Customer Reviews

The Cultic Calendars of the Ancient Near East

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I greatly enjoyed reading Prof. Cohen's book. It is certainly technical and of special interest to students of the ancient near east, but it is also quite lucid and accessible. The author has mastered and explained an immense amount of information about ancient religion and sacred times. This is an interesting way to learn about religious practices in ancient Mesopotamia and Palestine.

This book is a fascinating study of the calendars of ancient Mesopotamia, from the third millennium B.C. to the first millennium B.C. Each section begins with a synopsis of what is known about the calendar from that place and time (e.g. Nippur's calendar versus Ur's), and then launches into a month-by-month list of the festivals associated with that month (complete with the known name of the month). The final chapter focuses of festival themes, and is of general interest.

This is a fascinating book, containing a wealth of information that I didn't realize was available. Sadly, the book is written in a somewhat dry and academic tone, which means that it is not good bedtime reading. That said, though, this book offers a fascinating look into the Mesopotamian's view of the year, and what it offered to them. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the daily life in ancient Mesopotamia.