Mesopotamian Witchcraft ― Toward a History and Understanding of Babylonian Witchcraft Beliefs and Li Terature

Abusch (Islamic and Middle Eastern studies, Brandeis U.) presents 14 essays on Mesopotamian witchcraft and the witchcraft series Maql<”>u , the longest and most important and complex Mesopotamian text against witchcraft. The essays deal with significant aspects of the history, literature, ritual, and thought associated with the subject matter. All of the essays have been previously published, or are awaiting publication, in other scholarly journals and books. Indexed by Akkadian and Sumerian words, gods and demons, and lines of the Maql<”>u ; does not include a more traditional subject index. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Tzvi Abusch, Ph.D. in Assyriology from Harvard University, is Rose B. and Joseph Cohen Professor of Assyriology and Ancient Near Eastern Religion. He has taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and has held a number of awards and fellowships. His particular area of interest is Ancient Mesopotamian Religious Literature and Mesopotamian Anti-witchcraft Literature.