Origins : : the ancient Near Eastern background of some modern western institutions / / by William W. Hallo.

• Superior document: Studies in the history and culture of the ancient Near East ; 6
• VerfasserIn: Hallo, William W.,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, New York : : E. J. BRILL,, 1996.
• Year of Publication: 1996
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in the history and culture of the ancient Near East ; 6.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (xvii, 362 pages).

In the exploration of the 'first half of history', William W. Hallo shows that modern ideas of urbanism and the formation of capitals were first developed between 5000-300 BC and that aspects of twentieth-century agriculture, manufacturing and trade go back to ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and Israel. Special attention is given to the role played by women, arguing that this was an often non-traditional one; for example, women are shown to have been among the first authors in history who are actually known by their names. The scope of the work is vast: Hallo methodically examines a wide range of topics, from the order of the alphabet to the coronation of kings, and from schooling to the calendar. An intriguing touch is provided by sections on games and on the world's oldest cookbooks.

Table of Contents

I. The Essentials of Civilization -- II. The Secondary Aspects of Civilization -- III. The Refinements of Civilization -- IV. The Calendar -- V. Literature -- VI. Kingship -- VII. Religion -- VIII. Women -- IX. Appendix: The First Half of History -- X. Conclusion: The Legacy of the Ancient Near East.