Mnamon
Ancient writing systems in the Mediterranean
A critical guide to electronic resources
News
-
2018-05-07Book
The new book by Salvatore Gaspa “Textiles in the Neo-Assyrian Empire. A Study of Terminology” (Studies in Ancient Near Eastern Records 19), Boston-Berlin: De Gruyter 2018, Pp. 443, 22 figs., 4 tables, ISBN 978-1-5015-1074-8, presents for the first time a systematic and interdisciplinary study on production and consumption of textiles in the Neo-Assyrian Empire and, more importantly, collects and discusses the lexicon of textiles (fibres, manufacturing processes, professions, tools, decorations and finished products) from the entire documentation of the Neo-Assyrian archives. The study is completed by an analysis of the administrative management of textile production and distribution by the Assyrian State and of the role played by these products in economy, palatine culture, cultic and military activities of the first empire of the ancient world. The book also includes a new edition of some administrative documents dealing with textiles kept at the British Museum.