James Pritchard's classic anthologies of the ancient Near East have introduced generations of readers to texts essential for understanding the peoples and cultures of this important region. Now these two enduring works have been combined and integrated into one convenient and richly illustrated volume, with a new foreword that puts the translations in context.
With more than 130 reading selections and 300 photographs of ancient art, architecture, and artifacts, this volume provides a stimulating introduction to some of the most significant and widely studied texts of the ancient Near East, including the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Creation Epic (Enuma elish), the Code of Hammurabi, and the Baal Cycle. For students of history, religion, the Bible, archaeology, and anthropology, this anthology provides a wealth of material for understanding the ancient Near East.
- Represents the diverse cultures and languages of the ancient Near East--Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, Hittite, Ugaritic, Canaanite, and Aramaic--in a wide range of genres:
Historical texts Legal texts and treaties Inscriptions Hymns Didactic and wisdom literature Oracles and prophecies Love poetry and other literary texts Letters- New foreword puts the classic translations in context
- More than 300 photographs document ancient art, architecture, and artifacts related to the texts
- Fully indexed
Author(s): James B. Pritchard
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 656
City: Princeton
Cover Page
Half-title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
List of Illustrations
Foreword
Preface to the 1975 Edition
Preface to the 1958 Edition
I. Egyptian Myths and Tales
The Memphite Theology of Creation
Deliverance of Mankind from Destruction
The Story of Si-nuhe
The Story of Two Brothers
The Journey of Wen-Amon to Phoenicia
The Tradition of Seven Lean Years in Egypt
II. Myths and Epics from Mesopotamia
A Sumerian Myth
The Deluge
Akkadian Myths and Epics
The Creation Epic (Enuma elish)
Additions to Tablet
The Epic of Gilgamesh
A Cosmological Incantation: The Worm and the Toothache
Adapa
Descent of Ishtar to the Nether World
The Legend of Sargon
Nergal and Ereshkigal
The Myth of Zu (Anzu)
A Babylonian Theogony
III. Hittite Myths
The Telepinus Myth
El, Ashertu, and the Storm-god (Elkunirsha and Ashertu)
IV. Ugaritic Myths and Epics
Poems about Baal and Anath (The Baal Cycle)
The Tale of Aqhat
V. Legal Texts
Collections of Laws from Mesopotamia
The Laws of Eshnunna
The Code of Hammurabi
The Laws of Ur-Nammu
Sumerian Laws
The Edict of Ammisaduqa
Documents from the Practice of Law
Mesopotamian Legal Documents
Aramaic Papyri from Elephantine
VI. Treaties
Hittite Treaty
Treaty of Suppiluliumas of Aziras of Amurru
Akkadian Treaties from Syria and Assyria
Treaty between Niqmepa of Alalakh and Ir- ᒄIM of Tunip
Treaty between Idrimi and Pilliya
Treaty between Ashurnirari V of Assyria and Mati’ilu of Arpad
Treaty of Esarhaddon with Baal of Tyre
The Vassal-Treaties of Esarhaddon
VII. Egyptian Historical Texts
The Expulsion of the Hyksos
The Asiatic Campaign of Thut-mose III
A Campaign of Seti I in Northern Palestine
The Report of a Frontier Official
A Syrian Interregnum
The War against the Peoples of the Sea
The Megiddo Ivories
The Campaign of Sheshonk I
Asiatics in Egyptian Household Service
The War against the Hyksos
VIII. Assyrian and Babylonian Historical Texts
The Dedication of the Shamash Temple
The Story of Idrimi, King of Alalakh
Ashurnasirpal II (883–859): Expedition to the Lebanon
The Banquet of Ashurnasirpal II
Shalmaneser III (858–824): The Fight against the Aramean Coalition
Adad-nirari III (810–783): Expedition to Palestine
The Assyrian King List
Tiglath-pileser III (744–727): Campaigns against Syria and Palestine
Sargon II (721–705): The Fall of Samaria
Sennacherib (704–681): The Siege of Jerusalem
Esarhaddon (680–669): The Syro-Palestinian Campaign
Receipt of Tribute from Palestine
The Fall of Nineveh
The Fall of Jerusalem
The Conquest of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562)
The Mother of Nabonidus
Nabonidus and His God
The Fall of Babylon
Cyrus (557–529)
The Uruk King List from Kandalanu to Seleucus II
A Seleucid King List
IX. Palestinian Inscriptions
The Gezer Calendar
The Moabite Stone
The Ostraca of Samaria
The Siloam Inscription
A Letter from the Time of Josiah (Mesad Hashavyahu Ostracon)
Three Ostraca from Arad
The Lachish Ostraca
X. Canaanite and Aramaic Inscriptions
Building Inscriptions
Yehimilk of Byblos
Azitawadda of Adan
Kilamuwa of Y’dy-Sam’al
Barrakab of Y’dy-Sam’al
Cultic Inscriptions
Ben-Hadad of Damascus
Kilamuwa of Y’dy-Sam’al
Zakir of Hamat and Lu’ath
Yehawmilk of Byblos
The Marseilles Tariff
The Carthage Tariff
Other Inscriptions
The King of Kedar
Punic Ex-voto Inscriptions
The Amulet from Arslan Tash
The Uruk Incantation
The Treaty between KTK and Arpad
Ahiram of Byblos
Agbar, Priest of the Moon-god in Nerab
Tabnit of Sidon
Eshmun‘azar of Sidon
XI. South-Arabian Inscriptions
Sabaean Inscriptions
Minaean Inscriptions
Qatabanian Inscriptions
Hadrami Inscriptions
XII. Egyptian Execration Texts
The Execration of Asiatic Princes
XIII. Egyptian Hymns
The Hymn to the Aton
Hymn of Victory of Mer-ne-Ptah (“The Israel Stela”)
XIV. Mesopotamian Hymns
Sumerian Hymns
Hymn to Ninurta as God of Vegetation
Hymn to Ninurta as God of Wrath
Hymnal Prayer of Enheduanna: The Adoration of Inanna of Ur
The King of the Road: A Self-Laudatory Shulgi Hymn
An Akkadian Hymn
Hymn to Ishtar
XV. Didactic and Wisdom Literature
Egyptian Instructions
The Instruction of the Vizier Ptah-hotep
The Instruction of Amen-em-Opet
Sumerian Didactic and Wisdom Literature
Man and His God: A Sumerian Variation of the “Job” Motif
Proverbs from Mesopotamia
Akkadian Didactic and Wisdom Literature
Observations on Life: A Pessimistic Dialogue between Master and Servant
An Akkadian Fable
Counsels of Wisdom
Ludlul Bel Nemeqi, “I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom”
The Babylonian Theodicy
Aramaic Proverbs and Precepts
The Words of Ahiqar
XVI. Oracles and Prophecies
The Egyptian Prophecy of Nefer-rohu
Akkadian Oracles and Prophecies
Divine Revelations in Letters from Mari and Ashur
Oracles concerning Esarhaddon
A Letter to Ashurbanipal
An Oracular Dream concerning Ashurbanipal
Prophecies
XVII. Love Poetry
Egyptian Love Songs
Sumerian Love Poetry
Dumuzi and Inanna: Love in the Gipar
Dumuzi and Inanna: The Ecstasy of Love
Inanna and the King: Blessing on the Wedding Night
“The Honey-man”: Love-song to a King
“Set Me Free, My Sister”: The Sated Lover
XVIII. Other Literary Texts
An Egyptian Poem
In Praise of the City Ramses
Sumerian Literature
The Curse of Agade: The Ekur Avenged
Ua-aua: A Sumerian Lullaby
XIX. Letters
Akkadian Letters
The Mari Letters
The Amarna Letters
The Substitute King
A Happy Reign
A Royal Decree of Equity
A Letter to a God
Punishment by Fire
Treaties and Coalitions
“The God of My Father”
A Loan between Gentlemen
A Boy to His Mother
Aramaic Letters
Letters of the Jews in Elephantine
Assignment to a New Lessor of Land Abandoned in the Egyptian Rebellion of 410 b.c.
Illustration Credits
Index to Biblical References
Index
Plates
Map
