A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology - Hardcover

Leick, Dr Gwendolyn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0415007623 ISBN 13: 9780415007627

Publisher: Routledge, 1991

Synopsis

The Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology covers sources from Mesopotamia, Syro-Palestine and Anatolia, from around 2800 to 300 BC. It contains entries on gods and goddesses, giving evidence of their worship in temples, describing their 'character', as documented by the texts, and defining their roles within the body of mythological narratives; synoptic entries on myths, giving the place of origin of main texts and a brief history of their transmission through the ages; and entries explaining the use of specialist terminology, for such things as categories of Sumerian texts or types of mythological figures.

About this title

Review:

"Recommended for both college and university libraries, public libraries, theological libraries, and anyone interested in ancient history."
-"Choice
." . . it is a straightforward attempt to summarize the mythology as written in the widely disseminated and often fragmentary texts that have been recovered."
-"Booklist
..."numerous cross-references, and full explanations are provided. Highly recommended."
-"Reference Book Review
"The book is nicely designed and produced, ending in helpful glossary, bibliography, index and illustrations. Recommended for all libraries, personal or institutional."
-"Religious Studies Review
..."a handy compendium of mythology...The author intended to make the subject of Near Eastern myth accessible to students of religion, history, anthropolgy and literature, and in this she succeeds...."
-"Academic Library Book Review

Synopsis:

Since the spectacular discovery of Nineveh 150 years ago, countless excavators have been searching for the lost civilizations of the ancient Near East. We now know the names of thousands of gods and goddesses, the words of hymns and litanies, the daily procedures of the Babylonian cult, as well as a growing number of mythological tales. A substantial number of the texts discussed in this volume originate from the archives of such ancient cities as Nineveh, Ur, Babylon and Hattusa. Through a collection of accessible entries, which provide sufficient detail and cross-referencing to be of use to the more specialist reader, Gwendolyn Leick has produced a scholarly guide to this complex and little-known world of ancient mythology. There is a wide-ranging bibliography which makes use of a particularly interesting and possibly unfamiliar collection of sources, and an extensive index for ease of reference.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0415007623
• ISBN 13: 9780415007627
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240