u003cpu003eJames Pritchard's classic anthologies of the ancient Near East have introduced generations of readers to texts essential for understanding the peoples and cultures of this important region. Now these two enduring works have been combined and integrated into one convenient and richly illustrated volume, with a new foreword that puts the translations in context.u003c/pu003eu003cpu003e With more than 130 reading selections and 300 photographs of ancient art, architecture, and artifacts, this volume provides a stimulating introduction to some of the most significant and widely studied texts of the ancient Near East, including the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Creation Epic (Enuma elish), the Code of Hammurabi, and the Baal Cycle. For students of history, religion, the Bible, archaeology, and anthropology, this anthology provides a wealth of material for understanding the ancient Near East.u003cbru003eu003culu003eu003cliu003eRepresents the diverse cultures and languages of the ancient Near East--Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, Hittite, Ugaritic, Canaanite, and Aramaic--in a wide range of genres: u003cbru003eu003culu003eu003cliu003eHistorical texts u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eLegal texts and treaties u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eInscriptions u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eHymns u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eDidactic and wisdom literature u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eOracles and prophecies u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eLove poetry and other literary texts u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eLettersu003c/liu003eu003c/ulu003eu003c/liu003eu003cliu003eNew foreword puts the classic translations in contextu003c/liu003eu003cliu003eMore than 300 photographs document ancient art, architecture, and artifacts related to the textsu003c/liu003eu003cliu003eFully indexedu003c/liu003eu003c/ulu003eu003c/pu003e