Ancient Near Eastern Studies

Overview

Propylaeum offers several search options for finding subject information about the Ancient Near East, including the chance to search for printed monographs and journals from Germany or world-wide. The use of an electronic document delivery (journal articles via email / book loans) and access to lists of newly published literature are also offered. In addition, users have access to various forms of electronic media, including databases, e-journals, freely-available internet resources for this subject, a document server (which permits the free publication of monographs or articles) and direct access to digitized historical literature.

Definition of the Subject

Ancient Near Eastern Studies consists of two subject areas, Ancient Near Eastern Philology and Near Eastern Archaeology. Bearing in mind the diverse relations between the advanced civilizations of ancient times, it represents, geographically, the area of Asia Minor in the West to the Indus Valley in the East, the Black Sea, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan in the North to Yemen in the South; the time-frame spans from the Aceramic period (10,000 B.C.E) to the time of Alexander the Great (4th century B.C.E.) and in some regions even up until the emergence of Islam (7th century C.E.). In terms of content, the subject covers all areas of the spiritual and material aspects of civilization, such as writing, literature, art and culture, religion, archaeology, history, commerce, law, etc.

There is a certain overlap with related subjects due to the diverse contents and broad chronological and geographical spectrum of this subject area (Pre- and Early History, Egyptology, Ancient History, Middle East Studies, South Asia Studies). All aspects of ANE Studies are provided for through the comprehensive approach of Propylaeum, although particular attention is paid to the regions of Mesopotamia, Southern and Southwestern Iran, Syria-Palestine and Asia Minor, from the fourth millennium B.C.E. to the end of the Cuneiform Period in the 1st century C.E

Ancient Near Eastern Studies as a special subject collection at Tuebingen University Library

The resources for the subject area of Ancient Near Eastern Studies in Propylaeum are supplied by Tuebingen University Library. It does so as part of the programme funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), which supports a co-operative system for national literature provision – in this case the special subject collection "Ancient Near East". Besides being responsible for the acquisition and supply of relevant printed and electronic media, Tuebingen University Library also aides in the development of this virtual subject library as a central subject portal.