This anthology brought together the most important historical; legal; mythological; liturgical; and secular texts of the ancient Near East; with the purpose of providing a rich contextual base for understanding the people; cultures; and literature of the Old Testament. A scholar of religious thought and biblical archaeology; James Pritchard recruited the foremost linguists; historians; and archaeologists to select and translate the texts. The goal; in his words; was "a better understanding of the likenesses and differences which existed between Israel and the surrounding cultures." Before the publication of these volumes; students of the Old Testament found themselves having to search out scattered books and journals in various languages. This anthology brought these invaluable documents together; in one place and in one language; thereby expanding the meaning and significance of the Bible for generations of students and readers. As one reviewer put it; "This great volume is one of the most notable to have appeared in the field of Old Testament scholarship this century." Princeton published a follow-up companion volume; The Ancient Near East in Pictures Relating to the Old Testament (1954); and later a one-volume abridgment of the two; The Ancient Near East: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures (1958). The continued popularity of this work in its various forms demonstrates that anthologies have a very important role to play in education--and in the mission of a university press.
#1372105 in Books Princeton University Press 1970-04-01 1970-04-21Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x 1.50 x 5.50l; 1.68 #File Name: 0691005702596 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Old but not outdated!By Tyler RThis book as well as its companion "The Challenge" are brilliantly written and even though they are decades old; Palmer is able to make a lasting argument for the different facets and trials of each major rebellion. He even acknowledges some of the lesser known Revolutions and the "almost rebellions." His arguments regarding democratic revolution shows the different levels of democratic inclusion for each rebellion. Even the French revolution; that ended up becoming a dictatorship under Napoleon; was acknowledged as being a strong influence over other rebellions. His prose is easy to read and keeps you entertained. His organization is very effective and keeps his thesis strong throughout. If you are at all interested in the developments of revolutions in the late 1700's that seemed to sweep across the globe; these books are a great example of that.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Broadbased and comprehensive review of the 18th century democraitc revolution continuedBy Theodore L. ZawistowskiFor students and lovers of history and the development of democracy in America and Europe including many states and nations.
