By Judith M. Hadley. University of Cambridge Oriental Publications, 57. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Pp. xv + 262. 0-521-66235-4. $65.00.
This dissertation discusses the role of religion in Canaanite and Israelite society. Particularly of interest is the way in which social and political relationships determine the form of religious ...organization. The period covered extends from the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age through the end of the Israelite Divided Monarchy (2000 B.C.E.-587 B.C.E.). Chapter One presents a history of previous scholarship in the field of Canaanite and Israelite religion. It demonstrates that inadequate attention has been given to archaeological data, despite the importance of these data to the study of religion. Chapter Two discusses the contribution made by anthropological studies toward understanding the role of religion in society. In particular, sacrifice (the religious rite par excellence of Israelites and Canaanites) is more than an arcane ritual. Rather, it reflects issues related to the social structure of the worshipping community. Chapter Three looks at the ritual texts from Ugarit and at pre-exilic portions of the Hebrew Bible. This chapter, like Chapter Two, focusses upon the ritual of sacrifice and demonstrates its central role in the religions of Canaan and Israel. It additionally clarifies its relevance for understanding issues of religion and society. With Chapter Four, the dissertation turns to the evidence presented by archaeological data. Chapter Four is concerned with the religion of Canaan in the Middle Bronze Age. It shows that the development of religion in the first half of the second millennium B.C.E. was related to the slow growth of elite clan groups. Chapter Five presents archaeological data for religion in the Late Bronze Age. It analyzes the effect of increasing Egyptian domination on the religious structure of South Canaan. Chapter Six discusses the way in which the monarchs of Israel and Judah organized religion in support of the state. At the same time, the efforts of some local clan groups to resist these centralizing efforts are seen in alternate modes of worship.
Eleanor Ferris Beach's new book about Jezebel, the ninth-century BCE Israelite queen, contributes to the growing body of research into the roles women fulfilled in ancient Israelite society. ...References to worship practices (such as the marzeah) and to the many deities worshipped (including Baal Shamen, Yahweh, Asherah, and Hathor) give something of the flavor of ancient religion and the many ways in which the divine was incorporated into everyday life and interpersonal relationships.
Miniature Images of Clay in the Ancient Near East, "At the best of times few things in archaeology are more elusive than the definition of functions determined socially rather than inherent in the ...objects themselves" (pp. 67-68).1 The absence of broadly accepted guidelines makes the study of figurines even more daunting. Sumer, Babylonia, Syria, Egypt and Canaan (ca. 3000-1150 BC), the discussion of the Bronze Age focuses on the most popular type of ceramic figurine, which depicts a youthful, nude female shown full-frontal in low relief, with and without attributes, on hand held clay plaques, which were mass-produced to relatively standard patterns in one-piece open molds (p. 23). Eventually, according to Moorey, it would become Canaan's legacy to the states of the Iron Age.) In addition, the plaque figurine offers ". . . rare access to the popular rituals of women, as distinct from those of male-dominated official, temple-based cults in Late Bronze Age Canaan" (p. 23.
