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Divination and Interpretation of Signs in the Ancient World

edited by Amar Annus

The concept of sign, a portent observed in the physical world, which indicates future events, is found in all ancient cultures, but was first developed in ancient Mesopotamian texts. This branch of Babylonian scientific knowledge extensively influenced other parts of the world, and similar texts written in Aramaic, Sanscrit, Sogdian, and other languages. The seminar will investigate how much do we know about the Babylonian theory and hermeneutics of omens, and the scope of their possible influences on other cultures and regions. 388p (Oriental Institute Publications 2010)

Review Quote

"Individually, the articles make exciting contributions to scholarship, both in terms of their content and also on account of their relative accessibility for non-Near Eastern scholars. Any scholar of divination – and ancient divination in particular –, who would like to know about Near-Eastern thought and practice, should have this book on his shelf."

Kim Beerden, Leiden University
Brywn Mawr Classical Review (2011.01.32)

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