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Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion
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Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 13881

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. M. Le Roux

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies, University of South Africa, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
Interests: Old Testament; Biblical Archaeology; pre-monarchic Israel; Tribes of Israel; Africa and the Bible; Judaising groups in Africa; Lemba; ancient Near Eastern studies
Dr. A.M. Harcombe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies, University of South Africa, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
Interests: ancient Egyptian bronzes; ancient metallurgy; ancient Near Eastern studies, 3D imaging; public participation in archaeology
Dr. E.C. Swart

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies, University of South Africa, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
Interests: worldviews; social complexity; cartography and geography of the ancient Near East

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the journal focuses on the archaeological study of the religious and spiritual practices of the Ancient Near East (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syria–Palestine, and Anatolia) as well as neighbouring regions under their cultural influence. In particular, the issue will consider the materiality of ritual and religion as expressed through the ideology, symbolism, sacrifices, and practices of ancient societies. Concerning what actually constitutes ‘religion’, many views have been put forward over the years, and perhaps there has been an over-emphasis on strict definitions. The approach highlights the potential of archaeology to present us with a broad comparative lens through which to consider these rituals and practices across diverse contexts, periods, and regions. Archaeological excavations have provided large quantities of data over the last twenty years, which need to be analysed and synthesised. Significant progress has been made since Colin Renfrew’s seminal work The archaeology of cult (1985) on how these influences can be observed through the material culture of the Ancient Near East and especially on ways and means to access the thought processes of ancient peoples through their material cultural remains. A vigorous debate on the theoretical and methodological discourse on archaeology and religion will no doubt continue for years. Scholars from a wide range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences are invited to submit articles addressing religion’s influence on the many spheres and facets of everyday life in the ancient world, and how these influences can be observed through the material culture of the Ancient Near East. These spheres and facets include politics, architecture, culinary practices, warfare, love, health, ethics, linguistics, literature, law, the role of women in society, sexuality, art, and even magic.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the guest editors ([email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]) or to the Religions editorial office ([email protected]). Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

Prof. Dr. M. Le Roux
Dr. A.M. Harcombe
Dr. E.C. Swart
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • archaeology
  • religion
  • Ancient Near East
  • rituals
  • practices

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

44 pages, 1979 KiB  
Article
Assyrian Chronology and Ideology of Kingship: The Impact on Biblical Historiography and Religion
by Philip Derstine
Religions 2024, 15(7), 804; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15070804 - 30 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1355
Abstract
Studies since 2005 have raised doubts about the Assyrian King List’s (AKL) intention and ability to measure absolute time. If telescoping of time occurred, it would be difficult to detect during periods when royal annals were scant. The best way to detect discontinuity [...] Read more.
Studies since 2005 have raised doubts about the Assyrian King List’s (AKL) intention and ability to measure absolute time. If telescoping of time occurred, it would be difficult to detect during periods when royal annals were scant. The best way to detect discontinuity in the AKL is by comparison with contemporary king lists, such as one constructed from 1–2 Kings regnal formulas. If the AKL conflates time, an assessment of the plausibility of historical scenarios resulting from different timeframes allows for discrimination between one timeline or another. Israel and Judah’s interlocking chronological systems make a comparison with the Neo-Assyrian timeline possible but contain 44 more years than the timeline implied by the AKL and Assyrian Eponym Canon. By narrowing the window of time within which a deficit in the Neo-Assyrian canons may have occurred, possible reasons for missing years in the consensus chronology present themselves. This investigation concludes that Assyria sought to maintain the legitimacy of the institution of kingship during a protracted period of unacceptable or anomalous authority. Concerns surrounding the continuity of kingship would have dictated the final form of the Assyrian King List/Assyrian Eponym Canon. Using Divided Kingdom regnal data, a revision of the historical timeline is proposed that aligns archaeological, radiocarbon, biblical, and Assyrian data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion)
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14 pages, 1999 KiB  
Article
Temple Dedication and Construction Texts of the Ancient Near East with Elapsed Years: Implications for Long Duration Chronologies
by Titus Kennedy
Religions 2024, 15(4), 408; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040408 - 26 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1489
Abstract
Ancient texts dedicating or commemorating temples that can be associated with archaeological remains such as architecture and inscriptions, along with identifiable kings who built or commemorated those temples and the specification of the elapsed number of years from a past event, are known [...] Read more.
Ancient texts dedicating or commemorating temples that can be associated with archaeological remains such as architecture and inscriptions, along with identifiable kings who built or commemorated those temples and the specification of the elapsed number of years from a past event, are known from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Levant over the span of several centuries. Although the texts originate from differing religious, cultural, and geographic contexts and were recorded on various mediums, the similarity in content, style, and objective indicates a shared tradition and allows the grouping of these texts into a distinctive category. These temple construction and dedication texts document a king or kings involved in the construction, reconstruction, or remembrance of a temple, a deity with whom the temple was connected, the location of the temple, and the specific number of years elapsed between construction or dedication and another significant cultural or religious event. Known examples come from Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Phoenicia, and Israel, spanning the 13th to the 2nd centuries BC, along with a text from ancient Rome that was likely influenced by this practice. Because the kings named are known from various historical documents and inscriptions, archaeological remains related to the temples have often been recovered; since the construction or dedication texts record elapsed years in reference to another event, these texts can be analyzed in regard to their viability as sources for the history and chronology of the ancient Near East in the context of religion and official records of the state. Investigation of these texts alongside king lists and temples reveals that temple construction and dedication texts of the ancient Near East that included mention of elapsed years provide valuable, detailed, and accurate information that can be used to identify the existence of ancient temples in time, corroborate periods of kingship or other important events, and contribute to understanding a method of historical chronology used by the ancients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion)
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35 pages, 46952 KiB  
Article
Prehistoric Cult Sites along the Desert Roads
by Uzi Avner
Religions 2023, 14(12), 1472; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14121472 - 28 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2029
Abstract
The Negev desert, the southern half of Israel, is an arid-to-hyper-arid region. Despite that, some 13,000 ancient sites have been recorded here to date, and many were excavated. One characteristic of the Negev (as well as of other deserts) is the abundance of [...] Read more.
The Negev desert, the southern half of Israel, is an arid-to-hyper-arid region. Despite that, some 13,000 ancient sites have been recorded here to date, and many were excavated. One characteristic of the Negev (as well as of other deserts) is the abundance of prehistoric and early historic cult sites, dated ca. 8000–2000 BCE. Another is the many ancient roads. The roads, the main types of cult sites and the connection between them are described and discussed in the following sections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion)
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15 pages, 324 KiB  
Article
Reconsidering the Nehushtan as a Magical Healing Device within the Geographical, Cultural, and Magico-Religious Context of the Ancient Near East
by Gillian Williams and Mariette Harcombe
Religions 2023, 14(11), 1404; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111404 - 9 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1504
Abstract
According to Numbers 21:4–9, the Nehushtan was a copper/bronze snake effigy that functioned as a ‘magical’ healing tool to cure the early Israelites from venomous snakebites they incurred during their desert wanderings. What is unclear from the narrative is the symbolic significance of [...] Read more.
According to Numbers 21:4–9, the Nehushtan was a copper/bronze snake effigy that functioned as a ‘magical’ healing tool to cure the early Israelites from venomous snakebites they incurred during their desert wanderings. What is unclear from the narrative is the symbolic significance of the event, the materials used, the technical skills required, and whether magic was at play. Firstly, when considering the magical effects of the Nehushtan, we must define which type of magic—apotropaic or sympathetic—was involved. Based upon existing scholarship on the topic, the general consensus is that the Nehushtan represented sympathetic magic, underpinned in this instance by homeopathic/imitative magic. To highlight this point, this study will provide selected examples of both types of magic so that the Nehushtan’s association with sympathetic magic can be illustrated. Secondly, and most importantly, we must consider why the image of a snake was chosen if the very affliction (envenomation) suffered by the people was caused by the creature now being posited as a symbol of divine healing. Did the ancient perceptions of snakes and healing play a role in this decision? Why did the early Israelites not question the logic behind the use of a magical snake effigy when both magic and effigies were technically prohibited by biblical laws? To answer these questions, the study will consider the historical background (the Exodus from Egypt), the set (geographical location), and the setting (cultural contact and influence) in which the narrative of the Nehushtan took place. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion)
19 pages, 396 KiB  
Article
Beyond Controversy in the Hebrew Bible: Standing Stones as Messengers of Common Humanity
by Elizabeth S. Bloem Viljoen
Religions 2023, 14(11), 1350; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111350 - 25 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1557
Abstract
The Hebrew Bible is not only an ancient religious text, but also imbues information about the lives of people. Beyond controversial matters in the text, links can be found to common humanity with ancient roots. This renders the text not only relevant for [...] Read more.
The Hebrew Bible is not only an ancient religious text, but also imbues information about the lives of people. Beyond controversial matters in the text, links can be found to common humanity with ancient roots. This renders the text not only relevant for adherents to the religions based on this text, but to all people. The exemplar followed in this article is standing stones. Biblical authors frequently refer to standing stones. These references are sharply contrasting, with some condoning and others condemning, causing contention. Archaeologically, standing stones are a ubiquitous phenomenon all over the world throughout time. They abound in the southern Levant, the region for which the Hebrew Bible is a sacred text. The meaning of standing stones is multifarious, but ultimately relates to the numinous. Among other meanings, like other vertical elements, such as mountains and trees, they play a role in shamanism, an ancient and extensive worldview. Exploration of common human traits, ascribed to inborn neurophysiological and psychological factors, divulges explanations for universal phenomena such as shamanic worldviews and the physical manifestations of such worldviews, of which the standing stone is one. Multidisciplinary evidence from archaeological, ethnographic, and textual analysis reveals that both standing stones of the southern Levant and those in the Hebrew Bible exhibit meanings related to this cosmology which flows from unconscious properties common to all people. Going beyond controversial topics allows access to common human traits linking all people, in this case adding relevance to the biblical text. This approach could elucidate the human commonality hidden behind other dissonant subjects in the Hebrew Bible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion)
18 pages, 4820 KiB  
Article
The Brooklyn Papyrus Snakebite and Medicinal Treatments’ Magico-Religious Context
by Wendy Golding
Religions 2023, 14(10), 1300; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14101300 - 17 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3552
Abstract
This paper investigates the role of magic and religion in the context of the Brooklyn Papyrus (47.218.48 and 47.218.85) snakebite treatments. It examines the extent to which these two factors are involved in the treatments and how they shed light on the importance [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the role of magic and religion in the context of the Brooklyn Papyrus (47.218.48 and 47.218.85) snakebite treatments. It examines the extent to which these two factors are involved in the treatments and how they shed light on the importance of treating the mind and body of the patient. Information regarding the methods and ingredients used in snakebite treatments in ancient Egypt is obtained from the author’s doctoral thesis in which the Brooklyn Papyrus (47.218.48 and 47.218.85) is transliterated and then translated into English and offers a commentary on the text. This translation enabled the author to understand that magic and religion form part of the snakebite treatment process. Investigating the relationship between these two factors and medical treatment ingredients and methods enables one to know that magic and religion are inextricably linked in the role of healing. The role played by magic and religion in these treatments resulted in a holistic form of treatment in the process of attempting to heal the ancient Egyptian snakebite victim and patient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion)
18 pages, 3308 KiB  
Article
Revisiting the ‘kriegerischer Gott’ of the Akkadian Period
by Renate Marian van Dijk-Coombes
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1215; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091215 - 21 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1230
Abstract
Boehmer’s Die Entwicklung der Glyptik während der Akkad-Zeit (1965), although nearly 60 years old, is still the major work on the cylinder seals of the Akkadian Period (2334–2150 BCE). It examines different themes and motifs depicted on the cylinder seals during this period. [...] Read more.
Boehmer’s Die Entwicklung der Glyptik während der Akkad-Zeit (1965), although nearly 60 years old, is still the major work on the cylinder seals of the Akkadian Period (2334–2150 BCE). It examines different themes and motifs depicted on the cylinder seals during this period. One of the figures which Boehmer discusses is the ‘kriegerischer Gott’, or martial god. Boehmer records this ‘kriegerischer Gott’ as being depicted on only eight cylinder seals. Despite this limited number of examples, the figure exhibits a unique iconography, which suggests a unique, specific personage. Furthermore, he is depicted on the seal of the scribe Adda (BM 89115), one of the most well-known seals from Mesopotamia, in which he is depicted alongside Utu/Šamaš, Inana/Ištar, Enki/Ea and Isiumud/Usmu. Because the ‘kriegerischer Gott’ is depicted together with these great deities of the Akkadian pantheon, each with their own unique iconography, it suggests that he may likewise be a figure of some importance. Boehmer devotes only one page to his discussion on the ‘kriegerischer Gott’. A more detailed investigation into Boehmer’s ‘kriegerischer Gott’ is, therefore, required. This contribution will, therefore, re-examine this figure by analysing his iconography, the unique attributes which he has, the scenes in which he is depicted, and the figures with which he is associated. The possible identity of the ‘kriegerischer Gott’ will also be addressed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion)
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