Death, Burial and Rebirth in the Religions of Antiquity

by Davies,Jon

• ISBN13: 9780415129909
• ISBN10: 0415129907
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-08-03
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Death, Burial and Rebirth in the Religions of Antiquitycharts the significance of death to the emerging religious cults in the pre-Christian and early Christian world. Jon Davies analyzes the varied burial rituals and examines the different notions of the afterlife. Several areas are covered including:Osiris and Isis: the Life Theology of Ancient Egypt, burying the Jewish Dead and Christian burials. Jon Davies also draws on the sociological theory of Max Weber to present a comprehensive introduction to and overview of death, burial and the afterlife in the first Christian centuries which offers insights into the relationship between social change and attitudes to death and dying. Draws on a wide variety of data: ancient texts, archaeological findings, works of art and architecture Beautifully illustrated

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements	p. xi
Introduction	p. 1
Death in the Ancient Near East	p. 23
Osiris and Isis	p. 27
Zoroaster, Ahura Mazda and Ahriman	p. 40
Canaanites and Mesopotamians	p. 47
Mere Texts or Living Realities?	p. 60
From Caves and Rock-Cut Tombs to Judaism	p. 69
The General Archaeology of the Ancient Near East	p. 71
Judaism	p. 84
Burying the Jewish Dead	p. 95
Good Luck with Your Resurrection!	p. 110
Romans and Greeks	p. 125
Roman and Greek Philosophies of Death	p. 127
Roman Religion and Roman Funerals	p. 139
Ovid's 'ever-Varying Forms'	p. 155
Ovid's 'bonds of Love and Duty'	p. 167
Christians, Martyrs, Soldiers, Saints	p. 187
Christian Burial	p. 191
The Nature of Martyrdom	p. 201
Appendix	p. 221
Bibliography	p. 225
Index	p. 240
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