Resurrecting the Past: A Joint Tribute to Adnan Bounni.

• Author: Bahrani, Zainab

Two Festschrifts presenting papers in the area of Syrian archaeology to two prominent archaeologists in that field have recently appeared. The first, in honor of Maurits van Loon, is a collection of papers by his former students and collaborators in the field. The essays range in subject matter and discipline from studies of the prehistoric environment of the Syrian Djezireh (S. Bottema) to art historical and philological works, such as animal headed cups in metal from Mari (S. Dunham) and "Tispak, his seal, and the dragon Mushussu" (F. A. M. Wiggerman). They also include scientific studies such as "Metal Restoration in the Field" (R. Leenheer) and the microwear analysis of sampled borers from the Jordan valley (J. Bueller). The majority of papers cover prehistoric periods, but there are also contributions that focus on later subjects, such as a reconsideration of the Battle of Qadesh by J. de Bruyn. The variety present in the contributions is a reflection of van Loon's diverse interests, both in areas of study and geography.

The second Festschrift, in honor of Adnan Bounni, is the first such tribute to be dedicated to an Arab scholar in the field. The contributors are colleagues of Bounni from Europe, the United States, and the Middle East, and the essays cover an extensive chronological period from the neolithic to the...