From Monolatry to Monotheism: The Changing Face of the Biblical Pantheon
Exclusive worship of a single god defied the religious norms of the ancient world. So how did Yahweh’s followers push their deity to the top of the divine hierarchy?
What is a God in the Hebrew Bible? Part 2: Characteristics and Hierarchy
Multiple characters in the bible can be classified as gods. What characteristics make them gods, and what is the relationship between them?
What is a God in the Hebrew Bible? Part I: The Divine Cast of Characters
Many people assume there is only one god in the Old Testament—one who is both omniscient and omnipotent. However, a closer look reveals many other gods who differ from the stereo
What is a God in the Ancient Near East?
What is a god? While the question is simple enough, the answer depends on context and perspective.
Person, Place, and Object: Ritual Healing in Roman and Late Antique Palestine
October 2024 | Vol. 12.10 By Megan Nutzman Malaria, battle wounds, pregnancy, scorpion stings, sciatica: these are just a few of the medical concerns that regularly appear in ancie
Osiris Must Die – Understanding the Practice of “Menacing the Gods” in Ancient Egyptian Magic
September 2024 | Vol. 12.9 By Franziska Naether Ancient Egyptian magical texts offer a rich repository of spells and incantations designed to manipulate divine forces for diverse p
No One Thought to Ask the Fruits: Revealing Philistines’ Traditions
June 2024 | Vol. 12.6 By Suembikya Frumin The Philistines (ca. 1200-604 BCE) left no textual sources for understanding their religion, and its study has traditionally been based on
A Minor Biblical Prophet Lives Again—Among the Dead
March 2024 | Vol. 12.3 By Amy Erickson In the catacombs beneath the city of Rome, where the dead were interred, honored, and visited, Jonah is strikingly alive. On the walls, the c
Archaeology of the Silk Road: What Lies Ahead?
November 2023 | Vol. 11.11 By Kate Franklin The idea of the Silk Road seems to be everywhere: bestselling books, museum exhibits, conferences, tours, travelogues, and geopolitical
Maritime Viewscapes and the Material Religion of Levantine Seafarers
September 2023 | Vol. 11.9 By Aaron Brody For ancient peoples, travel was profoundly liminal. Voyaging at sea was doubly liminal, leaving the safety of land and existing in a state