T&t Clark Handbook of Food in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel

Food and feasting are key themes in the Hebrew Bible and the culture it represents, and the archaeology of the lands of the Bible now provides information about ancient foodways. In this handbook scholars draw on a multitude of disciplines to offer an overview of the study of food in the Hebrew Bible and ancient Israel.

The contributors examine not only the textual materials of the Hebrew Bible and related epigraphic works, but also engage in a wider archaeological, environmental, and historical understanding of ancient Israel as it pertains to food.

The volume is divided into five parts examining aspects of food and food production in the Hebrew Bible and ancient Israel. Environmental and socio-economic issues such as climate and trade are considered along with the production of raw materials and the technology of harvesting and food processing. The cultural role of food and meals in festivals, holidays, and biblical regulations is also discussed, as is the way food and drink are treated in biblical texts, in related epigraphic materials, and in iconography.