Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis: Form und Funktion der Klage in den Kulturen der Antike

This book contains revised and expanded versions of lectures delivered at a symposium organized by the Department of Religious Studies of the University of Zurich on behalf of the Swiss Society for Ancient Near Eastern Studies. The five contributions address different aspects of lament in antiquity. They deal with different issues from the fields of literature, iconography and history of religion, and present new research on lament in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia and Israel. While formulations of divine anger, human affliction and the request for forgiveness present many similarities, the contributions also highlight significant differences among the various regions and religious traditions.