In this set of articles originally published together in his booklet Orientalia, Lagarde addresses several issues concerning Hebrew studies. The first article, Explanation of Hebrew Words, addresses the use of twelve significant lexemes. Added to this essay is a contribution of Lagarde to the Hebrew reflected in Ephraim the Syrian’s work on Genesis, extant in Armenian. Select passages from Genesis 2 through 38 are given consideration in the light of philological investigation. Together these pieces represent a useful collection of insights into the Hebrew language both through classic philology and through the ecclesiastical interpretation of a scholar in the tradition of Syriac Christianity.

This set of essays originate in Lagarde’s printed collection Orientalia. The first contribution to this booklet is Lagarde’s analysis of the Coptic manuscripts of the Göttingen library. In addition to describing the manuscripts, he provides data concerning the content, including the biblical passages slated for various liturgical seasons, in keeping with the character of the material. To this is attached an article on selections of the Coptic translation of the Old Testament. Here annotated extracts of the Bible are presented in their original Coptic script, along with relevant apparatus by the author.

Taken from the collection of studies published under the collective title Mémoires de l'histoire et de Ia geographie orientales, Mémoire sur la Conquête de la Syrie stands as a monument to the insight of M. J. de Goeje on the Arabic conquest of Syria. This brief account of an important phase of Syria’s history will be sure to please those interested in the general history of the Middle East as well as scholars studying the rise of Islam.

In this formative study of the Babylonian and Assyrian letters, originally published over three articles in Beiträge zur Assyriologie, Delitzsch presents in transliteration and translation, 40 Akkadian letters, along with critical notes and remarks. These letters are addressed to the Queen-Mother and to the King and generally date from the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian periods and contexts. An example of early analysis of the still-young discipline of Assyriology, this study provides insights into the dynamics of royal life in the late Mesopotamian empires.

In this study on relative pronouns and relative sentences in Assyrian, Kraetzschmar begins with the origin and demonstrative use of relative pronouns, noting the primary position of ša as a genitive and a preposition. Kraetzschmar also addresses relative sentences without ša. He also addresses the conjunctive relative sentence in Akkadian, considering subjective, objective, and sentences with time and syllogistic elements. Although a technical study, this exploration into a key form of expression in the burgeoning era of Akkadian studies will still find a place in libraries of specialists in Mesopotamian languages.

In this continuously cited article on the Babylonian legends of Etana, Zu, Adapa and the South Wind, and Dibbarra, Harper provides a substantial wealth of detail. Each of these myths is treated with an introduction, transliteration, and translation. Philological notes are given along with a summary of the contents. Comparison is also made with other ancient tales that bear resemblance to those contained in this volume. Further remarks by H. Zimmern on the Adapa legend are also included. This study is accompanied by hand-drawn copies of the cuneiform tablets and a photographic archive of the various fragments of the texts.

In this widely cited study of the hymns and prayers to Marduk, Hehn has brought together a very useful resource for students of Babylonian religion. The genealogy of Marduk, his sphere of influence, his names and his role as a determiner of fate open the work. Marduk’s function as the protector of Babylon and his persona compared to the biblical idea of the divine, as well as the conflict with the dragon are addressed. There follow several texts that fit into the categories of hymns and prayers to Marduk. Each one is given in transliteration, translation, and with comments. The study concludes with line drawings of the individual tablets.

Sippar had yielded thousands of clay tablets and these were still being published in this period. Texts are given in transliteration and translation, and commentary is included. The next section concerns the representation from seal impressions, those categorized by gods and those categorized by epic. A comparison of names and an overview of published cuneiform texts also play a role in the discussion. The texts are presented in line drawings and photographs of cylinder-seal impressions conclude the work.

Theodor Kluge publishes a German translation of two Eastern Christian liturgical texts for use in Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost. Anton Baumstark adds notations to the translation and includes an introduction to each text.

Previous attempts to compare the art and architecture of Ravenna have focused only on Rome and Constantinople, but Josef Strzygowski argues here that the Oriental Christian tradition should be considered as a contributing influence as well.

In the early twentieth-century, P.S. Landersdorfer published a translation of Jacob of Serug’s homily on the fall of the idols accompanied by a commentary. Bernhard Vandenhoff publishes here a critique of Landersdorfer’s conclusions about the gods mentioned in Jacob’s “god-list.”

Felix Haase presents one of the first in-depth surveys of the text of the Chronicle of Pseudo-Dionysius of Tell-Mahre and focuses on the issue of the texts that were used as sources for the composition of the Chronicle

Egon Wellesz presents here an in-depth survey of Christian music in the Byzantine tradition. Wellesz discusses the present state of research and the problems inherent in such a survey, and describes the notation and symbols used in the manuscript tradition.

The Armenian version of the Chronicle of Michael the Great was overshadowed by the discovery of the Syriac version. However, Felix Hasse argues that the unique features of the Armenian text provide an important historical source for the Armenian tradition.

Turning his keen linguistic eye toward various influences on the Syriac language, Lagarde he addresses the various Persian, Armenian, and Indic words that occur in Syriac literature. Arranged alphabetically according to the Syriac spelling of the words, Lagarde ably addresses 222 loan words with frequently detailed entries tracing roots of the words back through their linguistic pedigree. For the scholar of comparative Semitic philology who is interested in the wider background and origins of these specific words, this booklet will prove to be a powerful and much-used tool.

In this collection of poetry of Umayya ibn Abi al-Salt, as well as poems published in his name, Schulthess does a great service in bringing together these legendary Arabic poems. Umayya ibn Abi al-Salt was a contemporary of Muhammad who did not accept Islam. Printed here in the original Arabic, the poems are also translated in German and annotated. Schulthess also provides a knowledgeable introduction that includes a listing of the manuscript sources utilized in the reconstruction of the texts.

Joseph Catergian’s Die Liturgien bei den Armeniern was significant for liturgical studies in the Armenian tradition, but it lacked translations of the texts. The present publication includes translations by Peter Ferhart, Anton Baumstark, and Adolf Rücker.

Anton Baumstark compares the Greek text of a Theotokion preserved in a sixth-century manuscript to comparable texts from the Oriental Christian traditions and the Western Ambrosian Rite.

Egon Wellesz presents here a thorough study of music in the Ethiopic Christian tradition. Wellesz’s discussion includes a survey of previous literature, a comparison of musical features with other traditions, and examples of Ethiopic musical texts.

Anton Baumstark surveys the possible literary sources for liturtgical hymn prayers of the Eastern Syriac tradition and also provides a Latin translation of nineteen such prayers found in Bedjan’s Chaldean Breviary.

August Haffner provides a critique of Ernst Trumpp’s use of the Ethiopic and Arabic sources used in his publication of the Hexamaron of Pseudo-Ephiphanius.

Adolf Rücker publishes here the Syriac text and German translation of two poems about the Magi from the “Nestorian” Syriac tradition and discusses the unique features of the Magi narrative present in the Syriac sources.

Although this fragmentary Eastern Syriac Anaphora was previously published by G. Bickell, R.H. Connolly disagreed with several editorial and conjectural decisions. Thus, Connolly publishes here his own edited version of the text accompanied by a Latin translation and extended notes.

P. Maternus Wolff publishes here the Syriac text and German translation of three burial hymns by Narsai that were originally included in an unfinished work by Karl Macke. Wolff also includes an introduction and a critical apparatus for the text.

In this edition of the poems of Mutalammis, a 6th-century poet from the tribe of Bakr, Vollers draws on his extensive experience in Cairo to present an informative edition of the poems in both Arabic and German translation. After a substantial introduction to the material at hand, the Arabic texts, annotated, are presented. This is followed by the fragments that have survived and a translation of texts I to XVII. With this wealth of material, the interested reader of early Arabic poetry will find this edition of poems by Mutalammis a welcome edition to their library of Arabic literature.