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Death-Ritual and Social Structure in Classical Antiquity
Ian Morris
(Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1992) 284 pp., $54.95.
Enlightening readers to the relevance of burial remains in the study of Greco-Roman social history, this volume explores such issues as cremation, grave goods and inscribed tombstones. For instance, it addresses the question of whether Nero refrained from cremating his wife because she was interested in Judaism, which forbids it on a broader scale, differences between inscribed tombstones of imperial senators and of the lower classes (which had more commemorations by spouses) point to class differences in family structure. There are 48 figures, including maps, 12 tables, of bibliographical essay divided by theme, a bibliography and an index.
Roman Pottery
Kevin Greene
(Berkeley, CA: Univ. of California Press/British Museum, 1992) 64 pp., $10.00, paper.
This detailed study—part of the “Interpreting the Past” series—defines Roman pottery, traces the development of Roman pottery studies and provides pertinent information on archaeological techniques, such as dating, classification and scientific analysis. An account of an excavation at Carthage provides a sense of how archaeologists work with Roman pottery, from the arrival of the sherds from the trenches to the final report. Other topics include pottery production and technology and Roman pottery economics. The book contains over 30 illustrations and an index, as well as a guide to further reading.
Holman Student Bible Dictionary
Karen Dockery, Johnnie Godwin, Phyllis Godwin
(Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 1993) 250 pp., $15.99.
From Aaron to Zipporah, this reference identifies Biblical persons and places and clarifies concepts such as faith and salvation for the youthful Christian Bible student. Words unclear in King James English are explained. Maps, photos, artwork and charts, all in color, illustrate the entries. Greek and Hebrew alphabets are presented, and lists include “Names of God.” The volume also contains a key to pronunciation and detailed timelines spanning Biblical history, world history and church history.
Treasures in the Sand
Orley Berg
(Boise, ID: Pacific Press, 1993) 238 pp., $11.95, paper.
Vouching that “we can truly depend on the historical accuracy of the Bible” (p. 210), this volume presents archaeological discoveries as evidence. Following a chronological order, it addresses subjects ranging from Abraham to Moses to Jerusalem in the time of Christ. One chapter concerns the Dead Sea Scrolls. Evangelical Christians will be pleased with how the book employs archaeological finds to challenge mainstream scholarship. For instance, the Elephantine papyrus, written in Aramaic by fifth-century B.C. Jews, is used to argue that the book of Daniel, written partly in Aramaic, was written in Babylon by Daniel himself at a time far earlier than most scholars believe. The book includes 17 pages of photographic plates.
Death-Ritual and Social Structure in Classical Antiquity
