Ancient Middle East Archive
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Astral Divination in the Context of Mesopotamian Divination, Medicine, Religion, Magic, Society, and Scholarship
Posted on November 10, 2012 | No CommentsThe fundamental premise lying behind celestial and other forms of divination in Mesopotamia was that the gods would, on occasions, impart information to humans through signs, that could bode both well and ill, providing a positive or negative answer to a query, or more specific (unfalsifiable) information on what will happen in the future. -
The Babylonian Akitu Festival: Rectifying the King or Renewing the Cosmos?
Posted on October 25, 2012 | No CommentsThe Babylonian Akitu festival has played a pivotal role in the development of theories of religion, myth and ritual -
Researchers ‘closer than ever
Posted on October 24, 2012 | No CommentsNew technology has allowed researchers to come closer than ever to cracking the world -
Empress Zenobia and Gender Bias Among the Romans
Posted on October 21, 2012 | No CommentsZenobia and her husband, Odaenathus, ruled on the far Eastern limits of the Roman Empire during the time that is commonly referred to by historians as the 'Third Century Crisis.' -
Zoroastrianism and Biblical Religion
Posted on October 21, 2012 | No CommentsFor the past 200 years, scholars of Scripture have recognized the literary relationships between biblical narratives and various extra-biblical sources. -
Massive Mesopotamia exhibition coming to Toronto
Posted on October 17, 2012 | No CommentsA major international exhibit on ancient Mesopotamia will be coming to Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum next year. The exhibit, called 'The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia' will feature artifacts now in the British Museum and will run from June 22, 2013 - January 5, 2014. -
What/When Is a Portrait? Royal Images of the Ancient Near East
Posted on October 8, 2012 | No CommentsRoyal images of the ancient Near East -
Fish remains from archaeological sites as indicators of former trade connections in the Eastern Mediterranean
Posted on October 7, 2012 | No CommentsThe archaeozoological evidence that is available for the trade of fish in the Eastern Mediterranean area is summarized. -
Why Did Nebuchadnezzar II Destroy Ashkelon in Kislev 604 B.C.E.?
Posted on September 30, 2012 | No CommentsThe significance of the discovery of a destruction layer at Ashkelon, identified with the Babylonian assault in Kislev, 604 B.C.E, can hardly be overestimated. -
Alphabetic Imperialism?: A Cross-Cultural Glimpse into the Evolution of Writing
Posted on September 26, 2012 | No CommentsI will take the reader through a brief comparison of the writing systems of Sumer and Japan, noting points of commonality
