Books in Brief

008

Biblical Cities

Ugarit (Ras Shamra)

Adrian Curtis

(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985) 125 pp., $8.95

Ugarit (Ras Shamra) is a welcome addition to the Cities of the Biblical World series (reviewed in Books in Brief, BAR 10:06). This series of short, illustrated paperback books opens up the world of Biblical archaeology—its methodology, major sites and major finds—for the student of Biblical studies. As the author states in the preface: “This book attempts to introduce the reader to Ugarit and its literature. It provides a brief description of the discovery of the site and the early stages of its excavation and the decipherment of the Ugaritic language.”

Ugarit contains six chapters in addition to the introduction, which gives a very good, brief overview of the discovery of the site, its place in history, the major finds, the decipherment of the Ugaritic writing system, and the importance of the site and its finds to Biblical studies. The following chapters expand in detail on the topics touched in the introduction. Chapter 1 is devoted to the early history of the city from its founding in the Neolithic period (c. 6500 B.C.) to the Late Bronze period (c. 1400 B.C.). Chapter 2 describes Ugarit’s golden age (c. 1400–1200 B.C.) and the historical context in which it occurred. A very fascinating chapter is the third, in which daily life in the Late Bronze city is described.

Chapters 4 and 5 contain the materials that make Ugarit important. A brief summary of the outstanding myths and legends is presented in chapter 4, while chapter 5 deals with the religion of Ugarit as it is known from the texts, architecture and small finds. Why, then, was this material included in a series related to the Biblical world? The answer to this question is given in chapter 6, which states that “the texts are not simply relevant for our understanding of Canaanite religion, but they help us assess the extent to which the Hebrews borrowed and adapted Canaanite ideas” (p. 108). Moreover, the discovery of a hitherto unknown Semitic language closely related to Hebrew not only increased the knowledge of this language family but provided a broader context in which to study Biblical Hebrew and some of its problematic vocabulary. Several well-chosen examples are included in this chapter.

To fulfill their educational purpose, several chapters are each followed by a list of books for further reading, and a chronological table helps relate Ugarit to the rest of the ancient Near East. The book contains many photographs and drawings, but some of the photographs depicting the site and its architectural features are not as sharp as they should be.

Start Young

Digging to the Past: Excavations in Ancient Lands

W. John Hackwell

(New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1986) 50 pp., $13.95

Archaeologists are not born, they are trained. It takes hard work, academic as well as physical, to become a good archaeologist. It also requires certain qualities, talents and a body of knowledge, all of which can be developed through reading and field work. However, the most important element in the making of an archaeologist is interest, and it is never too early to awaken this interest, as can be seen with this volume in the Books for Young Readers series.

Beautifully written and illustrated by a field archaeologist, Digging to the Past aims to arouse the interest of the young reader, with the hope that “Perhaps one day you too will share in the thrill of discovery as you take a trowel and a pick to the ancient Near East in search of the lost wonders of the dead” (p. 48). In eight brief chapters, the author covers the history of research in the Middle East, the make-up of an expedition, how digging is actually done, different types of artifacts, burials—their importance and methods of recovery—life on the dig and life for the participants after the dig is over.

The writing style is easy and flowing, and the mostly colorful illustrations vividly depict scenes from digs.

A few words of criticism. It is obvious that the author describes the dig in which he participates, and he should have said so somewhere, because certain things described in the book are particular to his dig or to Jordan, where he works. It is unfortunate that he does not mention the importance of the “field school” as it is practiced in Israel, because this is where many young archaeologists get their first training. He uses the term “archaeologist” when he speaks about the “biblical archaeologist,” as 009is apparent from the comparison he makes with the “anthropologist” (p. 2), but anthropologists are archaeologists, too. There are also several mistakes that should be eliminated in future printings. Not all digs use the six-by-six-meter grid; the term “ostraca”—broken pieces of pottery containing inscriptions—does not come from “to ostracize,” but instead gave rise to the verb, because ostraca were used to count votes in determining whether to expel a person from a community; the role of the conservator has not been covered at all; no mention was made of the scarab vs. the cylinder seal; and hummus is not yogurt, it is a paste made of chick peas and spices.

A glossary and a short bibliography for further reading would have made the book more useful.

Visual Treat

Treasures of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem

photographs by Pierre-Alain Ferrazzini

(Jerusalem: The IMJ, 1985) xii plus 205 pp.

This magnificent folio volume contains 100 plates to treasures, plus interior and exterior photos of the Museum. Director Martin Weyl’s introduction and the descriptions are in English, French, German and Hebrew (here’s a chance to practice your languages!). A table lists sources. The nine sections include: Before the Israelites; Israelites and Neighbors; Jewish-Roman-Christian-Islamic Palestine; Near and Distant Cultures; Ethnography; Judaica; Old Masters; Modern and Contemporary Art.

Artifacts from the earlier historic periods will fascinate those interested in archaeology and the Bible. Section 1, “Before the Israelites,” shows artifacts that range from Natufian to Neolithic and Chalcolithic figurines to Canaanite pottery. Gold leaf figurines from Middle Bronze Gezer and the Late Bronze anthropoid sarcophagi lids from Deir el-Balah highlight the 13 plates. A Philistine beer jug, Samarian ivories and a bronze bull, seals and coins are examples of the chapter “The Israelites and Their Neighbors.” The 13 artifacts of section III, “Jewish, Roman, Christian and Islamic Palestine,” include a foldout of the Isaiah Dead Sea Scroll, Cave of Letters material (from Bar Kokhba’s Jewish Revolt against Rome), the bronze statue of Hadrian, jewelry, menorahs and mosaics. The “Neighboring and Distant Cultures” of section IV extend to Syria, Persia, the Far East, Oceania and Africa, while “Ethnography,” section V, includes more recent clothing and jewelry from the Near East. Illustrated manuscripts, a Torah case and a Sukkah booth are illustrated in section VI on Judaica. A fold-out shows the ceilings and walls of the synagogue in Horb, Germany, painted by Eliezer Susmann.

Archaeologists can admire the excellent photography, but the real potential of this attractive volume is as a gift that will grace the coffee tables of your true friends—and your own living room as well! This taste of the Museum at 20 years of age will leave everyone hungering for more.

Biblical Cities

Ugarit (Ras Shamra)

Adrian Curtis

(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985) 125 pp., $8.95