Purity and the forming of religious traditions in the ancient Mediterranean world and ancient Judaism / / edited by Christian Frevel and Christophe Nihan.

• Superior document: Dynamics in the history of religions, 1878-8106 ; v. 3
• TeilnehmendeR: Frevel, Christian, 1962-; Nihan, Christophe, 1972-
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, Boston : : Brill,, 2013.
• Year of Publication: 2012; 2013
• Language: English
• Series: Dynamics in the History of Religions 3.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (617 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

Purity is a cultural construct that had a central role in the forming and the development of religious traditions in the ancient Mediterranean. This volume analyzes concepts, practices and images associated with purity in the main cultures of Antiquity, and discusses from a comparative perspective their parallel developments and transformations. The perspective adopted is both synchronic and diachronic; the comparative approach takes into account points of contact and mutual influences, but also includes major transcultural trends. A number of renowned specialists contribute a large variety of perspectives and approaches, combining archaeology, epigraphy and social history; in addition, particular attention is given to concepts of purity in ancient Israel and early Judaism as a ‘test-case’ of sorts. Through its extensive coverage, the volume contributes decisively to the present discussion about the forming of religious traditions in the ancient Mediterranean world.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material -- Introduction / Christian Frevel and Christophe Nihan -- Purity in Ancient Mesopotamia: The Paleo-Babylonian and Neo-Assyrian Periods / Michaël Guichard and Lionel Marti -- Conceptions of Purity in Egyptian Religion / Joachim Friedrich Quack -- Concepts of Purity in Anatolian Religions / Manfred Hutter -- Aspects of Purity in the Phoenician World / Hans-Peter Mathys -- Purity and Pollution in Ancient Zoroastrianism / Albert F. de Jong -- The Concept of Purity in Greek Sacred Laws / Noel Robertson -- Concepts of Purity in Ancient Greece, with Particular Emphasis on Sacred Sites / Linda-Marie Günther -- Greek and Comparatist Reflexions on Food Prohibitions / Philippe Borgeaud -- Sacral Purity and Social Order in Ancient Rome / Bernhard Linke -- Forms and Functions of Purity in Leviticus / Christophe Nihan -- Purity Conceptions in the Book of Numbers in Context / Christian Frevel -- Purity Conceptions in Deuteronomy / Udo Rüterswörden -- The System of Holiness in Ezekiel’s Vision of the New Temple (Ezek 40–48) / Michael Konkel -- The Relevance of Purity in Second Temple Judaism according to Ezra-Nehemiah / Benedikt Rausche -- Purity Concepts in Jewish Traditions of the Hellenistic Period / Beate Ego -- The Evolution of Purity at Qumran / Ian Werrett -- Purity Conceptions in the Dead Sea Scrolls: ‘Ritual-Physical’ and ‘Moral’ Purity in a Diachronic Perspective / Gudrun Holtz -- Pure Stone: Archaeological Evidence for Jewish Purity Practices in Late Second Temple Judaism (Miqwa’ot and Stone Vessels) / Jürgen K. Zangenberg -- Index of Modern Authors -- Index of Sources -- Index of Subjects and Terms.