This volume, to which European, American, and Israeli scholars have contributed, is designed to inform students of the Old Testament of the impact of archaeological discovery upon Old Testament study, with particular reference to specific sites. Twenty-five sites are included, in Egypt, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Syria, and Palestine, and there are three regional studies, of Philistia, the Negeb, and Transjordan. Brief histories of the excavations are given, and the archaeological material is related to the Old Testament in such a way as to bring out points of interest concerning history, geography, chronology, religion, literature, language, law, industry, and the arts. The volumes include bibliographies, illustrations, maps, and a chronological chart.

This volume of contributions by members of the faculties of Divinity and Oriental Languages at Cambridge was converted from a presentation into a memorial by the death of Professor Cook on 15th June, 1949. Not the least valuable feature in it is the select bibliography of S. A. Cook's work over fifty-three years of unremitting activity. The historical development of modern humane studies should be an essential feature of any learned work; if it is neglected, old discarded views are raised from the dead, and rejection of current views may be based on ignorance of the original discussion. The bibliography is a guide to the period between the first acceptance of Wellhausen's critical ideas in this country and the present, when Old Testament criticism is taking a different direction owing to new knowledge.