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Review s of Book s 303

recontextualize the Xiangtangshan caves by incorporafing pieces removed from to the site into the

discussion.

The remaining two essays in Echoes of the Past deal with the various mulfimedia technologies

utilized in the Xiangtangshan project. Readers who have the opportunity to experience the so-called

D igital Cave in person at the exhibition will better appreciate the background and technical informa-

tion docum ented in the essays. Created by the contem porary artist Jason Salavon, the Digital Ca ve is

a reconstruction of the South Cave at northern Xiangtangshan in a space framed by three large screens

that are coordinated to project a steady stream of images of the structure's interior. This eight-minute

presentation mixes black-and-white photographs from the 1920s with a recent video scan of the cave

and 3-D digital models showing the removed sculptures restored within the cave's original setting. The

mo ving im ages conjures a virtual reality in which the viewer can witness the transformation of tbe cave

from one state of existence to another in conden sed time. To com pleme nt the Digital Ca ve, various

computer touch-screens are placed throughout the galleries for visitors to further explore the caves

using other digital tools utilized in the project.

As a unit, the Xiangtangshan exhibition and its accompanying catalogue offer a compelling method-

ology for studying cave temples in China. In assembling removed sculptures in one location and reunit-

ing them with their original context through the latest imaging technologies and academic research,

the organizers clearly promote a historical approach to understanding Xiangtangshan and its time. This

focus provides an alternative way of dealing with the more controversial issues of cultural patrimony

and repatriation that an exhibition full of looted objects might raise. While the catalogue does not con-

tain any specific essay addressing these questions, a label titled Prom oting the Protection of Chinese

Cultural H eritage is displayed near the exit of the exhibition space in the Sackler Gallery. Couc hed in

a series of questions and answers, the label anticipates the questions a curious visitor might ask about

the policies and regulafions now in place to protect historical sites like Xiangtangshan.

In sum.Echoes of the Past is a welcome addition to the current literature on Chinese Buddhist art.

It offers a viable model of research and outreach for any future projects on cultural monuments that

involve the use of advanced imaging technology and international collaboration.

SoNYA

L E E

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

The Pots and Potters of Assyria: Technology and O rganisation of Production Ceramic Sequence and

Vessel Eunction at L ate Bronze Age

ell

SabiAbyad Syria.B y

KIM DUISTERMAAT.

PAL M A, vol. 4 .

Turnhout:

BRHPOLS,

2008. Pp. 605, illus. 125.

In the secondary title for her dissertation-tumed -book, K im Duistermaat sets expansive goals for

herself and the text: describing the technology em ployed and the organization of production at L ate

Bronze Age Tell Sabi Abyad, providing further thoughts on the ceramic sequence at the site, and

offering disciission on the function of the vessels represented in the L ate Bronze assem blage. H appily,

Duistermaat's work lives up to these goals via a text that presents a great deal of raw data and explana-

tory material while remaining accessible.

The more theoretical and interpretive goals of the study are founded upon a thorough physical

study of the LB ceramic material from the site. The excavation and evaluation methodologies for the

recovered ceramic material are provided in good detail in chapter II, while chapter III ( The Ceramic

Sequence ) provides a wonderful balance of organized raw data with thoughtful descripfive analysis.

In chapter III the ceramics are grouped by level and, for each level, descriptions of the fabrics, rim and

base shapes, forms, firing temperatures and conditions, and surface treatments are provided. In addition

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304 Journal of

th

American Oriental Society 131.2 (2011 )

Chapters V, V I, and VII provide the interpretive meat of the study. In chapter V D uistermaat address-

es the techniques employed in and the organization of pottery production at Tell Sabi Abyad. Here and

in her concluding chapter she asserts that while there is a documentable change in ceramic production

between Level 7 ( Mitanni period) and Levels 6-3 (Middle Assyrian occupation), strong points of

continuity also exist. She cites as an example the presence of Middle Assyrian shapes in Level 7 and

the continuation of shapes and decorations generally seen as typical of the M itanni period in Levels

6 - 3 .

She asserts that the continuation of Level 7 potting traditions implies that local potting customs

continued alongside the production of ceramics associated with the Assyrian

dunnu

administration.

(She describes

dunnu

settlements as a tool by which Assyrian officials administered their land. They

were private agricultural estates in the coun tryside, used for the extraction of agricultural produ cts

and surplus to support the activities of the official in Assur or his city of residence elsewhere. Dunnus

could also have duties in border control, taxing and military action [p. 25].) In the Middle A ssyrian

dunnu

phase, she envisions the potters as relatively ind epe nde nt. . . working in an individual w ork-

shop organisation, but commissioned by and under the protection and authority of the Middle Assyrian

dunnu

adm inistration (p. 420 ). Having outlined a proposal for the organization of production at the

Tell Sabi Abyad dunnu she asserts that this model could also be used to describe ceramic production

at similar Middle Assyrian sites.

What does not seem to be offered in any of these three chapters (V, VI, VII) is a straightforward

discussion of the mechanism(s) by which pottery shapes (e.g., carinated cups with certain rim shapes

and straight-sided bowls) traditionally associated with Middle Assyrian influence or occupation would

be present in Level 7, a claim made in chapters IV (pp. 53-54) and VII (p. 469). Additionally, the deci-

sion to exclude from the discussion all material found in the pottery production areas that is not directly

related to pottery production (p. 349) is disappointing but understandable. The scope of the study is

already quite expansive and the final excavation reports for the LB horizon at the site have yet to be

published. I am hopeful that sometime in the future Duistermaat will revisit the topic of the organiza-

tion of ceramic production areas and the daily activities of the craftspeople in light of any relevant

material to be published in the final report.

While there is no doubt that this book will be of great interest to members of the academic com-

munity interested in Late Bronze Age Syrian archaeology, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that

this volume has a great deal to offer anyone interested in ceramic studies regardless of region or time

period. Duistermaat achieves this versatility in her presentation by providing much of the methodologi-

cal and technical background information needed to understand her presentation of site-specific data.

For example, in chapter V.6 she provides a discussion of potters' wheels, complete with drawings of

several types, as part of her argument supporting the identification of the simple wheel as the tool used

at Tell Sabi Abyad. Likewise, located in her discussion of pottery-shaping techniques are a guide meant

to help determine the direction in which the potter's wheel was spinning when a vessel was thrown,

step-by-step illustrations of several throwing and finishing techniques, and annotated photographs illus-

trating some of the technical issues introduced via line drawings and text description.

Similarly, the data presented in appendix C could not only prove useful to a specialist but also

provides a well-organized and detailed model of fabric descriptions that could serve as an example for

anyone wishing to brush up on their ceramic analysis skills. The color photographs of thin-sections are

numerous and increase the accessibility of the thin-seetion descriptions. This level of illustration and

explanation is rare for a site-specific publication and greatly increases the usability of this volume by

students and scholars of varying levels of experience with ceramie data. Portions of the text would also

be quite useful in an advanced undergraduate or graduate course that explored the study of ceramics

in archaeological contexts.

Duistermaat's extensive discussion (in chapter VI and appendix F) of the connection between vessel

form, function, and use is commendable. Again, this level of detail on this subject is rare in a pottery

report from a single site. Her introduction to this material provides a brief but informative theoretical

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R e v i e w sofB o o k s 305

an-historical data. Specialistsin Assyrian-period ceramics willbeinterestedinher listofAssyrian p ot-

tery namesandproposed matches between these vessel nam esandshapes.Herdiscussionsofserving

and eating, cooking methods, brewing methods,andvesselsin iconography, alsoin this chapter, will

likelybe ofinteresttoanyone studying foodwaysin theancient Near East.

In addition

to

the sections already mentioned, the appendices include

a

shape typology,

a

catalog

of

potter's marks encounteredon theLate Bronze ceramics,anddiscussionof cuneiform texts from Tell

Sabi Abyad that are relatedtopottery. Although referenced above,theabundanceof information avail-

ableinappendixFis worth noting again. Foranumberofshape groups, Duistermaat offers descriptions

addressing size, shaping methods, functional properties, evidence relatedtouse,and proposed sugges-

tionsforfunction anduse.

While her conclusions about the Tell Sabi Abyad material arenoteworthy, the book's greatest

strength maybe the transparency maintained throughout. The methodologies employedin theexcava-

tionandanalysesof the ceramic collection are clearly explained.Inaddition, she providesagreat deal

of raw dataviatext, tables,and illustrations, thereby allowing readerstomake their own assessments

of the material.

In the preface Duistermaat notes that in theprocess of preparing her dissertation the pottery

stopped beingaboring pileof sherds thathad to bepublished and started to 'talk' . . .givingme

clues about the people who made themand the kindofsocialandcultural environment they were pro-

ducedandusedin (p. 17).Herunderstandingofthe potentialforceramicsto bemore thana boring

pileofsherds thathad to bepublished isevidentin the detailand organizationofher book. The care

with which she haspresented her methodology, data,and analyses renders this studyan exemplary

ceramic publication.Inadditionto the academic rigor represented in thepublication,herenthusiasm

forthematerialisalso evident,andapparently infectious,for at the end ofmy readingI found myself

surprisingly enthusiastic about the Late Bronze Age ceramics from Tell Sabi Abyad.

LEANN P ACE

THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE

Judaism: he Eirst Phase: he Placeof zraandNehemiah in the Origins of Judaism. ByJOSEPH

BLENKINSOPP.Grand Rapids, Mich.: WILLIAM B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING CO.,2009. Pp. xiv + 262.

$30 (paper).

Blenkinsopp's new book explores theorigins of Judaism and theplace of Ezra andNehemiah

in

its

formation.

He

defines

a

religion

(p. )as

consisting

of an

object

of

worship, religious institu-

tions (priesthood, prophecy, etc.), narrative and legal U-aditions, social organization, and demographics.

Rather than addressing the first twoofthese attributes, he focusesonthe latter two , askingifthe defini-

tions

of

the terms

yhdmand

Israel

had

changed their meanings from

a

national-political definition

toareligious oneby theperiodof Ezra-Nehemiah.

In arguingfor achangeinmeaning, Blenkinsopp (p.24) writes thatthemem bersofthe garrisonat

Eleph antine, although from Israel (the word Israe l never appearsin thepapyri), werenotethnically

Judean, even though they referred

to

themselves

asyhday. As

evidence, B lenkinsopp points

to the

sums donatedto thegods Bethel, Eshembethel,and Anathbethel along with those donatedtoYHW H.

This doesnot prove Israelite origin.It is more likely that these Judeans included some personswho

worshipped Aramean gods.

The author turns next (p.25) toJ osephus Ant. 11:173)toargue thatthenameoudaioi was given

to this people only from the time they came up from Babylon in538. But Blenkinsopp misunderstands

the historian. Josephus states thatthename oudaioi isderived from thetribeofJudah;asthis tribe

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