The Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion, Gender, and Sexuality in the Ancient Near East

Cutting across disciplinary boundaries and challenging traditional understandings of historical cultures, this handbook examines the ways in which gender, sexuality, and religion were mutually constructed and negotiated in ancient Near Eastern societies. Chapters look at ritual and ceremonial practices, iconographic representations, mythological and divinatory texts, personal beliefs, and piety, using religion as a central category of inquiry to understand gender roles and the intersections of sexualities with religious worldviews. The volume prioritizes diversity in contributors and topics. It provides case studies rather than proceeding by book or method; instead, it provides broad and interdisciplinary case studies that represent key areas and issues in the field. Each section includes an introduction by the editors with an analysis of developments in the topic area, goals of the research, and examples of how each chapter can be used in relevant courses. Ranging from in-depth discussions of single texts to cross-cultural anthropological and sociological comparisons, the international contributions showcase the latest work of established scholars as well as emerging voices.