The Bloomsbury Handbook of Material Religion in the Ancient Near East and Egypt

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Description

With contributions spanning from the Neolithic Age to the Iron Age, this book offers important insights into the religions and ritual practices in ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern communities through the lenses of their material remains. The book begins with a theoretical introduction to the concept of material religion and features editor introductions to each of its six parts, which tackle the following themes: the human body; religious architecture; the written word; sacred images; the spirituality of animals; and the sacred role of the landscape. Illustrated with over 100 images, chapters provide insight into every element of religion and materiality, from the largest building to the smallest amulet. This is a benchmark work for further studies on material religion in the ancient Near East and Egypt.

Reviews

This original, ambitious, and fascinating handbook utilizes the archaeological and textual record to materialize ancient Near Eastern and Egyptian religious beliefs through the entangled and co-dependent elements of the human body, architecture, written word, animals, and landscape. The 35 contributors to this volume convincingly argue for the essential importance of a material approach for reconstructing the diverse forms of religiosity practiced over millennia by these ancient communities. * Ann E. Killebrew, Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Jewish Studies, and Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, USA *
This volume will be an invaluable read for students and scholars interested in the ancient Near East and Egypt or the history and nature of religion more generally. * Douglas Baird, Chair of Archaeology, University of Liverpool, UK *

Author Bio

Nicola Laneri is Director of the Museum of Archeology and Professor of Archeology and Art History of the Ancient Near East at the University of Catania, Italy. He is also Director of the School of Religious Studies at CAMNES, Italy. Sharon R. Steadman is SUNY Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Rozanne Brooks Museum at SUNY Cortland, USA.