History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (Penguin Classics)

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Excellent Way to Find Out About Jewish Culture/Practices of That Time
Like reading King James Version of the Bible
The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls In English
Rifts In Interpretation
Literary Armageddon

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (Penguin Classics)

Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
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ASIN: 0140449523
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Amazon.com

It's been 50 years since a Bedouin youth named Muhammed edh-Dhub went looking for a stray sheep and instead found the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the intervening decades, the scrolls have been enveloped in a storm of controversy and bitter conflict: the scholars entrusted with translating and editing the texts sat on many of them instead, creating suspicions that escalated to conspiracy theories about supposed cover-ups of sensitive, even damaging material. Geza Vermes, a former professor of Jewish studies at Oxford and a noted authority on the scrolls, marks the 50th anniversary of Muhammed edh-Dhub's find with his book The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English; the title, however, is misleading, for the collection of documents is by no means complete.

Vermes has left out the copies of Hebrew scriptures that are available elsewhere, instead focusing on the sectarian writings of the Essene community at Qumran and the intertestemental texts, and these are indeed complete translations. Vermes has also included an overview of five decades of research on the scrolls and a thumbnail sketch of the Qumran community's history and religion. For anyone interested in biblical history, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English is a worthwhile read.

Book Description

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Judean desert between 1947 and 1956 was one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time. Hidden in the caves at Qumran by the Essenes, a Jewish sect in existence before and during the time of Jesus, the Scrolls have transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, and the origins of Christianity. This fully revised edition of the classic English translation by Geza Vermes, the worldÂ's leading scholar on the subject, offers an astonishing look into the organization, customs, and beliefs of the community at Qumran. Enhanced by much previously unpublished material and a new preface, this will remain the authoritative translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Way to Find Out About Jewish Culture/Practices of That Time.......2007-02-11

I do not usually write reviews, but going through this book answered a lot of questions for me and I thought it might be helpful for other strictly lay people like me to know how much I have liked reading through different sections of it.

Though I had a complete, rather progressive, Jewish education as a child, what is in the Dead Sea Scrolls was not really covered. As it is fragments of different scrolls, I do not know if it can be called a history - but it is historical - and I enjoyed reading about the civilization and their rules/practices of living - both religious and secular.

Especially with many of the religious discussions heard these days of the Messiah -- the Messianic statements - i.e. The Messianic Rule, The War Scroll, The War Scroll from Cave 4, The Book of War, A Messianic Apocalypse -- are very useful in bringing into focus a real Jewish perspective of that time of what was expected for the coming of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God -- and the Covenant with God.

I really enjoyed the introductions and explanations by Geza Vermes.

Like reading King James Version of the Bible.......2006-12-06

This is an outstanding translation. But you should know that it's written in the language of the King James Version with Thou's, Thee's and Thy's. That make it a little less meaningful for me personally.

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls In English.......2006-07-15

Unfortunately I have not had the time to really read through this book, but I needed it for a 2-week early Judaism course. What I have been able to read has been beneficial to my education regarding the history of the Jewish people and Jewish religion.

Rifts In Interpretation.......2006-02-27

Dissertations that devote themselves almost wholly and completely to discussing the Nag Hammadi and Gnostic Gospels, or the New Testament should probably be dismissed out of hand, as they are only marginally related to the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead Sea Scrolls have nothing in common with any Gospels or New Testament works, except that the DSS are antecedent to them. The Gospels were to the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible what New Age is to Quantum Physics. The Dead Sea Scrolls ended very close in time to when the first Gospels or New Testament works began to appear. Perhaps Jesus knew or visited the Essenes; perhaps He was a card carrying member. He certainly was a contemporary to Qumran's final few decades, minus about 30 years. But, the Essenes were not Christians.There are a good many DSS fragments that are antagonistic to men who proclaimed themselves to be the Sons of God, as it was conservative Jewish thinking then, and remains so today. Also, Vermes does not make any connection whatsoever between the Teacher of Righteousness, a completely different personality who lived somewhere earlier than about 130 B.C.E., to Jesus. Reviews that go on at length about that so-called connection are an indication that the reviewer has not read "The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls In English".

As I read more cross sections of the popular works, I come to appreciate the differences in interpretations between scholars. I see there is serious distance between the interpretations of Geza Vermes and Robert Eisenman. The interpretation of 4Q448 is a major source of contention between the two scholars.

In another book, "The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered", Robert Eisenman and Michael Wise use their interpretation of 4Q448 as evidence, even proof, that the origins of the Qumran community were not Essene. Eisenman labels 4Q448 "Paean For King Jonathan (Alexander Jannaeus - 4Q448)" Eisenman says, "This clearly disproves the Essene theory of Qumran origins at least as classically conceived." The reason given is that the so-called "King Jonathan" was the very same "Wicked Priest" refered to in the pre-Christian era scrolls. This belief is mirrored in yet another popular book, "The Dead Sea Scrolls", which is again co-edited by Michael Wise (Wise, Abegg, Cook), and calls the piece "In Praise of King Jonathan". So you see, a single DSS fragment has already been interpreted slightly differently in three different popular publications. I'm sure the Florentino Garcia-Martinez book may fall into either of these camps, I shall have to look for it. I enjoy all of these lay publications, and find that sampling from all of them enriches my cumulative understanding of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Incidentally, the Eisenman/Wise and Wise/Abegg/Cook books tend to expostulate connections or continuity with the New Testament, but those connections are tenuous, and as Vermes points out in this book, controverted by the greater body of evidence that the Essenes eschewed any man who claimed to be the Son of God. There is, by the way, a DSS fragment called by Wise/Abegg/Cook "A Vision of the Son of God" (4Q246).

By sharp contrast to the Eisenman/Wise publications, Vermes thinks that the King Jonathan to whom this very brief and singular fragment refers is Jonathan Maccabeus, and other interpretors are only incorrectly assuming it is a reference to Alexander Jannaeus. Vermes labels the fragment "Poetic Fragments on Jerusalem and 'King Jonathan'". Vermes identifies the poem with Jonathan Maccabeus "at the start of his political-military career, when he was celebrated as the liberator of the Jews and of Jerusalem, and link this text to the statement of the Habakkuk Commentary in viii, 8-9, concerning the good behavior, 'when he first arose' of the ruler who was to become the Wicked Priest."

Both of my own references here are taken from the 2004 editions of each of these books, "The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered" (Eisenman/Wise), and "The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls In English" (Vermes), respectively. I am not knowledgeable enough on the subject to say who is right. I prefer the Essene theory, based on Occam's Razor. It is simple, well fortified with obvious and abounding supportive provenance, and the converse theory (Qumran was other than Essene) is a bit stretched and fringe, even 'New Age', it seems to me. It is interesting that in the Eisenman/Wise book, there is no bibliographic or index reference to the Vermes' book. It's as if Eisenman/Wise are totally ignoring Vermes's work on the subject. How catty! How petty! They completely ignore the work of a major scholar, with a great many publications on Dead Sea Scrolls interpretations? Ah, well...On the other hand, Vermes makes "generous" direct references to the Eisenman/Wise book, as well as directly controverting the Eisenman reference square-on as insubstantial. It's as if Vermes is saying, "I'll show you! I'll take the high road, and I will mention your book, no matter how wrong you guys may be, in my own book." A couple of months ago, I would not have known the difference between the two editors' points of view. If you keep pecking away at the subject, you're bound to improve your quality of understanding. I'm glad I am at a point where I can start to recognize differences between the different scholars, all based on my own independant studies.

Literary Armageddon.......2004-09-18

Nearly all knowledgeable Biblical scholars realize there have been a wide range of writings attributed to Jesus and his Apostles..... and that some of these were selected for compilation into the book that became known as the Bible.....and that some books have been removed from some versions of the Bible and others have been re-discovered in modern times.

The attention focused on Gnosticism by Dan Brown's DaVinci Code may be debatable, but the fact is that increased attention on academics tends to be predominately positive, so I welcome those with first-time or renewed interest. At least first-timers to Gnosticism are not pursuing the oh-so-popular legends of the Holy Grail, Bloodline of Christ, and Mary Magdalene.

This is great......I seldom quote other reviewers, but there is one reviewer of Pagels' books who confided that he had been a Jesuit candidate and had been required to study a wide range of texts but was never was told about the Nag Hamadi texts. He said:

"Now I know why. The Gospel of Thomas lays waste to the notion that Jesus was `the only begotten Son of God' and obviates the need for a formalized church when he says, `When your leaders tell you that God is in heaven, say rather, God is within you, and without you.' No wonder they suppressed this stuff! The Roman Catholic Church hasn't maintained itself as the oldest institution in the world by allowing individuals to have a clear channel to see the divinity within all of us: they need to put God in a bottle, label the bottle, put that bottle on an altar, build a church around that altar, put a sign over the door, and create rubricks and rituals to keep out the dis-believing riff-raff. Real `Us' versus `them' stuff, the polar opposite from `God is within You.' `My God is bigger than your God' the church(s)seem to say. And you can only get there through "my" door/denomination. But Jesus according to Thomas had it right: just keep it simple, and discover the indwelling Divinity `within you and without you.'"

Here are quickie reviews of what is being bought these days on the Gnostic Gospels and the lost books of the Bible in general:

The Lost Books of the Bible (0517277956) includes 26 apocryphal books from the first 400 years that were not included in the New Testament.

Marvin Meyers' The Secret Teachings of Jesus : Four Gnostic Gospels (0394744330 ) is a new translation without commentary of The Secret Book of James, The Gospel of Thomas, The Book of Thomas, and The Secret Book of John.

James M. Robinson's The Nag Hammadi Library in English : Revised Edition (0060669357) has been around 25 years now and is in 2nd edition. It has introductions to each of the 13 Nag Hammadi Codices and the Papyrus Berioinensis 8502.

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (0140278079) by Geza Vermes has selected works....a complete work is more difficult to achieve than the publisher's marketing concept indicates. His commentary generates strong reactions.

Elaine Pagels has 2 books (The Gnostic Gospels 0679724532 and Beyond Belief : The Secret Gospel of Thomas 0375501568) that have received considerable attention lately. For many, her work is controversial in that it is written for popular consumption and there is a strong modern interpretation. She does attempt to reinterpret ancient gender relationships in the light of modern feminist thinking. While this is a useful (and entertaining) aspect of college women's studies programs, it is not as unethical as some critics claim. As hard as they may try, all historians interpret the past in the context of the present. Obviously there is value in our attempts to re-interpret the past in the light of our own time.

If you want the full scholarly work it is W. Schneemelcher's 2 volume New Testament Apocrypha.

The Ancient Near East: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures

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A useful compendium of original source material
A useful compendium of original source material
A Stimulating Resource
Indispensible Guide
Just a little bit boring

The Ancient Near East: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures

Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691002002

Book Description

This volume makes available some of the most important discovered source material for the historian of the ancient Near East.

Customer Reviews:

A useful compendium of original source material.......2004-10-01

I obtained this volume of translations of Ancient Near Eastern texts and pictures along with its companion Volume I - An Anthology of Texts and Pictures which was first published in 1958. This volume, which was published in 1975, includes translations of more recently discovered material selected from the 1969 anthology of Supplementary Texts and Pictures Relating to the Old Testament.

This volume contains 72 texts and about 110 black and white photographs of artefacts from various and states and cities of Ancient Near East. The documents include myths, laws, treaties, inscriptions, hymns, letters, wisdom literature etc, from Egypt, and from the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and later periods of Mesopotamia.

The format is similar to that of Volume I with cross references to the ANET text number. Translations have been made by 13 eminent scholars, most of whom have provided some explanation of the content and meaning of the texts they have translated. In general, however, there are fewer notes than in Volume I, and no cross references to illustration number or to any biblical passages.

I found the translations to be generally quite readable, but, in the same way as for Volume I, they definitely had to be read with full care and concentration to understand them, and some, being somewhat fragmentary, are rather more difficult to follow than others. In reading the texts, I was, of course completely dependent upon the translations and the interpretations of the scholars themselves. In particular, I found the comments and notes by Professor S N Kramer on the various Sumerian Texts to be most helpful.

I am happy to have read this book and its companion, because they have given me some direct insight into the cultures of the Ancient Near East. Whether it is better to obtain the larger parent anthologies is, I think, a matter of whether you are prepared over US$250 for the latest editions of these two volumes ( ISBN 0691035032 for the texts, and ISBN 0691035024 for the pictures). But if these smaller volumes are anything to go by, then they are probably worth it.

I didn't want to spend that much on this subject at this stage of my studies. So for the moment, I have decided to be selective about next set of texts to read, and as a next step, will be studying Volume II and III of Miriam Lichtheim's translations of Egyptian texts, and William L Moran's translations of the Amarna Letters.

A useful compendium of original source material.......2004-10-01

I bought this book along with its companion: Volume II - A New Anthology of Texts and Pictures, because it was time for me to see for myself what the the original sources had to say about the Ancient Near East.

This volume, which first was published in 1958 contains over 70 ancient texts and about 280 black and white photographs of artefacts from the Ancient Near East. The ancient documents include those from Mesoptamia, Egypt, Canaan, Israel, Assyria from the period about 2500BCE to about 500BCE. The editor states that the selection of texts was made from the point of view of relevance to the biblical Old Testament, having been taken from the original larger anthologies of texts (ANET) and pictures (ANEP) which were originally published in 1955 and 1954 respectively.

The texts themselves have cross references to the original text number, the relevant illustration number, and the specific biblical passages where there seems to be some point of contact, The translations were made by 11 eminent scholars, all of whom have provided an explanation of the content and meaning of the texts which they have translated, as well as providing useful notes on aspects of the text which might require clarification

I found the translations to be generally quite readable, but they definitely had to be read with full care and concentration to understand them. Some, being somewhat fragmentary, are rather more difficult to follow than others. In reading the texts, I was, of course completely dependent upon the translations and the interpretations of the scholars themselves, but at least I am now starting to have a fuller understanding of the cultures of the Ancient Near East.

3 of the 18 Egyptian texts in the book were included in Miriam Lichtheim's Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume 1: The Old and Middle Kingdoms, and I noticed that the translations in this book had been somewhat shortened. Except for a difference in style, however, I did not notice any significant differences and found it very interesting to compare the two translations.

All in all, I am very happy to have read this book, which will probably serve me as a useful reference from now on. As so much work has been done on ancient text translations in the 35 years since the two parent volumes were published, and the price of these full anthologies was in excess of US$250, I am glad I chose to buy the shortened versions. That is not to say that I won't buy them sometime in the future, but in the meantime, I want to be selective about the next set of texts to read, and have decided, as a next step, to read Volume II and III of Miriam Lichtheim's translations of Egyptian texts, and William L Moran's translations of the Amarna Letters

A Stimulating Resource.......2002-10-19

Volume II or "The Ancient Near East" is a good companion to Volume I, containing mythic, legal, and monumental information from the Middle East Bronze and Iron Ages. It really puts you back there to read actual letters and contracts, or to see the developments in poetic, narrative and visual arts. The only real problem is the lack of consistent dating infomation, particularly for the artwork. It makes it difficult to form a conceptual picture if things are presented in what appears to be a random order.

Indispensible Guide.......2002-04-08

Absolutely recommended for anyone who is interested in studying the culture and writings of the ancients in the near east. Many documents are translated and there is a gallery of photographs of items and what they are/signify. Some of the language used in translation is a tiny bit dated (the occassional thee and thou and so forth) but that doesn't diminish an excellent resource.

Just a little bit boring.......2002-01-06

I love ancient history and found the book interesting, but just a little bit stale.

The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts

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Archaeology and Biblical Criticism
If bible is a God's work, then God is a liar
Very interesting book about recent archaeological findings in Israel
A Guide for the Perplexed
Ideological archaeology

The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts
Neil Asher Silberman , and Israel Finkelstein
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684869136

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The Bible Unearthed is a balanced, thoughtful, bold reconsideration of the historical period that produced the Hebrew Bible. The headline news in this book is easy to pick out: there is no evidence for the existence of Abraham, or any of the Patriarchs; ditto for Moses and the Exodus; and the same goes for the whole period of Judges and the united monarchy of David and Solomon. In fact, the authors argue that it is impossible to say much of anything about ancient Israel until the seventh century B.C., around the time of the reign of King Josiah. In that period, "the narrative of the Bible was uniquely suited to further the religious reform and territorial ambitions of Judah." Yet the authors deny that their arguments should be construed as compromising the Bible's power. Only in the 18th century--"when the Hebrew Bible began to be dissected and studied in isolation from its powerful function in community life"--did readers begin to view the Bible as a source of empirically verifiable history. For most of its life, the Bible has been what Finkelstein and Silberman reveal it once more to be: an eloquent expression of "the deeply rooted sense of shared origins, experiences, and destiny that every human community needs in order to survive," written in such a way as to encompass "the men, women, and children, the rich, the poor, and the destitute of an entire community." --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible -- the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua's conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon's vast empire -- reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts.

Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today.

Customer Reviews:

Archaeology and Biblical Criticism.......2007-10-08

The Bible Unearthed attempts to provide a historical and archaeological context for the stories contained in the Hebrew Bible (especially the books comprising the Deuteronomistic history). This book is divided into three parts. The first part discusses the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) up to David and Solomon; the second part discusses the kingdom of Israel (the northern kingdom) from inception to Assyrian destruction while the third part deals with Judah (the southern kingdom) from King Rehoboam through the return from Babylonian exile.

The authors attempt to relate both the content and the style of writing in the Hebrew Bible with the various political and social issues surrounding early Israel (particularly focusing on Josiah's reign as king of Judah in 639 BCE). Various scriptural passages are compared with archaeological evidence and the authors give their opinions on likely historical scenarios. While these opinions regarding realistic scenarios do not always coincide with the scriptural version of events, the authors do try to provide a historical backdrop for the scriptural accounts and try to grasp the underlying message of the scriptures without holding them to exact historical accuracy.

I enjoyed the archaeological perspective that this book provides. I also enjoyed reading about the proceedings of Israel's neighboring countries throughout the time period discussed in the book, especially with respect to the various empires (mainly the Egyptian, Assyrian and Babylonian empires). I would recommend this book to those interested in an archaeological perspective on biblical criticism. I would also recommend Richard Friedman's Who Wrote the Bible? (which the authors cite) for those who are interested in more of a textual analysis of the Hebrew Bible (Friedman's book deals mainly with the compilation of the Torah although some of the Deuteronomistic history is covered as well).

If bible is a God's work, then God is a liar.......2007-07-09

I read this book, translated to the portuguese, here in Brazil.This book shows you some trues, with large amounts of proofs.Bible hadn't nothing writen by Moses or Abraham.This was a believe by a french catholic priest, in XVIII Century, but this book shows you the proofs.Well, if God wrote the bible, then God likes to lie too much.
I'm a catholic, but this book is for everyone, from atheists to biblical fundamentalists.

Very interesting book about recent archaeological findings in Israel.......2007-05-16

A very interesting book about recent archaeological discoveries in Israel and how they contrast with the stories laid out in the Hebrew Bible. To put it mildly, the latest findings shows much of what is in the Bible to be pure myth. To wit: 1) there is no archaeological evidence for the existence of Abraham or the patriarchs. What's more, much of the description of the land laid out on Genesis (e.g., domesticated camels, trade in exotic goods) corresponds to much later periods in time, 2) the exodus never happened. There is zero archaeological record of the Hebrews living in Egypt at the time, 2) there was no invasion of Canaan. The Hebrews were probably natives of that zone, dedicated to a pastoral existence, who slowly started settling down in villages, 3) David and Solomon might have existed, but in any case they were leaders of small tribal communes, and in no way the powerful kings the Hebrew Bible describes, 4) Much of the Bible was probably written during the kingdom of Josiah (seventh century b.c.), as an ideological project whose goal of cementing monotheism was seen as instrumental in creating a national identity that would serve the king in the attempt of resisting foreign occupiers. There is much more, and authors Finkelstein and Silberman write in a very elegant way. This is also, I think, a very courageous book, since the debunking of the Bible myths would upset not only religious people (not just Jews, but Christians and Muslims as well, who have used extensively the myths of the ancient Hebrews in their religious texts) but secular Zionists as well, who know that the mythological past of the Jews still comprises much of the heart of the national identity of the Israelis. A small criticism: I feel the authors put too much emphasis on Josiah, and a particular passage in the book of Kings, describing the "finding" of an ancient text in the temple. In doing so, they reject the possibility that parts of the Bible were written before that time, which I think it's more probable.

A Guide for the Perplexed.......2007-05-14

Traditional scholarly and homiletical approaches to the Hebrew scriptures have often seemed contradictory, or at best somewhat schizophrenic. Many Christians, especially preachers, use the material addressed by Finkelstein and Silberman as a combination of history and didactic pronouncements from the divine throne. Many, if not most, scholars approach the same material from a more literary standpoint. They attempt to discern the various layers of writing and editing that produced the Pentateuch, the books of the kings, the chronicles, and certain other texts. Thus we are introduced to the notion that various writers contributed various strands to the narratives that are central to the Hebrew Bible.

The usefulness of the first approach has largely been normative: Christian preachers, especially evangelicals and pentecostals, declare that these stories reveal God's expectations of a righteous people. The usefulness of the second approach is that it opens the door to honesty in evaluating the documents. The genius of Finkelstein and Silberman's work is that they show how both approaches combined in the original production of these valued scriptures. F and S understand that the Bible is always used as a political and pastoral document. Preachers/pastors routinely use it in this way. It can provide unity to the faith community and comfort to those perplexed and afflicted by life. As recent American history has shown, it is maddeningly easy to fall into the same kind of apostasy decried by the original writers of the Hebrew Bible--using God's purported word to serve less-than-noble ends. F and S want us to appreciate the political and pastoral genius of, as they contend, the seventh-century BCE Judahite community that produced the scriptures for the same ends for which they are often used today. Their insistence on evaluating every claim against the plumb line of archaeology is a necessary corrective against the distortion of the documents in any age.

I see no greater relevance than in assessing the current situation in the very lands F and S discuss. Israel's claims to primacy in the Holy Land are not borne out by the Biblical record, but neither are the Palestinians'. Further, Christian claims that the Hebrew Bible contains the inerrant word of God cannot be sustained by the archaeological evidence, by reference to the history of empires contemporary with the periods discussed in the scriptures, or by simple common sense. Instead, the Hebrew scriptures should be read for what they are: Brilliant literature, produced by a particular community at a particular time in history, with particular goals in mind. Millennia later, we still use them that way.

Ideological archaeology.......2007-04-25

To quote from an extensive review in the Denver Jounal:

"This book must be used with caution because it pretends to describe what we now really know about archaeology and how it contradicts various biblical claims; however, it does so in a biased and non-objective manner. Contrary opinions in interpreting the new evidence are not discussed, much less given a fair hearing. The book is ideologically driven and should be treated that way by any one who reads it."

Excavating Jesus: Beneath the Stones, Behind the Texts

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A Helpful Contribution, But Beware
Like any book on the subject...
Almost Perfect, but Be Careful of this One
A New Look @ Jesus
A lot of potential unrealized

Excavating Jesus: Beneath the Stones, Behind the Texts
John Dominic Crossan , and Jonathan L. Reed
Manufacturer: HarperSanFrancisco
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060616334

Amazon.com

"Why did Jesus happen when and where he happened?" is the question that drives Excavating Jesus, a collaboration between the leading historical Jesus scholar John Dominic Crossan and noted Galilean archeologist Jonathan Reed. Excavating Jesus is a groundbreaking work of popular biblical scholarship, an extraordinarily mature and accessible integration of textual study with archeological research. "Words talk. Stones talk too. Neither talks from the past without interpretive dialogue with the present. But each demands to be heard in its own way," the authors write. True to this principle, Crossan and Reed consider archaeology and exegesis "as twin independent methods, neither of which is subordinate or submissive to the other." The bulk of the book identifies, analyzes, and integrates what the authors believe to be the "top 10" archeological discoveries pertaining to the life of Jesus (such as the house of the apostle Peter at Capernaum), and the top 10 exegetical discoveries (such as the Dead Sea Scrolls). Their excavation of the most important sites and texts, accompanied by stunning illustrations and photographs, provide perhaps the most precise picture of the world in which Jesus lived. For many readers, this information will also shed light on the central themes of Christianity. For instance, in the first century in Galilee, "the Kingdom" meant the Roman Empire. "When, therefore, Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God, he chose the one expression most calculated to draw Roman attention to what he was doing. Not the 'people' or the 'community' of God, but the 'Kingdom' of God." That's why the Baptism movement of John and the Kingdom movement of Jesus started there and then." --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

Can the stones of ancient Palestine speak to us about the real Jesus and his message? Are there ways to discover the historical Jesus by sifting through the layers of the Gospels and other early texts? In Excavating Jesus Bible expert John Dominic Crossan and Galilean field archaeologist Jonathan L. Reed take an exhilarating look at Jesus and his world from their two different perspectives. While the phenomenal advances in our historical and textual understanding of the origins of Christianity are well known, the equally significant archaeological discoveries are much less familiar. Drawing on evidence from the ten most significant textual discoveries of biblical studies and the ten most significant archaeological digs in the cities and villages of ancient Palestine, Crossan and Reed provide a fuller portrait of Jesus, his teachings, and his followers. Together they bring to life the struggle between Roman power and the people's passionate belief in a just God.

Join Crossan and Reed as they explore sites such as the house of the apostle Peter at Capernaum, a first-century fishing boat from the Sea of Galilee, and the skeleton of a crucified man -- plus textual discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gospel of Thomas. The authors reveal a world where life could end instantly and violently on the whim of a king, a governor, or an ordinary Roman soldier. They show us a people willing to fight, and even die, for the right to live according to their beliefs.

Excavating Jesus includes a full-color insert featuring twelve drawings by Balage Balogh, the best archaeological artist in Israel today, and black-and-white illustrations throughout. These historically accurate recreations of first-century sites reflect the most recent archaeological discoveries, telling us more about the world Jesus, his followers, and his enemies inhabited than we have ever known before. This fresh examination of the world of the Gospels offers readers a unique and fascinating opportunity to examine the evidence and decide for themselves what they believe about the nature of Jesus and his message.

Customer Reviews:

A Helpful Contribution, But Beware.......2007-07-28

Perhaps the most exciting development in western religious thought in the past twenty years has been the rise of what is sometimes termed "a new quest for the historical Jesus." The last one, centered in western Europe and America in the early twentieth century, attempted to use archaeological discoveries to "prove" the historicity of Biblical narratives. Given the times, when the piety that had dominated the last half of the nineteenth century was encountering a rising scientific secularism, this is understandable. As secular universities established departments of religion, the form-critical approach to Biblical texts arose. Now that secularism is firmly in the saddle and, while it puts enormous pressure on established religion, it also offers the opportunity to look at the archaeological and textual records through new glasses. In recent years, John Dominic Crossan, along with Marcus Borg, Walter Wink, and others, has led the effort.

What makes the work of Crossan, et al, compelling is their attempt to understand the cultural, religious, political, economic, and philosophical currents that flowed through the time and place of Jesus. Just as archaeologists need to examine artifacts in situ, they attempt to examine Jesus the same way, to the extent that's possible. Excavating Jesus represents the first attempt I've seen to apply archaeological methodology to the Biblical and extra-Biblical texts. The approach is basically this: What conclusions can we honestly draw from the archaeological evidence, and how do those affect our reading of the texts? The most immediate answer is that, just as archaeologists excavate several layers of a site, we must excavate the layers of the texts. At this, Crossan and his collaborator, Jonathan L. Reed, are mostly successful. They should be. It seems to me nonsensical to assert, as many Christians do, that the Biblical writers produced the texts while God guided their hands. The gospels, the epistles, the noncanonical books like Gospel of Thomas all were produced by and for particular communities in particular places at particular times with particular concerns. While this is faithful to human experience, it doesn't deny that a historical Jesus lies behind the texts. Given what we know of the times, he was a Galilean peasant who lived in a country dominated by Greek cultural forms and Roman imperial power. Crossan and Reed ask: Given that reality, what sort of ministry would Jesus have had? Their answer: He would have been an itinerant preacher who proclaimed the Kingdom of God, in contrast to the kingdom of Rome. It was this that: distinguished him from John the Baptist.....got him killed by the Romans.....meant that none of his followers were similarly killed.

Makes sense to me. Where the rubber hits the road for anyone trying to understand who Jesus is (or was): The witness to his resurrection. C/R take an approach I have never seen before. They argue that when Constantine located the Church of the Holy Sepulcher over the traditional site of Jesus' death and burial in the fourth century C.E. he got it right. (I agree with them. While in the cemetery below the church, I was overcome with the feeling that this was indeed the spot, something that seldom happens to me.) The question is: Why does the resurrection make any difference? The answer: Because Jesus' resurrection is the beginning of the advent of God's reign of justice and peace. This claim, by the way, makes no sense if we use the traditional meaning of apocalypse: An Armageddon-style end of the world. As they use it, apocalypse is merely the advent of God's Kingdom in the here and now. Jesus' resurrection is the opening act in the apocalypse that fascinates Mark, Luke, Daniel, and Revelation, not to mention countless conservative Christians of our own time.

As is true with many novels, the ending is ultimately a letdown. Apocalypse or no apocalypse, God's Kingdom of justice and peace has obviously not come. James-Christians, Peter-Christians, Paul-Christians all argued with each other to such an extent that Christian communities could not even manifest the Kingdom in their life together. No wonder, they say, pagans turned away and Jews headed back to the synagogue.

Well, maybe. While tensions have always existed between Christians, it's easy to understate or overstate those. C/R overstate them, I think, perhaps blinded by their desire to make a statement about the so-called James Ossuary in this second edition. Given the normal arguments that defined first-century Judaism, most Jews would have felt right at home. Aristocratic pagans had no reason to embrace a faith that was gaining adherents from among the lowest classes of Roman society--slaves, women, the poor. Since C/R love to pose questions and attempt to answer them, here's another: What if Jesus' resurrection were a surprise to HIM? By extension, what if God were up to something greater than even Jesus could fully comprehend until after his resurrection? Far from decrying the negative response of most Jews to Christianity, there is textual evidence that suggests that Christianity supplants Judaism in God's dealings with humankind. It does so because Christianity has the ability to transcend Judaism and appeal across cultures and ethnicities. I don't mean to be anti-semitic, because Judaism can and should exist. But Christianity, it can be argued, did what Palestinian Judaism never could: Embrace all kinds of people in that apocalyptic hope and vision. Even with all of its many, many flaws.

Like any book on the subject..........2007-03-06

Like any book on religion, people's views on the message of the test will be based mostly on their prior notions. In Chapter 1, the book says as much when discussing the James ossuary. Crossan and Reed seek to excavate the archaeology and the text of the Gospels. Crossan is a founding member of the Jesus Seminar, so his interpretation of the Gospels is predictably liberal (theologically). He also quotes from the much-debated Gospel of Thomas and other non-canonical sources. The basic thesis is that the Gospels reflect the biases of the authors (the four evangelists as well as the epistles) retrojected onto the life of Jesus and the early church and that some of the events may not have happened exactly the way that they are written about in the Good Book. On that basis alone, you might already have an opinion of what you'll read. I dare not step into the argument of whether this is the proper hermeneutic to use, as that one never seems to end.

Instead, let me focus on the layout of the book. To me, it's more of a 3.5 star book, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt for being on an interesting topic. The content on archaeology itself is pretty good (a little heavy on architecture and light on material culture, but you can't have everything in life). The content on the textual criticism is well-presented and fairly well-argued. The problem is that the authors promised that the two would be synthesized, and they do not deliver. 20 page treatises on ancient architecture in Jerusalem are followed by textual criticism. It's not quite synthesis, but rather the authors alternating turns. Sometimes, it's not clear why a certain piece of architecture was paired with a critique of a certain passage. At times, the text seems to ramble with no specific point. There's enough in here to recommend it as a thought-provoking read, but there's a lot of clutter to cut through.

You'll have to make up your own mind on theological content, but the presentation leaves something to be desired.

Almost Perfect, but Be Careful of this One.......2006-06-16

This book, ironically, is filled with information that verifies the Bible as historical fact despite the authors' sneaky attempt to have Jesus appear as just a wise and controversial man (see page 228 where they claim the ressurrection was a myth.)

If you blacked out all the anti-ressurrection comments you'd have a book that supports the Bible as entirely factual (unless I missed something.) It isn't the most attractive book internally (it's not well laid out), and might actually turn saved Christians off to wanting to get to know the Bible better, but for someone with patience you may pull out some new facts as I did, so it is defintely not worthless, but I wouldn't stick it in my personal library even after having blacked out the parts I didn't like.

On a side note, reviewer Readalots claims that there is little evidence to support a synagogue being in Nazereth, but he is wrong because there is a huge amount of indirect evidence (such as the Bible having been shown repeatedly to be historically accurate: see my other reviews, including the one on Noah's Flood.)

A New Look @ Jesus.......2006-05-31

Crossan and Reed (C & R) bring an interesting and unusual study with "Excavating Jesus" (2001 paperback). The subtitle of the book suggests that the authors will attempt to search for Jesus "beneath the stones and behind the texts". Their methodology focuses around their so-called "top ten" archaeological discoveries (page 2) and "top ten" exegetical discoveries (page 7). The book's 330 pages are dedicated to reviewing these findings to the authors' well-sourced (by scientific notation method which offers the source in the text face) satisfactions.

Beginning the book by considering the 2002 introduction of the "James ossuary" (with its controversial inscription "James the son of Joseph the brother of Jesus"), the authors declare the small bone box authentic (page 25). The following chapters direct readers to extensive archaeological findings and a general rethinking of the biblical witness at some key points. For example, no Nazareth synagogues existed, they say, during Jesus' life time thus bringing Luke 4:16-30 into question (page 59-63). C & R decide on the evidence before them that the virgin birth means St. Mary maintained virginity only until after Jesus' birth (page 87). These authors are challenging, but not always convincing, in their presentations.

C & R's review of 1st century Capernaum is helpful to their study (pages 119 to 135), but the purpose for their comprehensive examination of Caesarea Maritima (a city that Jesus is never said to have visited) is unclear. Later, the reader is subjected to considerations of "the villa of an aristocrat" (page146) and "houses of the elites" (page 149)- places where Jesus never went. Although such discussion is enlightening one wonders what it has to do with the book's topic. The authors bring a formidable study of Jesus' life and ministry among the poor and socially out cast (page 150 to 160). C & R's suggestion that "Jesus created a Kingdom franchise" is fresh and provocative (page 161).

"Excavating Jesus" offers a multitude of maps, colored photographs, drawings, and a handy archaeological sources section (near the back of the book). The writing style is somewhat technical. The authors assume a certain academic learning level. This book ought to be read with a copy of the Bible in hand (for example, the Paul vs. James controversy, on page 40- 41, should be thoroughly understood from the Scriptural source before attempting to comprehend C & R's potentially controversial position). The book's seven chapters average over 40 pages each. It is not a quick read.

By the book's conclusion the authors seemed more archaeological than exegetical. They simply raise more questions than they answer. (It could be argued, with some accuracy, that this book is an archaeological text with a Jesus title.) Perhaps that's the purpose for compelling history. C & R are often fascinating, sometime unconvincing, but always stimulating. They challenge conventional wisdom to renew itself by reviewing the archaeological and exegetical sources. This is a good read for a new generation of biblical scholars and those willing to test former learning.

A lot of potential unrealized.......2006-03-10

I read this book for a class on the Greco-Roman world. The book looks very interesting from the outset, attempting to do what is not done very often: combining the efforts of archaeology and Biblical exegesis to gain a more accurate picture of what is happening specifically in the Gospels. They cover what they believe are the ten most important discoveries (or so, they kind of smudge the lines a little bit by combining certain discoveries together, but they're up front about that, so it's ok) of both archaeology and biblical exegesis. Using these examples and many others, they attempt to show what Jesus was about and how his "kingdom movement" compared to that of John the Baptist's as well as the current empire of Rome at the time. They come to some controversial conclusions, but they attempt to back everything with evidence they give.

There are two major problems with Excavating Jesus. One problem is the form of the book. To put it bluntly, it is a poorly written book. In an attempt to put as much information into the book as they can, they tend to get lost in the information and the point they are trying to make is lost within the plethora of evidence and information. If you're looking for a casual read that will not require much effort on the part of the reader, this is not a book to pick up. The reader is required to sift through a lot of information and sometimes guess at what the authors are trying to get at because their point is not stated clearly enough. The chapters are very large, usually around 80 pages, and though each chapter is trying to focus on a specific point, by the time the reader is finished, they are somewhat lost as to what point the authors were trying to make. The thesis of the book itself is not easily discernible. The method is made very clear, but ultimately overshadows what the authors are trying to do. So the important messages that the book is trying to get across are lost in poor writing and direction.

The other major problem with the book is the conclusions. They are not bad because they are controversial; the authors make it a point to try to back everything they present with evidence. What makes the conclusions problematic is that they are all fairly extreme. If there is any room to doubt something, the authors immediately jump to the farthest conclusion. For example, there is little evidence to suggest that there is a synagogue in Nazareth at the time Jesus would have lived there as Luke records. The authors automatically conclude that the events that take place in chapter 4 of Luke didn't happen. That's a fairly extreme jump to make, and there are other plausible explanations that can be made. The book does this quite a bit.

Overall, the book is not good. It's worth reading if one is willing to take the time to sift through the poor writing, but if you're looking for a simple book about how archaeology and exegesis can work together, I would look elsewhere, though the selection is somewhat thin.

One positive aspect of the book is in the discourse of the first chapter about the James Ossuary. This is a fascinating discussion and I think an important on when it comes to good archaeology and exegesis. However, it'd be better to check the book out from a theological library and read that selection rather than purchase the book for that section.

Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition Of The Mayan Book Of The Dawn Of Life And The Glories Of

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Popol Vuh
Popul Vuh Creation Story
Popol Vuh - Myth or Truth ?
Great edition of an essential world text - lots of helps
The Greatest Work of the Americas' Greatest Civilization!

Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition Of The Mayan Book Of The Dawn Of Life And The Glories Of
Dennis Tedlock
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684818450

Book Description

Popol Vuh, the Quiché Mayan book of creation, is not only the most important text in the native languages of the Americas, it is also an extraordinary document of the human imagination. It begins with the deeds of Mayan gods in the darkness of a primeval sea and ends with the radiant splendor of the Mayan lords who founded the Quiché kingdom in the Guatemalan highlands. Originally written in Mayan hieroglyphs, it was transcribed into the Roman alphabet in the sixteenth century.

This new edition of Dennis Tedlock's unabridged, widely praised translation includes new notes and commentary, newly translated passages, newly deciphered hieroglyphs, and over forty new illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Popol Vuh.......2007-09-30

Great Book, using it for class right now, and the teacher loves the book too...

Popul Vuh Creation Story.......2007-06-27

The Popul Vuh is the story of the creation of the world according to the Maya of mesoamerica. Tedlock's new edition has a large appendix that expands on the text of the document with insights into background issues. Good book.
carlos

Popol Vuh - Myth or Truth ?.......2007-03-09

First time i read this book, it was for me like reading the book dedicated to children. I can't understand meaning and story line. So i put it away for a while. I focused on 2012 books mainly afterwhile, it shocks me, how i could been so blind !
Why ? You ask ?
Because as far as i understand well, this english translation of spanish translation of original book describes several "EVENTS". I mean the major ones. It tells us about the "sky events" "god events" (sometimes god means star/sun/planet) and fighting between gods represent tha actual stars/planet/sun position. Describes the daily/weekly/monthly cycles. Tries to explain what is the "Great cycle"
So i took this book again and read it for second time (with all my knowleadge about the ancients) and it is pretty fascinating afterward.
I suggest to read it first time like i did, like normal story, than start to investigate and you will be suprised "What is deep in it".
-keep it readin'-

Great edition of an essential world text - lots of helps.......2005-04-22

The Maya did not divide their everyday lives and religion. In fact, they didn't have a religion in our sense at all. Their everyday lives were bound up in visions, stories of the heavens, earth, past, and future that were not separate from the reality of their everyday experience. This book, the "Popol Vuh" means Council Book. That is, it is a book for the Lords to consult. One of its other titles is "The Light That Came From Beside the Sea". It is a document of the Quiche Maya who lived (and still live) in a portion of what is present day Guatemala.

The "Popol Vuh" tells the essential myth of the ball game and the hero twins. Its story is far too involved and strange to try and explain it in this review. The story explains things about the Sun, Moon, and Venus in their play across the heavens. It prepares the living for what awaits them in Xibalba (the awful place below the earth). And there is constant gratitude for the knowledge of the creation of men from maize and the light of understanding this book brings them. The various sacred places of mountains, caves, and of ritual sacrifice are all here and powerfully expressed.

Dennis Tedlock translated the text into clear and very readable English. However, that is not sufficient for the uninitiated to understand. So, Tedlock provides us with an introductory essay to help us understand the context of these stories. At the back he also provides notes on the text arranged by page number, a glossary of terms (which we desperately need to read the book), a wonderful bibliography for further reading, and an index.

Now, a couple of things to keep in mind when you read this book (and you should). This text has one written source, and it is written in the Mayan language with a Western alphabet. Also, this copy is post Conquest so there is no real way to know how the story was changed or influenced by the Christian stories that were also (forcibly) taught to the Maya, if at all. If you end up believing that this story is an intact retelling of the true Myth without Christian influences, there are some pretty strange and wonderful parallels. If you are uncomfortable with some of the parallels, then you will want to explain them away by claiming corruption by the Christian conquerors. Take your pick. No one really knows.

Terrific edition of an important text that you can really enjoy reading and adding to your understanding of the world and the total range of the human experience.

The Greatest Work of the Americas' Greatest Civilization!.......2005-04-16

I cannot heap enough praises on this book. Bravo!
This book is an English edition of a transliteration into latin letters of the Popul Vuh: the sacred religious and wisdom text of the Maya. It was studied by Mayan leaders, and recited aloud to the people. Everyone knew the stories. In the original books, there were many glosses, anecdotes and images elaborating upon the text; and in this English edition, the author has provided us with just these same sorts of things, including beautiful mysterious Mayan art on nearly every page. I absolutely love Mayan civilization's artwork, architecture, script and it's greatest story; they appeal to me profoundly on a deep aesthetic level. Mayan civilization seemingly had so much mystery and excitement. They even had stadiums where thay watched sporting contests! This book opens up this whole civilization to us and allows us to get intimate with it. And, for those of us living in the Americas, this is the greatest work of literature of our greatest ancient civilization!!! It's human value is inestimable; and it still contains lots of wisdom for us, if we are willing to learn from it. It was the book of kings, and now it is ours!

Letters to the King of Mari: A New Translation, With Historical Introduction, Notes, and Commentary (Mesopotamian Civilizations, 12)

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Letters to the King of Mari: A New Translation, With Historical Introduction, Notes, and Commentary (Mesopotamian Civilizations, 12)
Wolfgang Heimpel
Manufacturer: Eisenbrauns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen: Nature, Knowledge, Imagery in an Ancient Chinese Medical Text

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Worsley Followers Pay Attention ...
Milestone
Lost in the Contradictions of Misunderstanding
We need more scholarly books like this
An important resource on the history of Chinese medicine

Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen: Nature, Knowledge, Imagery in an Ancient Chinese Medical Text
Paul U. Unschuld
Manufacturer: University of California Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0520233220

Book Description

The Huang Di nei jing su wen, known familiarly as the Su wen, is a seminal text of ancient Chinese medicine, yet until now there has been no comprehensive, detailed analysis of its development and contents. At last Paul U. Unschuld offers entry into this still-vital artifact of China's cultural and intellectual past.
Unschuld traces the history of the Su wen to its origins in the final centuries B.C.E., when numerous authors wrote short medical essays to explain the foundations of human health and illness on the basis of the newly developed vessel theory. He examines the meaning of the title and the way the work has been received throughout Chinese medical history, both before and after the eleventh century when the text as it is known today emerged. Unschuld's survey of the contents includes illuminating discussions of the yin-yang and five-agents doctrines, the perception of the human body and its organs, qi and blood, pathogenic agents, concepts of disease and diagnosis, and a variety of therapies, including the new technique of acupuncture. An extensive appendix, furthermore, offers a detailed introduction to the complicated climatological theories of Wu yun liu qi ("five periods and six qi"), which were added to the Su wen by Wang Bing in the Tang era.
In an epilogue, Unschuld writes about the break with tradition and innovative style of thought represented by the Su wen. For the first time, health care took the form of "medicine," in that it focused on environmental conditions, climatic agents, and behavior as causal in the emergence of disease and on the importance of natural laws in explaining illness. Unschuld points out that much of what we surmise about the human organism is simply a projection, reflecting dominant values and social goals, and he constructs a hypothesis to explain the formation and acceptance of basic notions of health and disease in a given society. Reading the Su wen, he says, not only offers a better understanding of the roots of Chinese medicine as an integrated aspect of Chinese civilization; it also provides a much needed starting point for discussions of the differences and parallels between European and Chinese ways of dealing with illness and the risk of early death.

Customer Reviews:

Worsley Followers Pay Attention ..........2006-05-31

Unschuld is a scholar, a genuine translator that doesn't leave much to the imagination. His understanding of the cultural contexts (as there are many) in which TCM grew are un-matched in terms of written text. Get his books, if not for the honest look he takes at TCM, but for the fact that his works are the bread and butter of TCM. The gross ignorance of the classics among so called "Doctors of TCM" in the western world is amazing. Don't guess about TCM, either learn to read Chinese or get good translations of the classics. Not pocket translations at a American grade five reading level. If we expect people to view us as Doctors, we should study like one.

If your professors don't quote the classics, they don't understand TCM. If you haven't read them you're really limiting your potential.

Milestone.......2006-03-12

This book is a milestone for those of us who wish to understand Chinese medicine. As others have noted, this is not a translation of the Su Wen, but a thorough commentary. I consider it a necessary introduction before attempting to read the translation. Once Unschuld's translation is released, I will feel more prepared to grasp the meaning behind the text. Unschuld is an expert in this field and I'm not sure what a previous reviewer meant by self appointed. I think his experience, education, previous works, and position as director of his academic department speak for themselves! If you wish to go deeper into your understanding of the medicine, buy this book!

Lost in the Contradictions of Misunderstanding.......2003-10-04

Robert Feld is welcome to embrace Unschuld's highly scholarly, hard to read, disjointed text. My primary point is that this is NOT the Nei Jing, it is not the text, it is not readable as such, and it is not a guide for would-be doctors interested in practicing based on Nei Jing. That much should be more clear in the description of the book, but it is not. It should be called "Essays on Nei Jing."

As for feeling buised over a lack of 'modern' solutions, something I never mentioned, or an under-esteemed 'holism'--the main point is that the original holistic theory is obscured behind the great many errors in the Nei Jing.

This is in fact a late stage text, not a nacent one, the assumptions of scholars aside. References to Mawangdui texts as the beginning are themselves fallacious. The origin of the system, and its holism, are deeper, older, and not contradictory like the Nei Jing essays. They reflect a holistic system of knowledge heavily obscured in the late-stage texts we (and all of Chinese history) received.

So, the 'scoffing.' Those who find Unschuld's tone abrasive, and we are many, will use this term to refer to the haughty modern scholarly quality that exudes from the pages; the debunker's knife, if you will. Though modern knowledge advances through dividing and studying the parts, there are other methods of studying nature, and certainly these ideas were not fabricated in a modern-worldview workshop. They were not put together in pieces, and animated by the fuel of superstition, as Unschuld often makes it seem.

I look forward to Unschuld's further works, including the forthcoming full translation of the text, and any ideas he has about the relative age of the various essays. Following a path of 'dividing instead of lumping,' they are not that dear to my heart, just to my mind. But what else are scholars to do? The elephant is not known to those who feel a wall under their hand.

We need more scholarly books like this.......2003-08-08

Unschuld is thorough and thought-provoking. I will read the Suwen a little differently now, after reading Unschuld's book.

I don't agree with every conclusion the author makes, but I love mulling over the issues he brings up.

Yes, this book is scholarly, and you may need a dictionary here and there. But is that a bad thing?

It is not for someone who just wants to practice in blissful ignorance. It is not for a beginning student. It is not for someone who wants to mystify Chinese medicine.

It is for those who want to find deeper ways of looking at our medicine, and for those who like a little challenge to their own way of thinking. I will happily pre-order any book Unschuld writes.

An important resource on the history of Chinese medicine.......2003-08-02

An important scholarly review of a milestone medical classic, Professor Unschuld is his usual through self in presenting this material with copious references to support his conclusions. The acutal translation of the Su Wen is to follow in three volumes, this book reviews sources and cultural influences that helped shape the Su Wen. Considering the complex nature of the material in that work, this book is invaluable to the understanding of the Su Wen itself.

While not a book for the general public looking for lay information on Chinese medicine, this is a must read for those interested in the history of medicine, Chinese culture, and the influence prevailing cultural paradigms can have on even medical thought. Students and practitioners of Chinese medicine should also find this book valuable as there is so little documented information on the roots of this rapidly growing healing tradition.

I would also like to add that I do not believe Unschuld set out to do a hatchet job on holistic concepts as one reviewer seemed to think. I am a supporter of such concepts and do not always agree with everything Unschuld concludes. I feel however, that although one may disagree with some of his conclusions, one cannot argue with the scholarly rigor with which he supports those conclusions. This is a great book for the right audiance and will undoubtedly stand as a valuable reference for years to come.

Average customer rating:

Incredibly well thought out and put together

Exactly what I wanted.

Perfect Introduction for a Beginner Like Moi!

An Excellent Introductory book

Unclear

How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Teach Yourself, Revised Edition
Mark Collier , and Bill Manley
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day

An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary : With an Index of English Words, King List, and Geographical List with Indexes, List of Hieroglyphic Characters, Coptic and Semitic Alphabets (Vol 1)

Ancient Egyptian Calligraphy A Beginner's Guide to Writing Hieroglyphs

The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt

The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt

ASIN: 0520239490

Amazon.com

You need no previous experience reading hieroglyphs to benefit from this book. This is a hieroglyphs guide for the layperson, tourist, or museum enthusiast who'd like to have more of a clue when it comes to understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs. Focusing on the funerary symbols one would be likely to see in Egypt or at a museum, and illustrated with hieroglyphs that are on display in the British Museum (drawn by Richard Parkinson, curator in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum), How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs makes possible a deeper appreciation not just of museum displays but of the Egyptian culture that used this writing system.

Both experts in Egyptology (Collier teaches Egyptology at the University of Liverpool, and Manley teaches the subject at the University of Glasgow), they explain how most hieroglyphs are used to convey the sound of the ancient Egyptian language, then go on to teach, in easily digestible segments, the basic phonograms (sound-signs) used in inscriptions a traveler or museum-goer would be most likely to encounter. Each chapter teaches a new portion of hieroglyphic script and a new aspect of the Middle Egyptian grammar, with a section to practice the new reading skills and exercises to solidify the lessons taught. It provides a wonderful opportunity to sit at home and learn about the pharaonic administration, ancient Egyptian family life, and the Egyptian way of death, while building a firm understanding of the most common features of hieroglyphs. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

Hieroglyphs are pictures used as signs in writing. When standing before an ancient tablet in a museum or visiting an Egyptian monument, we marvel at this unique writing and puzzle over its meaning. Now, with the help of Egyptologists Mark Collier and Bill Manley, museum-goers, tourists, and armchair travelers alike can gain a basic knowledge of the language and culture of ancient Egypt.
Collier and Manley's novel approach is informed by years of experience teaching Egyptian hieroglyphs to non-specialists. Using attractive drawings of actual inscriptions displayed in the British Museum, they concentrate on the kind of hieroglyphs readers might encounter in other collections, especially funerary writings and tomb scenes. Each chapter introduces a new aspect of hieroglyphic script or Middle Egyptian grammar and encourages acquisition of reading skills with practical exercises.
The texts offer insights into the daily experiences of their ancient authors and touch on topics ranging from pharaonic administration to family life to the Egyptian way of death. With this book as a guide, one can enjoy a whole new experience in understanding Egyptian art and artifacts around the world.

Customer Reviews:

Incredibly well thought out and put together.......2007-09-03

I love this book! It absolutely is for the "true beginner" and has plenty of exercises, well thought out chapters and a ton of information in the many appendixes (including a small dictionary, hieroglyphic sign lists and small descriptions). I'd recommend this book to ANYONE who is looking to improve on their Hieroglyphic knowledge or who would like to learn even a little bit about them!

Exactly what I wanted........2007-08-15

I do not know a lot about hieroglyphics beyond touring Egypt 3 times, which is why I purchased this book. But I can tell you that it is very detailed and easy to read. I'm very happy with this purchase.

Perfect Introduction for a Beginner Like Moi!.......2007-06-23

This book is more than I had expected. It holds an important place in my Reading Corner, and I have spent bits of time [almost] daily, working at my own pace... and find I am in complete understanding of the entire text... ready to move on to more advanced material.

That I have absorbed this material on my own, without an instructor, is -- to me! -- significant. I recommend this book to those who may be casually interested in learning to decipher Middle Egyptian funerary texts, which in retrospect appears to be a logical way to introduce the language.

== m htp ==

An Excellent Introductory book.......2007-03-09

A top line, well structured book that reads easily with clear explanations. Serious study, guided by this book will provide a good foundation for further study of this fascinating language.

Unclear.......2007-02-17

Though I found this book somewhat useful. I also found there to be many inaccurate translations. In ancient Egypt, they read from either left to right, top to bottom or bottom to top, however, never did they read from right to left. When I seek to add to my knowledge in any ancient language, I seek to learn it as they would have read it and in this book, it was confusing as the authors guide you through as if reading the english language.

I recommened E.A. Wallis Budge's Easy Lessons in Egyptian Hieroglyphics a much more accurate source as he breaks it down, and yet guides you easier and with less confusion in how the ancients would have read the script.

Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition

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Did the Exodus really happen?
The Exodus Route
Not far enough
There is historical evidence...
No Rear Guard Action

Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition
James K. Hoffmeier
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 019513088X

Book Description

Scholars of the Hebrew Bible have in the last decade begun to question the historical accuracy of the Israelite sojourn in Egypt, as described in the book of Exodus. The reason for the rejection of the exodus tradition is said to be the lack of historical and archaeological evidence in Egypt. Those advancing these claims, however, are not specialists in the study of Egyptian history, culture, and archaeology. In this pioneering book, James Hoffmeier examines the most current Egyptological evidence and argues that it supports the biblical record concerning Israel in Egypt.

Customer Reviews:

Did the Exodus really happen?.......2007-05-29

Did the Exodus really happen?

This question beats at the heart of this interesting book. In resolving his answer in the affirmative Hoffmeier discusses linguistic similarities and historical happenstances that support the view that the Exodus really did occur.

And to be sure, there is strong evidence that Judaism did indeed pick up many traditions previously common to Egyptian religion such as circumcision and not dining with foreigners (for dietary reasons). Likewise, the fact that Torah -- argued written in its final form after the exilic period contains accurate references to Pi Ramses and Pi Thom, cities that flourished several centuries earlier. What's more, the account that Moses was raised in Pharoah's nursery or that semites really could rise to high positions in Egyptian polity is not implausible.

However, these considerations are separate and apart from adducing, based on the best available evidence what really did happen and did occur.

Since Hoffmeier used it in his analysis, let's revisit the Merneptah Stele. The Meneptah Stele -- discovered by Flinders Petri in 1896 -- was originally created by Pharoah Merneptah around 1215 BCE to commemorate his campaign of conquest.

In pertinent parts, he recounts his raids against the peoples of the Levant:

"Desolation is for Tehenu;
Hatti is pacified;
Plundered is the Canaan
with every evil;

Carried off is Ashekelon;
seized upon is Gezer;
Yanoam is made as that
which does not exist;

Israel is laid waste;
his seed is not;
Hurru is become a widow
for Egypt

All lands together they
are pacified."

For Hoffmeier it was significant that the Stele both referred to Israel and referred to them using the heiroglyph for "a people" rather than "a land" or established country. However, a fairer analysis is to examine the reference in context. That is the "people" Israel are referred to in connection with Ashkelon (located near modern Tel Aviv), Gezer (located near central Israel), Yanoam (located near the Sea of Galilee) and Israel and Canaan (itself obviously in the Levant). In other words, in describing the people Israel the Merneptah Stele places them squarely in the middle of the Canaan.

And significantly, the bible puts them in the same place. In the Song of the Sea at Exodus 15: 14 through 16, the Bible says:

"People heard -- they shuddered
Shaking seized Philistia's
residents
Then Edom's chiefs were terried.
Trembling seized them.
All Canaan melted."

Again we see repeated the theme that the Exodus is not placed near Egypt but rather squarely in the Levant.

And this view is significantly boltered by the fact that linquistic analysis of Exodus 15 puts it as having been written around the 13th century BCE...the same time as the Merneptah Stele. (As to the dating of Exodus 15 see The Bible With Sources Revealed by Richard Friedman and Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic by Frank Moore Cross.)

The view that there was no actual biblical Exodus is further supported by the biblical archeological community. See Who Were the Israelites and Where did they Come From by William Dever and the controversial but similar The Bible Unearthed by Israel Finkelstein. Indeed this lack of historical evidence is even conceded by Hoffmeier himself.

For his part though, Hoffmeier focuses on the issues outlined at the outset respecting the Jewish/Egyptian similarities and what they bode relative to historical findings. In each case, other explanations can be offered:

1) For the Jewish similarities of circumcision and dietary customs, other cultures extending as far as the far east used both circumcision and solitary dining practices as incidents of religious practice;

2) For the linguistic similarities, it is not uncommon for geographically connected cultures to be familiar with and use loan words from other local cultures;

3) For the accounts of Pi Ramases and Pi Thom again it wouldn't be suprising for vasal peoples to be aware of power centers in a dominant country like Egypt certainly was during the reign of Ramses II The Great.

4) Likewise the fact that semites were in residence during the Hyksos period several hundred years prior to the writing of the Merneptah Stele and the Song of the Sea is of dubious relevance in uncovering Bible origins.

All told a fair reading of history demands at least skepticism and at most outright disbelief in the actual Exodus. That being said, it also bears repeating that matters of faith can and never should rise and fall with the contents of an archeological shovel.

All these things being said, Hoffmeier presents perhaps the best Israel in Egypt argument and his book is interesting reading.

The Exodus Route.......2007-03-17

Hoffmeier does an excellent job of discussing recent discoveries along the Egyptian Eastern Frontier Canal and its' fortifications. He mentions that the canal was begun during the time of Joseph (twelfth dynasty) but his discussion of the detailed archaeological findings addresses primarily the 19th dynasty period. He shows that the Exodus Route must have gone south of this area because of the strength of Egyptian fortifications. Unfortunately his work does not include the 13th dynasty period when the Exodus took place according to David Rohl, Roger Henry and others.

Not far enough.......2005-08-02

While his intent is laudable, he fails to go far enough in his research or thinking on the subject. For example, the idea that the plagues of Exodus were based on well-known, regular occurences such as the flooding of the Nile is absurd, demanding more belief in the stupidity of ancient man than is warranted. Similarly theories about the Exodus being a "compilation" of a couple of hundred slaves leaving Egypt over a number of years is so stupid as to beggar belief, if it were not advanced under the cover of academia. Long's "The Riddle of the Exodus" presents a better thesis.

There is historical evidence... .......2004-11-29

Note please that my rating should be discounted as I have not rated the book. However I can address two harsh criticisms of it by John J. Geyer "jgeyer1". In that review here at Amazon we read:

" If a rampaging army storms through Canaan destroying city after city one would expect that the remains of those cities would show appropriate destruction layers and that the diplomatic archives of the surrounding countries would notice. There is nothing. "

Actually there is a very much evidence of such destruction to be found in city after city in the Holy Land, albeit at layers not deemed appropriate for the commonly accepted historical era of Joshua's invasion.

However a quick google search on "Lisa Liel" or "Lisa JAH" will lead you to her website at http://www.starways.net/lisa/

Titled "Lisa's World", then click on "history", then "The Exodus in History" and scroll down to the chart of the Historical vs. the Biblical view of history of the Land of Israel".

Immediately above that chart we read: "A simple redating of the archaeological periods in the Land of Israel brings the entire scope of biblical history into synchronization with the ancient historical record. Only time will tell whether more archaeologists will follow Cohen and Anati in their slowly dawning recognition of the historicity of the Bible".

Pursuing the website in greater depth will quickly show you that the historical record is full of evidence, but again, that adjustment in dating mentioned is required.

John J. Geyer "jgeyer1" also wrote this criticism: "For the bottom line, as the author acknowledges repeatedly, is that there is NO evidence confirming ANY part of the Exodus story."

But if Lisa Liel's dating shift is done to bring the historical Caanan archaeological evidence into sync with the Biblical, then the same exact time shift shows at the appropriate era in the separate Egyptian historical record this datum: *

Plague is throughout the land.
Blood is everywhere.
The river is blood.
That is our water! That is our happiness! What shall we do in respect thereof? All is ruin!
Trees are destroyed.
No fruit or herbs are found...
Forsooth, gates, columns and walls are consumed by fire.
Forsooth, grain has perished on every side.
The land is not light [dark].

This authentic historical Egyptian record is of troubles plaguing that kingdom dated near the time of the first intermediate period of bloodshed and anarchy resulting from the collapse of the monarchy of the old Kingdom of Egypt. Lisa writes:

"When the Bible tells us that Egypt would never be the same after the Exodus, it was no exaggeration. With invasions from all directions, virtually all subsequent kings of Egypt were of Ethiopian, Libyan or Asiatic descent. When Chazal tell us that King Solomon was able to marry Pharaoh's daughter despite the ban on marrying Egyptian converts until they have been Jewish for three generations because she was not of the original Egyptian nation, there is no reason to be surprised".

* "A.H. Gardiner, Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage from a hieratic papyrus in Leiden (1909). Historians are almost unanimous in dating this papyrus to the very beginning of the Middle Kingdom. The events it describes, consequently, deal with the end of the Old Kingdom".

No Rear Guard Action.......2003-01-02

James Hoffmeier has no doubts that he is not writing this book as a read guard action to stem the tide of the "minimalists." In his preface he concedes that "direct evidence for the events and figures of Genesis and Exodus remains elusive."

However in recent decades, "Egyptology has developed into a discipline in its own right" and Hoffmeier intends to show "Egyptian material that does shed light on ... questions raised by the historical minimalists." The reader should bear in mind that Hoffmeier has no intentions of answering _all_ questions concerning the historicity of Genesis and Exodus.

Hoffmeier writes in a lucid style while engaging his opponents. For example, the story of Moses as an "exposed child" has often been compared to the "Legend of Sargon." Hoffmeier cites the study of Donald Redford (sic) which shows that the story of Moses and Sargon are not even in the same category.

This book is scholarly, easy to read, and engages in the issues. Hoffmeier needs to be read.

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