At the Origins of Monotheism: A Socio-economic Confrontation in Ancient Syro Mesoptamia
Bunche Hall 2209A 11282 Portola Plaza, Los AngelesWhat is known as monotheism may be seen, in it earliest manifestation, in the light of an epistemic confrontation of the biblical tradition with the system of knowledge that had developed in the great cities of Mesopotamia. The paper presents a view that is at variance with the communis opinio, both in terms of...
Grupo Madera: 20th Century Afro-Venezuelan Religiosity, Rhythms, and Resistance
Kaplan 365Grupo Madera (Wood Group) was founded in 1977 in San Agustín del Sur – an Afro-Venezuelan working-class barrio – by Afro-Venezuelan youth committed to Third World liberation struggles, global Pan-Africanism, and Black consciousness. As a traditional Afro-Venezuelan musical ensemble and community organization, Grupo Madera responded to the people’s calls for economic justice and political...
A Royal Osirian Funerary Rite? The Awakening of Osiris Ritual in Tutankhamun’s Tomb
Kaplan 365Over 100 years after its discovery, the tomb of Tutankhamun continues to be the focus of numerous Egyptological studies and scholarly research. Due to Howard Carter’s meticulous documentation of the tomb, it’s possible to continue to “excavate” the tomb and make new discoveries about ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, kingship ideology, and funerary practices, including...
“Abba has begun to make money from the beer business”: Beer, Business, and Halakhah in Rabbinic Literature (Bible and the Ancient World series)
314 Royce HallPresented by: Professor Jordan D. Rosenblum of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Where Was Adam Buried? Textual Communities and the Changing Location of a Sacred Site
Kaplan 365Because neither the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, nor Qur’ān specify the place of Adam’s burial, its location became an object of contention over the ages among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The oldest Jewish traditions locate Adam’s tomb in the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron, thereby associating Adam with the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs buried...
Mark of Contradictions: The Creation of Judah’s History and the Case of Samson (Bible and the Ancient World series)
314 Royce HallPresented by: Professor Mahri Leonard-Fleckman of College of the Holy Cross