The Mythic Mind: Essays on Cosmology and Religion in Ugaritic and Old Testament Literature (BibleWorld)

Book Details

• Author: Nicolas Wyatt

• Publisher: Routledge

• Edition: 1

• Binding: Paperback

• Format: Illustrated

• ISBN: 9781845530433

• Pages: 320

• Release Date: 01-04-2005

• Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches

• Languages: English

About the Book

The Mythic Mind by Nicolas Wyatt offers a comparative approach to understanding the ancient Israelite world-view and its cultural and historical influences. Wyatt argues that the Israelite perspective was rooted in a West Semitic world-view, influenced by Egyptian and Mesopotamian traditions, yet evolved into a distinct and unique worldview through synthesis and reaction.

The essays in this volume challenge traditional views by considering ancient Israel in the context of its broader cultural surroundings, rather than in isolation. The work emphasizes the importance of Ugaritic texts, which shed light on the cultural context that influenced ancient Israel's development into two interconnected kingdoms, heirs to a common Canaanite tradition.

Key chapters include:

• Chapter 5: Sea and Desert

• Chapter 7: Of Calves and Kings

• Chapter 9: The Significance of Spn

• Chapter 10: The Vocabulary and Neurology of Orientation

This book is a significant contribution to the study of ancient Israel, exploring its mythic and historical dimensions with a critical, comparative lens that enhances our understanding of the cultural forces that shaped it.