The ancient Near East : an anthology of texts and pictures / edited by James B. Pritchard ; foreword by Daniel E. Fleming.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Foreword / Daniel E. Fleming -- EGYPTIAN MYTHS AND TALES / John A. Wilson -- The Memphite Theology of Creation -- Deliverance of Mankind from Destruction -- The Story of Si-nuhe -- The Story of Two Brothers -- The Journey of Wen-Amon to Phoenicia -- The Tradition of Seven Lean Years in Egypt -- MYTHS AND EPICS FROM MESOPOTAMIA -- A Sumerian Myth / S.N. Kramer -- The Deluge -- Akkadian Myths and Epics -- The Creation Epic (Enuma elish) / E.A. Speiser -- Additions to Tablet V / A.K. Grayson -- The Epic of Gilgamesh / E.A. Speiser -- A Cosmological Incantation: The Worm and the Toothache / E.A. Speiser -- Adapa / E.A. Speiser -- Descent of Ishtar to the Nether World / E.A. Speiser -- The Legend of Sargon / E.A. Speiser -- Nergal and Ereshkigal / A.K. Grayson -- The Myth of Zu (Anzu) / A.K. Grayson -- A Babylonian Theogony / A.K. Grayson -- HITTITE MYTHS / Albrecht Goetze -- The Telepinus Myth -- El, Ashertu, and the Storm-god (Elkunirsha and Ashertu) -- UGARITIC MYTHS AND EPICS / H.L. Ginsberg -- Poems about Baal and Anath (The Baal Cycle) -- The Tale of Aqhat -- LEGAL TEXTS -- Collections of Laws from Mesopotamia -- The Laws of Eshnunna / Albrecht Goetze -- The Code of Hammurabi / Theophile J. Meek -- The Laws of Ur-Nammu / J.J. Finkelstein -- Sumerian Laws / J.J. Finkelstein -- The Edict of Ammisaduqa / J.J. Finkelstein -- Documents from the Practice of Law -- Mesopotamian Legal Documents / Theophile J. Meek, J.J. Finkelstein -- Aramaic Papyri from Elephantine / H.L. Ginsberg -- TREATIES -- Hittite Treaty / Albrecht Goetze -- Treaty of Suppiluliumas of Aziras of Amurru -- Akkadian Treaties from Syria and Assyria / Erica Reiner -- Treaty between Niqmepa of Alalakh and Ir-dim of Tunip -- Treaty between Idrimi and Pilliya -- Treaty between Ashurnirari V of Assyria and Mati'ilu of Arpad -- Treaty of Esarhaddon with Baal of Tyre -- The Vassal-Treaties of Esarhaddon -- EGYPTIAN HISTORICAL TEXTS / John A. Wilson -- The Expulsion of the Hyksos -- The Asiatic Campaign of Thut-mose III -- A Campaign of Seti I in Northern Palestine -- The Report of a Frontier Official -- A Syrian Interregnum -- The War against the Peoples of the Sea -- The Megiddo Ivories -- The Campaign of Sheshonk I -- Asiatics in Egyptian Household Service -- The War against the Hyksos -- ASSYRIAN AND BABYLONIAN HISTORICAL TEXTS / A. Leo Oppenheim -- The Dedication of the Shamash Temple by Yahdun-Lim -- The Story of Idrimi, King of Alalakh -- Ashurnasirpal II (883-859): Expedition to the Lebanon -- The Banquet of Ashurnasirpal II -- Shalmaneser III (858-824): The Fight against the Aramean Coalition -- Adad-nirari III (810-783): Expedition to Palestine -- The Assyrian King List -- Tiglath-pileser III (744-727): Campaigns against Syria and Palestine -- Sargon II (721-705): The Fall of Samaria -- Sennacherib (704-681): The Siege of Jerusalem -- Esarhaddon (680-669): The Syro-Palestinian Campaign -- Receipt of Tribute from Palestine -- The Fall of Nineveh -- The Fall of Jerusalem -- The Conquest of Jerusalem -- Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562) -- The Mother of Nabonidus -- Nabonidus and His God -- The Fall of Babylon -- Cyrus (557-529) -- The Uruk King List from Kandalanu to Seleucus II -- A Seleucid King List -- PALESTINIAN INSCRIPTIONS / W.F. Albright -- The Gezer Calendar -- The Moabite Stone -- The Ostraca of Samaria -- The Siloam Inscription -- A Letter from the Time of Josiah (Mesad Hashavyahu Ostracon) -- Three Ostraca from Arad -- The Lachish Ostraca -- CANAANITE AND ARAMAIC INSCRIPTIONS / Franz Rosenthal -- Building Inscriptions -- Yehimilk of Byblos -- Azitawadda of Adan -- Kilamuwa of Y'dy-Sam'al -- Barrakab of Y'dy-Sam'al -- Cultic Inscriptions -- Ben-Hadad of Damascus -- Kilamuwa of Y'dy-Sam'al -- Zakir of Hamat and Lu'ath -- Yehawmilk of Byblos -- The Marseilles Tariff -- The Carthage Tariff -- Other Inscriptions -- The King of Kedar -- Punic Ex-voto Inscriptions -- The Amulet from Arslan Tash -- The Uruk Incantation -- The Treaty between KTK and Arpad -- Ahiram of Byblos -- Agbar, Priest of the Moon-god in Nerab -- Tabnit of Sidon -- Eshmun'azar of Sidon -- SOUTH-ARABIAN INSCRIPTIONS / A. Jamme -- Sabaean Inscriptions -- Minaean Inscriptions -- Qatabanian Inscriptions -- Hadrami Inscriptions -- EGYPTIAN EXECRATION TEXTS / John A. Wilson -- The Execration of Asiatic Princes -- EGYPTIAN HYMNS / John A. Wilson -- The Hymn to the Aton -- Hymn of Victory of Mer-ne-Ptah ("The Israel Stela") -- MESOPOTAMIAN HYMNS -- Sumerian Hymns / S.N. Kramer -- Hymn to Ninurta as God of Vegetation -- Hymn to Ninurta as God of Wrath -- Hymnal Prayer of Enheduanna: The Adoration of Inanna of Ur -- The King of the Road: A Self-Laudatory Shulgi Hymn -- An Akkadian Hymn / Ferris J. Stephens -- Hymn to Ishtar -- DIDACTIC AND WISDOM LITERATURE -- Egyptian Instructions / John A. Wilson -- The Instruction of the Vizier Ptah-hotep -- The Instruction of Amen-em-Opet -- Sumerian Didactic and Wisdom Literature -- Man and His God: A Sumerian Variation of the "Job" Motif / S.N. Kramer -- Proverbs from Mesopotamia / Robert H. Pfeiffer -- Akkadian Didactic and Wisdom Literature -- Observations on Life: A Pessimistic Dialogue between Master and Servant / Robert H. Pfeiffer -- An Akkadian Fable / Robert D. Biggs -- Counsels of Wisdom / Robert D. Biggs -- Ludlul Bel Nemeqi, "I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom" / Robert D. Biggs -- The Babylonian Theodicy / Robert D. Biggs -- Aramaic Proverbs and Precepts -- The Words of Ahiqar / H.L. Ginsberg -- ORACLES AND PROPHECIES -- The Egyptian Prophecy of Nefer-rohu / John A. Wilson -- Akkadian Oracles and Prophecies -- Divine Revelations in Letters from Mari and Ashur / William L. Moran -- Oracles concerning Esarhaddon / Robert D. Biggs -- A Letter to Ashurbanipal / Robert D. Biggs -- An Oracular Dream concerning Ashurbanipal / Robert D. Biggs -- Prophecies / Robert D. Biggs -- Love Poetry -- Egyptian Love Songs / John A. Wilson -- Sumerian Love Poetry / S.N. Kramer -- Dumuzi and Inanna: Love in the Gipar -- Dumuzi and Inanna: The Ecstasy of Love -- Inanna and the King: Blessing on the Wedding Night -- "The Honey-man": Love-song to a King -- "Set Me Free, My Sister": The Sated Lover -- OTHER LITERARY TEXTS -- An Egyptian Poem -- In Praise of the City Ramses / John A. Wilson -- Sumerian Literature / S.N. Kramer -- The Curse of Agade: The Ekur Avenged -- Ua-aua: A Sumerian Lullaby -- LETTERS -- Akkadian Letters -- The Mari Letters / W.F. Albright -- The Amarna Letters / W.F. Albright -- The Substitute King / William L. Moran -- A Happy Reign / William L. Moran -- A Royal Decree of Equity / William L. Moran -- A Letter to a God / William L. Moran -- Punishment / Fire / William L. Moran -- Treaties and Coalitions / William L. Moran -- "The God of My Father" / William L. Moran -- A Loan between Gentlemen / William L. Moran -- A Boy to His Mother / William L. Moran -- Aramaic Letters / H.L. Ginsberg -- Letters of the Jews in Elephantine -- Assignment to a New Lessor of Land Abandoned in the Egyptian Rebellion of 410 B.C.

"James Pritchard's classic anthologies of the ancient Near East have introduced generations of readers to texts essential for understanding the peoples and cultures of this important region. Now these two enduring works have been combined and integrated into one convenient and richly illustrated volume, with a new foreword that puts the tranlations in context. With more than 130 reading selections and 300 photographs of ancient art, architecture and artifacts, this volume provides a stimulating introduction to some of the most significant and widely studied texts of the ancient Near East, including the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Creation Epic (Enuma elish), the Code of Hammurabi, and the Baal Cycle. For students of history, religion, the Bible, archaeology, and anthropology, this anthology provides a wealth of material for understanding the ancient Near East."--Page 4 of cover.