Shane M Thompson
Biographic Data
| ID | 3830685 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Shane M Thompson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Shane M |
| FAMILY NAME | Thompson |
| SIGNATURE | THOMPSON S M |
| AFFILIATIONS | North Carolina Wesleyan College |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3229-515X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 6 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 1 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 6 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2022 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
The Varied Forms of Cult Centralization in the Ancient Near East
This article examines the concept of cult centralization, typically reserved for describing the religious reforms of the Judahite kings Hezekiah and Josiah. I argue that this terminology need not be reserved for these two monarchs, but, rather, that cult centralization manifests in multiple ways throughout the ancient Near East. Through three case studies, I suggest the ways in which cult centralization manifests, concluding that its method of im…
The Iron Age npš and the Utility of Egyptian Comparative Evidence
This purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, I present an overview of the Egyptian concepts of the ba and ka, as well as the attestations of npš extant in the Iron Age Levant. This brief investigation is meant to illustrate the second point, which is the utility of Egyptian evidence for the study of Levantine culture and religion. In addition, this article may stand as a starting point for further investigation of the npš through Egyptian co…
Local Manifestations of YHWH within El’s Divine Council: Psalm 82 in the Context of Israelite Religion
This article reexamines the nature of the אלהים in Ps 82. Through comparative analysis, I reassert that the chief deity in this divine council scene is the head of the West Semitic pantheon, El. Following this determination, I argue that YHWH is depicted as an equal to the other אלהים in the text. Incorporating evidence from Israelite religion, I suggest that these אלהים are most likely manifestations of YHWH from throughout Israel, with the spea…
Shared Motifs among Neighbors: Small-Scale Objects, Hegemony, and Cultural Influence in the Late Bronze and Iron Age Levant
This article examines the presence of small-scale objects (i.e., pottery, scarabs, seals, etc.) in the Late Bronze and Iron Age Levant as a means by which to measure the impact of foreign rule on the nonelites. It concludes that these objects are not useful to discussions of Assyrian, Egyptian, or Hittite hegemony, but rather that they are additional support for the interconnectivity of the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. In fact, these objects are ex…
Childlike Goddess: The Derivation of Toy and Game Imagery in “The Elevation of Ištar
This article examines the derivation of toy and game imagery in "The Elevation of Ištar." I argue that the presence of these metaphors in a first-millennium text represents a late stage in the development of Ištar's characterization as a childlike goddess. Tracing this development from Sumerian mythological and lexical texts into the Sumero-Akkadian and Akkadian traditions reveals Inanna/Ištar's well-known attribute of violent rage in a different…
Interdisciplinarity as Departure and Return: Methodological Boundary Crossing in the Ancient Near East
At the time this inaugural issue of Avar: A Journal of Life and Society in the Ancient Near East heads to press, we are keenly aware of the fact that the number of new journals in the fields of Biblical Studies, Egyptology, and broader Ancient Near Eastern Studies have proliferated in the last decade. Yet, we hope to demonstrate to our readers that Avar fills an important lacuna in the academic study of the ancient past. The title of the journal,…
Shared Motifs among Neighbors: Small-Scale Objects, Hegemony, and Cultural Influence in the Late Bronze and Iron Age Levant
This article examines the presence of small-scale objects (i.e., pottery, scarabs, seals, etc.) in the Late Bronze and Iron Age Levant as a means by which to measure the impact of foreign rule on the nonelites. It concludes that these objects are not useful to discussions of Assyrian, Egyptian, or Hittite hegemony, but rather that they are additional support for the interconnectivity of the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. In fact, these objects are ex…
Interdisciplinarity as Departure and Return: Methodological Boundary Crossing in the Ancient Near East
At the time this inaugural issue of Avar: A Journal of Life and Society in the Ancient Near East heads to press, we are keenly aware of the fact that the number of new journals in the fields of Biblical Studies, Egyptology, and broader Ancient Near Eastern Studies have proliferated in the last decade. Yet, we hope to demonstrate to our readers that Avar fills an important lacuna in the academic study of the ancient past. The title of the journal,…
Local Manifestations of YHWH within El’s Divine Council: Psalm 82 in the Context of Israelite Religion
This article reexamines the nature of the אלהים in Ps 82. Through comparative analysis, I reassert that the chief deity in this divine council scene is the head of the West Semitic pantheon, El. Following this determination, I argue that YHWH is depicted as an equal to the other אלהים in the text. Incorporating evidence from Israelite religion, I suggest that these אלהים are most likely manifestations of YHWH from throughout Israel, with the spea…
Shared Motifs among Neighbors: Small-Scale Objects, Hegemony, and Cultural Influence in the Late Bronze and Iron Age Levant
This article examines the presence of small-scale objects (i.e., pottery, scarabs, seals, etc.) in the Late Bronze and Iron Age Levant as a means by which to measure the impact of foreign rule on the nonelites. It concludes that these objects are not useful to discussions of Assyrian, Egyptian, or Hittite hegemony, but rather that they are additional support for the interconnectivity of the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. In fact, these objects are ex…
Childlike Goddess: The Derivation of Toy and Game Imagery in “The Elevation of Ištar
This article examines the derivation of toy and game imagery in "The Elevation of Ištar." I argue that the presence of these metaphors in a first-millennium text represents a late stage in the development of Ištar's characterization as a childlike goddess. Tracing this development from Sumerian mythological and lexical texts into the Sumero-Akkadian and Akkadian traditions reveals Inanna/Ištar's well-known attribute of violent rage in a different…
The Iron Age npš and the Utility of Egyptian Comparative Evidence
This purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, I present an overview of the Egyptian concepts of the ba and ka, as well as the attestations of npš extant in the Iron Age Levant. This brief investigation is meant to illustrate the second point, which is the utility of Egyptian evidence for the study of Levantine culture and religion. In addition, this article may stand as a starting point for further investigation of the npš through Egyptian co…
The Varied Forms of Cult Centralization in the Ancient Near East
This article examines the concept of cult centralization, typically reserved for describing the religious reforms of the Judahite kings Hezekiah and Josiah. I argue that this terminology need not be reserved for these two monarchs, but, rather, that cult centralization manifests in multiple ways throughout the ancient Near East. Through three case studies, I suggest the ways in which cult centralization manifests, concluding that its method of im…
History (5 works) · Ancient Near East History (4 works) · Archaeology and Historical Studies (4 works) · Biblical Studies and Interpretation (4 works) · Archaeology (3 works) · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology (2 works) · Ancient history (2 works) · Geography (2 works) · Mathematics (2 works) · Middle East (2 works)