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August 2019

Vol. 7, No. 8

The Ancient Near East after 1919

By Alex Joffe

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 the advances after 1919 came with a cost. Read More

Potters and Their Fingerprints

By Akiva Sanders

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 systems they labored in. Read More

Concepts and Metaphors in Sumerian

By Erika Marsal

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 surprisingly familiar. Read More

Crosses and Crucifixions, Misunderstood and Misinterpreted 

By Joe Zias

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 inscription gives a new view on the cross itself.  Read More

Birth and Rebirth in Ancient Egypt

By Cathie Spieser

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 maintain the balance of the universe. Read More