Iconic Books and Texts

Images of books appear in art, advertising and commercial logos to symbolize learning, knowledge and wisdom. In religious and secular rituals around the globe, people carry, show, wave, touch and kiss books and other texts, as well as read them. Such images and rituals utilize the iconic dimension of texts. This volume is the first comprehensive survey of iconic books and texts. It traces their development and influence from ancient to modern times and compares their roles in multiple cultures and religious traditions. The twenty-two essays presented here are original, cutting-edge contributions to this new academic field, and will appeal to students and scholars across the study of religions, literature, book history, archives and libraries.

About the author

James W. Watts is Professor of Religion at Syracuse University and the author of Ritual and Rhetoric in Leviticus: From Sacrifice to Scripture (Cambridge University Press, 2007).

Summary

This volume is the first comprehensive survey of iconic books and texts tracing their development and influence from ancient to modern times and comparing their roles in multiple cultures and religious traditions.

Product details

• Authors: James W Watts
• Assisted by: James W. Watts (Editor)
• Publisher: Equinox Publishing Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 05.05.2013
• EAN: 9781845539856
• ISBN: 978-1-84553-985-6
• No. of pages: 450
• Dimensions: 161 mm x 240 mm x 29 mm
• Weight: 837 g
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Christianity; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Miscellaneous