized political power; and (3) continuously evolving sociocultural processes, which typically were projected through the Storm-god’s attendants. Green traces these motifs through the Mesopotamian, Anatolian, Syrian, and Levantine regions; with regard to the latter, he argues that Yahweh of the Bible can be identified as a storm-god, though certain unique characteristics came to be associated with him: he was the Creator of all that is created and the self-existing god who needs no other.


Kingship and the Gods

Kingship and the Gods

Author: Henri Frankfort

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 1978-07-15

Total Pages: 512

ISBN-13: 0226260119

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This classic study clearly establishes a fundamental difference in viewpoint between the peoples of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. By examining the forms of kingship which evolved in the two countries, Frankfort discovered that beneath resemblances fostered by similar cultural growth and geographical location lay differences based partly upon the natural conditions under which each society developed. The river flood which annually renewed life in the Nile Valley gave Egyptians a cheerful confidence in the permanence of established things and faith in life after death. Their Mesopotamian contemporaries, however, viewed anxiously the harsh, hostile workings of nature. Frank's superb work, first published in 1948 and now supplemented with a preface by Samuel Noah Kramer, demonstrates how the Egyptian and Mesopotamian attitudes toward nature related to their concept of kingship. In both countries the people regarded the king as their mediator with the gods, but in Mesopotamia the king was only the foremost citizen, while in Egypt the ruler was a divine descendant of the gods and the earthly representative of the God Horus.


Book Synopsis Kingship and the Gods by : Henri Frankfort

Download or read book Kingship and the Gods written by Henri Frankfort and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1978-07-15 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This classic study clearly establishes a fundamental difference in viewpoint between the peoples of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. By examining the forms of kingship which evolved in the two countries, Frankfort discovered that beneath resemblances fostered by similar cultural growth and geographical location lay differences based partly upon the natural conditions under which each society developed. The river flood which annually renewed life in the Nile Valley gave Egyptians a cheerful confidence in the permanence of established things and faith in life after death. Their Mesopotamian contemporaries, however, viewed anxiously the harsh, hostile workings of nature. Frank's superb work, first published in 1948 and now supplemented with a preface by Samuel Noah Kramer, demonstrates how the Egyptian and Mesopotamian attitudes toward nature related to their concept of kingship. In both countries the people regarded the king as their mediator with the gods, but in Mesopotamia the king was only the foremost citizen, while in Egypt the ruler was a divine descendant of the gods and the earthly representative of the God Horus.


Did God Have a Wife?

Did God Have a Wife?

Author: William G. Dever

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Published: 2008-07-23

Total Pages: 361

ISBN-13: 0802863949

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This richly illustrated, non-technical reconstruction of "folk religion" in ancient Israel is based largely on recent archaeological evidence, but also incorporates biblical texts where possible.


Book Synopsis Did God Have a Wife? by : William G. Dever

Download or read book Did God Have a Wife? written by William G. Dever and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2008-07-23 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This richly illustrated, non-technical reconstruction of "folk religion" in ancient Israel is based largely on recent archaeological evidence, but also incorporates biblical texts where possible.


Gods in the Desert

Gods in the Desert

Author: Glenn S. Holland

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Published: 2009-07-16

Total Pages: 341

ISBN-13: 0742599795

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Gods in the Desert explores the fascinating religious cultures of the ancient Near East. From the mysterious pyramids, tombs, and temples of Egypt to the powerful heroes, gods, and legends of Mesopotamia, Glenn Holland guides readers through the early religions that are the root of many of today's major faiths. Holland compares the religions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria-Palestine, including Israel and Judah, from the Neolithic era through the conquest of Alexander the Great. He provides a historical survey of each region, then discusses the gods, the rulers, the afterlife, and the worship rituals. This accessible overview makes clear how these religions converged and diverged, and are intimately connected to many of the religions we recognize today, sometimes in surprising ways.


Book Synopsis Gods in the Desert by : Glenn S. Holland

Download or read book Gods in the Desert written by Glenn S. Holland and published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. This book was released on 2009-07-16 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gods in the Desert explores the fascinating religious cultures of the ancient Near East. From the mysterious pyramids, tombs, and temples of Egypt to the powerful heroes, gods, and legends of Mesopotamia, Glenn Holland guides readers through the early religions that are the root of many of today's major faiths. Holland compares the religions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria-Palestine, including Israel and Judah, from the Neolithic era through the conquest of Alexander the Great. He provides a historical survey of each region, then discusses the gods, the rulers, the afterlife, and the worship rituals. This accessible overview makes clear how these religions converged and diverged, and are intimately connected to many of the religions we recognize today, sometimes in surprising ways.


The Ancient Near East

The Ancient Near East

Author: Dr. John L. McLaughlin

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Published: 2012-10-01

Total Pages: 166

ISBN-13: 1426765509

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The cultures of the great empires of the ancient Near East from Egypt to Mesopotamia influenced Israel's religion, literature, and laws because of Israel's geographic location and political position situation. Anyone who wishes to understand the Old Testament texts and the history of ancient Israel must become familiar with the history, literature, and society of the surrounding kingdoms that at times controlled the region. Brief in presentation yet broad in scope, Ancient Near East will introduce students to the information and ideas essential to understanding the texts of the Old Testament while clarifying difficult issues concerning the relationship between Israel and its neighbors. Abingdon Essential Guides fulfill the need for brief, substantive, yet highly accessible introductions to the core disciplines in biblical, theological, and religious studies.


Book Synopsis The Ancient Near East by : Dr. John L. McLaughlin

Download or read book The Ancient Near East written by Dr. John L. McLaughlin and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2012-10-01 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The cultures of the great empires of the ancient Near East from Egypt to Mesopotamia influenced Israel's religion, literature, and laws because of Israel's geographic location and political position situation. Anyone who wishes to understand the Old Testament texts and the history of ancient Israel must become familiar with the history, literature, and society of the surrounding kingdoms that at times controlled the region. Brief in presentation yet broad in scope, Ancient Near East will introduce students to the information and ideas essential to understanding the texts of the Old Testament while clarifying difficult issues concerning the relationship between Israel and its neighbors. Abingdon Essential Guides fulfill the need for brief, substantive, yet highly accessible introductions to the core disciplines in biblical, theological, and religious studies.


Religions of the Ancient Near East

Religions of the Ancient Near East

Author: Daniel C. Snell

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2010-11-22

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 1139495054

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This 2011 book is a history of religious life in the Ancient Near East from the beginnings of agriculture to Alexander the Great's invasion in the 300s BCE. Daniel C. Snell traces key developments in the history, daily life and religious beliefs of the people of Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel and Iran. His research investigates the influence of those ideas on the West, with particular emphasis on how religious ideas from this historical and cultural milieu still influence the way modern cultures and religions view the world. Designed to be accessible to students and readers with no prior knowledge of the period, the book uses fictional vignettes to add interest to its material, which is based on careful study of archaeological remains and preserved texts. The book will provide a thoughtful summary of the Ancient Near East and includes a comprehensive bibliography to guide readers in further study of related topics.


Book Synopsis Religions of the Ancient Near East by : Daniel C. Snell

Download or read book Religions of the Ancient Near East written by Daniel C. Snell and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2010-11-22 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 2011 book is a history of religious life in the Ancient Near East from the beginnings of agriculture to Alexander the Great's invasion in the 300s BCE. Daniel C. Snell traces key developments in the history, daily life and religious beliefs of the people of Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel and Iran. His research investigates the influence of those ideas on the West, with particular emphasis on how religious ideas from this historical and cultural milieu still influence the way modern cultures and religions view the world. Designed to be accessible to students and readers with no prior knowledge of the period, the book uses fictional vignettes to add interest to its material, which is based on careful study of archaeological remains and preserved texts. The book will provide a thoughtful summary of the Ancient Near East and includes a comprehensive bibliography to guide readers in further study of related topics.


The Ancient Gods

The Ancient Gods

Author: Edwin Oliver James

Publisher:

Published: 1964

Total Pages: 364

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis The Ancient Gods by : Edwin Oliver James

Download or read book The Ancient Gods written by Edwin Oliver James and published by . This book was released on 1964 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


"When Gods Were Men"

Author: Esther J. Hamori

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter

Published: 2008-08-27

Total Pages: 205

ISBN-13: 3110206714

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In the texts of Genesis 18 and 32, God appears to a patriarch in person and is referred to by the narrator as a man, both times by the Hebrew word īsh. In both texts, God as īsh is described in graphically human terms. This type of divine appearance is identified here as the "īsh theophany". The phenomenon of God appearing in concrete human form is first distinguished from several other types of anthropomorphism, such as divine appearance in dreams. The īsh theophany is viewed in relation to appearances of angels and other divine beings in the Bible, and in relation to anthropomorphic appearances of deities in Near Eastern literature. The īsh theophany has implications for our understanding of Israelite concepts of divine-human contact and communication, and for the relationship to Ugaritic literature in particular. The book also includes discussion of philosophical approaches to anthropomorphism. The development of philosophical opposition to anthropomorphism can be traced from Greek philosophy and early Jewish and Christian writings through Avicenna, Averroes, Maimonides and Aquinas, and into the work of later philosophers such as Hume and Kant. However, the work of others can be applied fruitfully to the problem of divine anthropomorphism, such as Wittgenstein's language games.


Book Synopsis "When Gods Were Men" by : Esther J. Hamori

Download or read book "When Gods Were Men" written by Esther J. Hamori and published by Walter de Gruyter. This book was released on 2008-08-27 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the texts of Genesis 18 and 32, God appears to a patriarch in person and is referred to by the narrator as a man, both times by the Hebrew word īsh. In both texts, God as īsh is described in graphically human terms. This type of divine appearance is identified here as the "īsh theophany". The phenomenon of God appearing in concrete human form is first distinguished from several other types of anthropomorphism, such as divine appearance in dreams. The īsh theophany is viewed in relation to appearances of angels and other divine beings in the Bible, and in relation to anthropomorphic appearances of deities in Near Eastern literature. The īsh theophany has implications for our understanding of Israelite concepts of divine-human contact and communication, and for the relationship to Ugaritic literature in particular. The book also includes discussion of philosophical approaches to anthropomorphism. The development of philosophical opposition to anthropomorphism can be traced from Greek philosophy and early Jewish and Christian writings through Avicenna, Averroes, Maimonides and Aquinas, and into the work of later philosophers such as Hume and Kant. However, the work of others can be applied fruitfully to the problem of divine anthropomorphism, such as Wittgenstein's language games.