Gods in the Desert: Religions of the Ancient Near East
Abstract
Gods in the Desert explores the fascinating religious cultures of the ancient Near East. From the mysterious pyramids, tombs, and temples of Egypt to the powerful heroes, gods, and legends of Mesopotamia, Glenn Holland guides readers through the early religions that are the root of many of today's major faiths. Holland compares the religions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria-Palestine, including Israel and Judah, from the Neolithic era through the conquest of Alexander the Great. He provides a historical survey of each region, then discusses the gods, the rulers, the afterlife, and the worship rituals. This accessible overview makes clear how these religions converged and diverged, and are intimately connected to many of the religions we recognize today, sometimes in surprising ways.
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When the living read aloud the deceased's names, their names were filled with breath or spirit and to that extent lived again.
“First, when the living read aloud the deceased’s names, their names were “filled with breath or spirit, and to that extent [they] ‘lived’ again” (Holland 2009, p. 58).”
From Killing Pharaohs in Exodus: The Anonymity of the Egyptian Kings, the Deconstruction of Their Individuality, and the Egyptian Practice of Damnatio Memoriae (2023) · cites this paper as Holland 2009
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- Authors
- Holland, G. S.
- Corresponding author
- Holland, Glenn S.
- Venue
- Rowman & Littlefield Publishers eBooks
- Publisher
- Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
- Published
- 2009
- OpenAlex
- W7131798990
- Cited by
- 3
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Rowman & Littlefield Publishers eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Ancient Near East History
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Biblical Studies and Interpretation
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Ancient Egypt and Archaeology
- Keywords
- ancient Near Eastern religion, ancient Egyptian religion, Mesopotamian religion, Israelite religion, Judahite religion, Syria-Palestine, afterlife beliefs, religious rituals, Alexander the Great
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