Birth and Rebirth in Ancient Egypt
Birth is one of the most dangerous parts of life. But for ancient Egyptians the birth of a child had a counterpart: the rebirth after death. Both of these were necessary to maintai
Crosses and Crucifixions, Misunderstood and Misinterpreted – A Guide for/to the Perplexed
The popular image of crucifixion has been created by the symbol of the t-shaped cross, and by one reconstructed bone. That bone bears too much weight, but a long overlooked inscrip
Concepts and Metaphors in Sumerian
The Sumerian language is unrelated to any other language past or present. While it can be read, making sense of things requires understanding how Sumerians used metaphors. Some are
Potters and Their Fingerprints
Pot sherds are ubiquitous on Near Eastern archaeological sites. But occasionally the fingerprints of the potters can tell us unexpected things about their lives and the economic sy
The Ancient Near East after 1919
Prior to the signing of treaties in 1919 that ended World War I, study of the Ancient Near East, though copious, was neither especially systematic nor particularly scientific, but