Recovering Women’s Rituals in the Ancient Near East

Using combined methodologies of feminist ideological criticism, ritual studies, and a re-examination of archaeological remains this book offers reconstructions of women’s rituals and rites of passage in ancient Israel, Canaan, and Mesopotamia during the first millennium BCE.

Published: Nov 1, 2025

Series

Worlds of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean

Section	Chapter	Authors
Part I: Introduction
	Introduction to Women in the Near East	Julye Bidmead
	Methodology	Julye Bidmead
	Evidence : Textual Sources and Archaeological Remains	Julye Bidmead
Part II: Reconstructing Women's Rituals
	Mesopotamia -- i. Birth Rituals ii. Puberty rituals iii. Marriage Rituals iv. Fertility Rituals v. Death rituals vi. Other rites involving women’s bodies vii. Women participating in male rites of passage viii. Summary of women’s rituals in Mesopotamia	Julye Bidmead
	Israel and Canaan -- i. Birth Rituals ii. Puberty rituals iii. Marriage Rituals iv. Fertility Rituals v. Death rituals vi. Other rites involving women’s bodies vii. Women participating in male rites of passage viii. Summary of women’s rituals in Israel and Canaan	Julye Bidmead
Part III: Summary and Conclusions
	Comparative Analysis	Julye Bidmead
End Matter
	Bibliography	Julye Bidmead
	Appendices	Julye Bidmead

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