Akkadica
Assyriological Center
Georges Dossin
Georges Dossin
|
Akkadica Assyriological Center
Georges Dossin |
Conspectus Librorum - Book Review:
Hardcover, Pp. 92 (74 Color-, 44 BW-photographs and 28 Drawings). Verlag Philipp von Zabern, ISBN: 3-8053-3281-5. Price: 37,90 Euro - 65,20 SFR [CH] Orders: Verlag Philipp von Zabern Mainz Philipp-von-Zabern-Platz 1-3 55116 Mainz Postfach 4065 - 55030 Mainz Tel. 06131 / 28 747 -0 Fax: 06131 / 28 747 -44 Order: www.kunstbuecher-online.de/zabern/verlag/ This book is a welcome contribution to our knowledge of religion, deities and cults in the Late Bronze Age of Syria in general and Ras Shamra or Ugarit in particular. Following an introduction by the authors, there is a chapter (p.5-17) on the discovery and archaeological research of Minet el-Beida (the natural harbour which served ancient Ugarit), Ras Shamra (Ugarit) and Ras Ibn Hani (once an island with the remains of the Ugaritic royal residence). The chapter concludes with an archaeological tour in Ugarit, following the chronology of the excavations. The second chapter (p.18-23) concentrates on the geographical setting of Ugarit and more particularly on its history before and during the Late Bronze Age. Maps and illustrations, including a list of kings (from Ammištamru I to Ammurapi) clarify the text. Social life, culture and arts are the topics of Chapter 3 (p.24-36). Our knowledge of the social aspects of Ugarit comes from excavation results in the palace and the domestic quarter, as well as from texts ranging from letters, incantations, myths, epics, contracts to medical texts, etc. At that time Ugarit was not only an important economical centre in the East Mediterranean, but also a highly developed cultural centre where the production of arts played a meaningful role. The different paragraphs of this chapter are devoted to Population, Kings and Officials, Family life, Economy, Trade and Technology, Arts and Music. Chapter 4 (p.37-42) treats 'Languages', 'Writings' and 'Literature'. In general two main languages i.e. local Ugaritic and the international Akkadic, could be distinguished in the city-state of Ugarit. Ugaritic was a Semitic language closely related to the later Phoenician, Hebrew and Aramaic. The Ugaritic cuneiform (known as alphabetic cuneiform) is well explained and illustrated throughout this chapter. The paragraph on literature includes some notes on the Baal Cycle (KTU 1.1-6), the epics of Kirta (KTU 1.14-16) and Aqhatu (KTU 1.17-19), on the Rapi'uma texts (KTU 1.20-22), some of the Ugaritic Narrative Poetry of which unfortunately only minor excerpts were kept. Furthermore covered are the myths of Šahar and Šalim (KTU 1.23) and Yarihu and Nikkal (KTU 1.24). The next chapter (p.44-57) is dedicated to the pantheon and the religion of Ugarit and therefore begins with the list of deities found in la maison du prêtre magicien on the acropolis (KTU 1.118), followed by a paragraph on the most important gods and goddesses and their iconography. Included are the following deities: the chief God "El", "Ba'al", "Dagan" (Dagnu), "Asherah" (Athirat), "Anat" (Anata) and "Yam" (Yammu). A separate group of gods are brought together in the "astral deities", such as Šapšu, Yarihu, Nikkal, Astarte and the god Rešep (Rašpu). Also treated in this chapter are some aspects on cosmology of which in fact little is certain. The view of cosmology seems to have been one of a tripartite universe, consisting of the Earth, Heaven and the Underworld. Chapter 6 (p.58-74) takes us to Temples, Holy Places, Cults and Rituals, dealing in the first place with the importance and the function of the High Priest and the King's rituals and offerings. As usual in the Ancient Near East, the Temple was the "house" of the god. Besides this it also had the function of Holy Place, a denomination generally pointing to the cella in the temple or the chapel in the palace. Herbert Niehr briefly overviews the Temple of El (sometimes referred to as the Temple of Dagan) on the north-eastern side of the acropolis, the larger Temple of the god Ba'al, located to the north of the House of the High Priest, and the temple royal ("sanctuaire hourrite"). The author also includes the sanctuaire aux rhytons, probably a holy or cultic place and centre of a religious foundation, located near the Royal Palace and the domestic quarter of the city. The next paragraphs of this chapter concentrate on offerings, cultic practices, celebrations, processions, prayers, music, and finally votive- and memorial steles. Chapter 7 (p.75-78) focuses on practices concerning divination, necromancy, omens, magic and medicine, of which our knowledge is almost purely based on written sources. References are again clearly present throughout the whole text. Death, burial practices and the cult of the death are the subjects of the final chapter (p.79-86). The evidence comes mainly from archaeological finds and funerary contexts, as well as from texts. As almost all evidence concerns the royal family and their entourage, still little is known about the funerary practices of the overall inhabitants of Ugarit. This volume concludes with an epilogue, a bibliography and list of references. As part of the Zabern Bildbände zur Archäologie Series, it is not surprising that the book is well illustrated with a wonderful choice of high quality photographs, drawings and maps. Whenever appropriate the authors refer to textual sources and sometimes even include parts of translated texts. Ingrid Swinnen Vrije Universiteit Brussel |