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Genizah Research After Ninety Years: The Case of Judaeo-Arabic
ed. Joshua Blau and Stefan C. Reif
(Cambridge Univ. Press, 1992)
Contains 27 articles on the language and literature of Judaeo-Arabic, particularly as reflected in the Genizah documents. Since Solomon Schechter brought 140,000 fragments of ancient manuscripts from the Cairo Genizah to Cambridge University in 1897, scholars have found them an invaluable source of information on previously lost texts, Jewish thought and customs, and dissident Jewish sects. First presented at the Society for Judaeo-Arabic Studies’ third congress in 1987, the papers cover subjects that include technical examinations of the earliest medieval Hebrew grammarians, Arabic influences on the structure of Hebrew poetry and Jewish legend, medical texts and magic.
Reading Egyptian Art: A Hieroglyphic Guide to Ancient Egyptian Painting and Sculpture
Richard Wilkinson
(Thames and Hudson, 1992)
Identifies the origin and use of the 100 hieroglyphs used most often in Egyptian painting and sculpture in an easily accessible format for the nonspecialist. The reader locates a particular sign by shape on the table of contents, which groups the hieroglyphs by theme in 26 categories such as humans, ships and fish. The text explains the sign using examples from Egyptian art and manuscripts. Study aids include a glossary of Egyptian terms, a basic bibliography and 450 drawings and photographs.
Bible Animals
Bruce B. Barton et al.
(Tyndale House, 1992)
A children’s book of paintings and photographs of 65 species of animals in the Bible, from lions to worms. Includes sections on the creation story, habitats, plagues, dietary laws, caring for animals, an explanation of mythical animals and a Bible quiz. Each piece of information is linked to a Bible passage.
Ägypten und Levante II
Manfied Bietak, editor
(Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1991)
The second volume of this new journal emphasizing interregional research concerning ancient Egypt, Syria, Israel and Cyprus meets the extremely high production standards set by the first. Its 164 pages of heavy, coated paper include 51 black-and-white photos and 9 color photos. Volume II features six papers, three in English (“Change in the Settlement Pattern and Population in the Beginning of the Historical Period [in Egypt]” by Bodil Mortensen, and “A Gold Pendant from Tell el-Dab‘a” and “The Finds at Tell el-Dab‘a and the Middle Minoan Chronology,” both by Gisela Walberg) and three in German. The volume is available for 560 Austrian schillings from the publisher at Dr.-Ignaz-Seipel-Platz 2, A-1010 Wien, Austria.
Genizah Research After Ninety Years: The Case of Judaeo-Arabic