Cult image and divine representation in the ancient Near East / edited by Neal H. Walls

"In answer to the recent resurgence of interest in the study of ancient Near Eastern iconic religions and their complex relations to Israel's aniconic tradition, Cult Image and Divine Representation weaves together art, history and religion in an in-depth exploration of divine iconography. While biblical prophets ridiculed the notion of others fashioning idols of their gods that they would then worship, ancient Near Eastern religious authorities had long before developed sophisticated systems in which divine beings were made physically manifest within the material of a cult image without being limited by that embodiment. This collection of essays examines both the textual and artifactual evidence for the production and theological significance of divine images in Egypt, Anatolia, Mesopotamia and Syria-Palestine."--Jacket.