In Memoriams

In Memoriam J.F. Borghouts

17 June 1939 - 7 September 2018
Chair of Egyptology at Leiden University from 1986 to 2004

by O.E. Kaper; with bibliography

In Memoriam W.H.Ph. Römer

15-3-1928 - 24-8-2018
Professor emeritus of Ancient Near Eastern Languages at Nijmegen University

by M. Stol

Articles

Parmenter, C.S. — Egypt on the Steppe: A Gazetteer of Sixth-Century Aegyptiaca from the North Black Sea

This note compiles a list of nearly 100 Egyptianizing faience scarabs, pendants, figurines, and vessels excavated from the northern Black Sea coast dating between the late seventh and mid-sixth centuries B.C.E. I argue that the geographical distribution of so-called aegyptiaca offers a useful index testifying to the mobility of region’s early Greek migrants between their Ionian homelands, budding centers such as Istria and Olbia, and short-lived settlements in the countryside. In their circulation of Egyptianizing objects, Greek settlers introduced a taste among their indigenous trade partners for faience ‘trinkets’ as grave goods that flourished long after similar material fell out of favor in Greece. While sixth century imports represent only a tiny fraction of the over 9,000 faience scarabs, beads, and amulets known from the region between the Archaic period and late antiquity, they were an important channel that propagated Egyptianizing devotional practices in the far north.

Giusfredi, F., and Pisaniello, V. — Three Cuneiform Notes

This short contribution consists of three short lexical notes about Hittite cuneiform writing. We will argue that the Luwoid adjective haššuwašša/i- is a ghost word, that the reading wi₄ for the sign MI did not exist and should be eliminated from the syllabary, and finally that the only occurrence of an alleged Luwian neuter stem arkamman- should be considered instead as a Hittite common gender accusative singular.

Jenni, E. — Hebräische Ortsveränderungsverben und ngš „herzutreten”

The paper about verbs of locomotion and especially about ngš „to approch“ reassesses one of the author’s former treatises. On the basis of the analysis of the Niph‘al stem as medio-passive the question of the possible occurrence of the Niph‘al with verbs of locomotion is dealt with. As for the verb ngš, its lexical aspect in the Qal stem is shown not to be an accomplishment but an achievement with almost no informational value of its own and hence focussing on a following main action. This is the reason why ngš occurs in the Niph‘al stem. The middle voice of ngš ni. is analysed as involving modality. The paper concludes with a remark about the only occurrence of ngš Hitpa‘el.

Burlingame, A.R. — Writing and Literacy in the World of Ancient Israel: Recent Developments and Future Directions

This review article takes up a number of themes addressed in C.A. Rollston’s 2010 monograph Writing and Literacy in the World of Ancient Israel: Epigraphic Evidence from the Iron Age and considers how the discussions devoted to these topics have evolved since 2010. This survey of recent developments is accompanied by several suggestions for future investigations pertaining both to the domain of inquiry and to the methods employed in Northwest Semitic epigraphic research.

Book reviews and announcements

Faraonisch Egypte, Grieks-Romeins Egypte, Assyriologie, Oude Iran, Hebreeuws, Oude Testament, Vroege Jodendom, Archeologie, Arabica, Islam, Islamitische kunst

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