Sixth/seventh-century incantation bowl with Aramaic inscription | From Nippur, currently in the Met Collection L1999.83.3 | Image Source
On AJR
Book Note: Lidewijde de Jong, The Archaeology of Death in Roman Syria: Burial, Commemoration, and Empire (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017)
Boero: “Possessing value for specialists and non-specialists alike, De Jong’s monograph is a welcome addition to archaeological research in Syria. She sheds light on the ways that people in Roman Syria tended to departed family members and friends, crafted narratives of lineage and identity, and distinguished the deceased in communal memory. She paints a picture simultaneously broad and detailed, and one amenable to various methodological approaches, including anthropological, historical, and spatial analysis. Her work lays the foundation for future scholars to explore processes of differentiation within burial communities and re-evaluate regional practices. Finally, the monograph is a beautiful tribute to the rich cultural heritage of Syria and Lebanon, particularly in light of the current destruction of antiquities due to the Syrian Civil War.”
Articles and News
Candida Moss on the long history of anti-semitism based in New Testament interpretation, and its complex interaction with biologized race.
Statement from the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies in the wake of the Tree of Life murders in Pittsburgh.
Michael Press gives an overview of the Museum of the Bible Scrolls revealed to be forgeries.
Richly illustrated article surveys a fantastic collaborative course on Antioch from Seleucids to Late Antiquity.
Julia Hillner on Constantina, daughter of Constantine, in the in-progress new edition of the Oxford Classical Dictionary.
The New Testament Review podcast tackles Wayne A. Meeks’ field-shaping work on John.
Fun piece at Cosmos on reconstructing now-vanished ancient fauna and flora.
Terrific piece on transcription projects as pedagogy and research.
So grateful to @candidamoss for tackling pressing & difficult issue of place of NT/Christian anti-Judaism in #PittsburghSynagogueShooting. Others can speak better to current context, but I thought I'd add some resources on broader historical context 1/5 https://t.co/4rqRUauuMa
— Dr. Annette Yoshiko Reed (@AnnetteYReed) 30 October 2018
Published #HebrewProject Phase 2: Harley MS 5481,
— BL Hebrew Project (@BL_HebrewMSS) 1 November 2018
Samaritan hymns and prayers interspersed with short extracts from the Pentateuch from the 16th century https://t.co/rFTRvvNzUk pic.twitter.com/88wq4g6sYC
(1/3)The editors of AJR send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victims of Saturday’s attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. We stand in solidarity with all those grieving and angry over this act of anti-Semitic terrorism.
— Ancient Jew Review (@ancientjew) 29 October 2018