Religion Commons^™

“The Holy Brick Of Birth-Giving”: A Reassessment Of Ancient Near Eastern Birth Bricks And Their Medical Role In Delivery, Emily Jo Liske

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

The bricks of birth are often described as a birthing tool in ancient Near Eastern societies. Assertions about their function and usage are based almost solely on two sources: ancient religious texts and ethnographic studies. However, upon closer investigation, the religious texts suggest that the bricks were primarily ritual implements, and the ethnographic studies cited only briefly allude to the possible use of bricks prior to delivery.

In order to assess the likelihood that birth bricks were used as a medical aid during labor, this project evaluates the available textual and archaeological sources, the central terminology, and commonly-cited ethnographic studies. …

Evidence For The Role Of Asherah In Israelite Religion, Taylor Thomas

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

In the early days of Israelite religion, cultic practices and icon worship were common. One example of such practice involves the term asherah. In the Ancient Near East, asherah referred to a sacred object crafted from wood that was located near places of religious gathering. It is also possible that the term asherah is a reference to the ancient goddess Astarte worshipped by Ugaritic cultures. A third possibility, evidenced by the tendency of cultures of the ancient Near East to have little to no separation between deities and their physical representations and the non-static nature of religion, is that the …

Augustine, Wannabe Philosopher: The Search For Otium Honestum, Allen Griffith Wilson

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

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