DESCRIPTION: This course, the second of a two-course sequence, delves deeper into the language, literature, and culture of Ugarit, giving special attention to the ways that Ugaritology affects the study of the Hebrew Bible. Weekly seminar discussions on selected topics will expose students to the growing literature on Ugarit.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students successfully completing this course will have demonstrated (1) intermediate competency in translating and understanding the Ugaritic language; (2) familiarity with the Ugaritic textual corpus in translation; (3) ability to articulate the significant contributions of Ugaritology (a) as its own self-contained field within ancient Near Eastern studies and (b) as it informs the interpretation of the Hebrew Bible and ancient Israelite religion and culture.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: The study of Ugaritic is crucial for students pursuing an advanced degree in Old Testament. Ugaritic has played an important role in informing the current understanding of Classical Hebrew. Furthermore, its literature and material culture provide insight into the world of ancient Israel.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will meet once weekly for a three-hour session. Class sessions will involve prepared translations in Ugaritic as well as discussions, lectures, and student presentations on various topics.

REQUIRED READING:

Pardee, Dennis. Ritual and Cult at Ugarit. SBLWAW 10. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2002.

Parker, Simon B., ed. Ugaritic Narrative Poetry. SBLWAW 9. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1997.

Sivan, Daniel. A Grammar of the Ugaritic Language. HO 1:28. Leiden: Brill, 1997.

Smith, Mark S. The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: Israel's Polytheistic Background and Ugaritic Texts. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Yon, Marguerite. The City of Ugarit at Tell Ras Shamra. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2006.

Schniedewind, William, and Joel Hunt. A Primer on Ugaritic: Language, Culture, and Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Gibson, J. C. L. Canaanite Myths and Legends. Edited by G. R. Driver. London: T&T Clark, 2004.

Huehnergard, John. Ugaritic Vocabulary in Syllabic Transcription. HSS 32. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1987 [repr. Eugene: Wipf & Stock].

Kaltner, John, and Steven L. McKenzie, eds. Beyond Babel: A Handbook for Biblical Hebrew and Related Languages. SBLRBS 42. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2002.

Olmo Lete, G. del. Canaanite Religion According to the Liturgical Texts of Ugarit. Translated by W. G. E. Watson. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2004.

Olmo Lete, G. del, and J. Sanmartin. A Dictionary of the Ugaritic Language in the Alphabetic Tradition. 2 vols. 2nd ed. Leiden: Brill, 2004.

Segert, Stanislav. A Basic Grammar of the Ugaritic Language with Selected Texts and Glossary. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984.

Tropper, Josef. Ugaritische Grammatik. AOAT 273. Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2000.

Watson, Wilfred, and Nicolas Wyatt, eds. Handbook of Ugaritic Studies. 2 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1999.