Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Bright: Beginners' Bibliography on Ancient Near Eastern Backgrounds

Bright, John. A History of Israel (2nd Ed.). Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1972. The fourth edition is 574 pages and is available at: http://www.amazon.com/A-History-Israel-John-Bright/dp/0664220681/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376674505&sr=8-1&keywords=john+bright+history+of+israel

Aside from Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Bright's written work, one gets a good bibliography, as expected. We're going to start cataloguing what's on hand and developing a larger bibliography ourselves.

Even the briefest of study of the Ancient Near East does at least three things: (1) It widens one's horizons beyond the Biblical narrative. (2) It re-orients one beyond "Western Civilization." There are 2 millennia "before" the Hebrews. There are 2 millennia before "Western Civilization" and church history. In short, Eurocentricity gets a lesson in humility. Never mind "American Exceptionalism," a term of art with some today. (3) It also affords backgrounds to Old Testament study. But, back on track. The bibliography will grow.

Albright, William F. Archaeology and the Religion of Israel. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006. http://www.amazon.com/Archaeology-Religion-Israel-Testament-Library/dp/0664227422/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379096943&sr=1-1&keywords=william+f.+albright

------From the Stone Age to Christianity: Monotheism and the Historical Process. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2003. http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Age-Christianity-Monotheism-Historical/dp/1592443397/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379097182&sr=1-2&keywords=william+f.+albright

Anati, Emmanuel. Palestine Before the Hebrews. New York: Knopf, 1963. http://www.amazon.com/Palestine-Hebrews-History-Earliest-Conquest/dp/0224600060/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379093734&sr=1-1&keywords=Palestine+Before+the+Hebrews

Cerny, J. Ancient Egyptian Religion. London: Hutchinson’s University Library, 1952. http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Egyptian-Religion-J-Cerny/dp/B0000CIERE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379096691&sr=1-1&keywords=J.+Cerny+Ancient+Egyptian+Religion

Ehrich, R.W. (ed.) Chronologies in Old World Archaeology. The University of Chicago Press, 1965. http://www.amazon.com/Chronologies-Old-World-Archaeology-Vols/dp/0226194477/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379093562&sr=1-1

Frankfort, Henri. Ancient Egyptian Religion. Dover Publications, 2011. http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Egyptian-Religion-Henri-Frankfort/dp/0486411389/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379096600&sr=1-1&keywords=henri+frankfort+ancient+egyptian+religion

------Birth of Civilization in the Near East. Earnest Benn, Ltd., 1968. http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Civilization-Near-Henri-Frankfort/dp/0510268013/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379095758&sr=1-9&keywords=henri+frankfort

------Kingship and the Gods: A Study of Ancient Near Eastern Religion as the Integration of Society and Nature (Oriental Institute Essays). Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. http://www.amazon.com/Kingship-Gods-Religion-Integration-Institute/dp/0226260119/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379095246&sr=1-2&keywords=H.+Frankfort+Archaeology

Hooke, S.H. Babylonian and Assyrian Religion. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1963. http://www.amazon.com/Babylonian-Assyrian-Religion-S-Hooke/dp/0806105534/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379095910&sr=1-1&keywords=S.H.+Hooke+Babylonian

Jacobsen, T. The Intellectual Adventure of Ancient Man. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1977. http://www.amazon.com/Intellectual-Adventure-Ancient-Man-Speculative/dp/0226260089/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379096277&sr=1-1&keywords=Jacobsen+Intellectual+Adventure+of+Ancient+Man

Kenyon, Kathleen M. Amorites and Canaanites. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1967. http://www.amazon.com/Amorites-Canaanites-Schweich-Lectures-Archaeology/dp/0197258956/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379097469&sr=1-1&keywords=Kathleen+Kenyon%3DAmorites+Canaanites

------Digging Up Jericho. Praeger/Ernest Benn,1957. http://www.amazon.com/Digging-Jericho-results-excavations-1952-1956/dp/B0007DPQFO/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379094128&sr=1-2&keywords=Kathleen+Kenyon+Digging+Up+Jericho

Kramer, Samuel Noah. The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1971. http://www.amazon.com/Sumerians-History-Culture-Character-Phoenix/dp/0226452387/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379094852&sr=1-1&keywords=S.N.+Kramer+Sumerians

Mallowan, M.E.L. Early Mesopotamia and Iran. McGraw Hill, 1971. http://www.amazon.com/Early-Mesopotamia-Iran-M-Mallowan/dp/0070398011/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379094395&sr=1-3&keywords=M.E.+L.+Mallowan

Mellaart, James. Earliest Civilizations of the Near East. McGraw-Hill, 1965. http://www.amazon.com/Earliest-Civilizations-Near-James-Mellaart/dp/0070414610/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379093902&sr=1-2&keywords=Mellaart

Moscati, S. The Semites in Ancient History. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1959. http://www.amazon.com/Semites-Ancient-History-S-Moscati/dp/070830074X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379096834&sr=1-1&keywords=Moscati+Semite+in+Ancient+History

Oppenheim, A.L. Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1977. http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Mesopotamia-Portrait-Dead-Civilization/dp/0226631877/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379096149&sr=1-1&keywords=A.L.+Oppenheim+Ancient+Mesopotamia

Perkins, Ann L. The Comparative Archaeology of Early Mesopotamia. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, 1972. http://www.amazon.com/COMPARATIVE-ARCHEOLOGY-EARLY-MESOPOTAMIA/dp/B00AGAR9I0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379094242&sr=1-1&keywords=Ann+L.+Perkins

Speiser, E.A. Mesopotamian Origins. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1930. http://www.amazon.com/Mesopotamian-origins-basic-population-Near/dp/B007T0QMB0/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379095568&sr=1-6

Van Seters, John. The Hyksos: A New Investigation. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2010. http://www.amazon.com/Hyksos-Investigation-John-Van-Seters/dp/160899533X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379097313&sr=1-1&keywords=Van+Seter+The+Hyksos

Wilson, J.A. The Burden of Egypt. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1967. http://www.amazon.com/Burden-Egypt-J-Wilson/dp/B000ND1PF8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379096463&sr=1-1&keywords=J.A.+wilson+burden+of+egypt

Wright, G.E. An Introduction to Archaeology. Gerald Duckworth Publications, 1961. http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Biblical-Archaeology-G-Wright/dp/0715601881/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379095108&sr=1-11&keywords=G.E.+Wright