Priests and priestesses, ancient Near East
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23663689 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ada Taggar‐Cohen (Doshisha University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2015 |
| Pages | 1-4 |
| Publication date | 2015-06-30 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | The Encyclopedia of Ancient History (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah25085 |
| OpenAlex | W1926665713 |
| ISBN | 9781444338386 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 9 |
In the ancient Near East (Mesopotamia, North Syria, Hatti, and ancient Israel) the terms “priest” and “priestess” referred to individuals as well as groups of male and female professionals whose tasks were to mediate between the world of the gods and that of humans. The priesthood took care of the gods’ needs and ensured their satisfaction, so that in return the gods would guarantee the well‐being and prosperity of humanity. Priests and priestesses were part of the state institutions and the royal economy. They cared for the houses of the gods, celebrated their festivals, and performed the prescribed cult rituals. Among the issues discussed here are the rulers as priests, the various titles of the priests, their distinction from other cult personnel, their tasks and social standing, priesthood in ancient Israel, the tradition of “sacred marriage,” the debate over cult prostitution, and the iconography of priesthood.
Ancient history · Archaeology · Cult · Humanity · Iconography · Mesopotamia · Middle East · Political science · Prosperity · State (computer science) · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · History · Law
| Highly cited | No |
|---|