The coverage of the Reallexikon der Assyriologie und Vorderasiatischen Archaologie embraces those ancient Near Eastern cultures which used the cuneiform script (Mesopotamia, North Syria and Anatolia) together with neighbouring regions in the 4th to the 1st millennia B.C. Entries include important personalities (rulers, scholars, administrators etc.), deities, ancient place names and modern archaeological sites, as well as cultural items and concepts (e.g. "house", "purchase", "literature", "mathematics", "milk"), which are treated from both philological and archaeological standpoints, as appropriate. The articles appear alphabetically under their German heading, but may be in German, English or French. They may be accompanied by illustrations, diagrams and plans. The Reallexikon is addressed to specialists within its own field, but also to historians, theologians, anthropologists, legal historians and others. It does not draw on any predecessor and has established itself internationally as an indispensable work tool. With publication of volume 15 the Reallexikon is completed approximately 90 years after publication of the first volume.

The coverage of the Reallexikon der Assyriologie und Vorderasiatischen Archaologie embraces those ancient Near Eastern cultures which used the cuneiform script (Mesopotamia, North Syria and Anatolia) together with neighbouring regions in the 4th to the 1st millennia B.C. Entries include important personalities (rulers, scholars, administrators etc.), deities, ancient place names and modern archaeological sites, as well as cultural items and concepts (e.g. "house", "purchase", "literature", "mathematics", "milk"), which are treated from both philological and archaeological standpoints, as appropriate. The articles appear alphabetically under their German heading, but may be in German, English or French. They may be accompanied by illustrations, diagrams and plans. The Reallexikon is addressed to specialists within its own field, but also to historians, theologians, anthropologists, legal historians and others. It does not draw on any predecessor and has established itself internationally as an indispensable work tool. The Reallexikon is planned to appear in 15 volumes.

This book represents the first comprehensive, interdisciplinary presentation of ancient Near Eastern civilization. Concentrating on Mesopotamia and North Syria and focusing particularly on the cultures of Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria, von Soden covers the earliest times to Hellenization. His study of ancient "humanity in its wholeness" includes treatments of the history of language and systems of writing, the state and society, nutrition and agriculture, artisanry, economics, law, science, religion and magic, art, music, and more. Valuable background work for students of the Bible. Includes 18 black-and-white photographs.