Your paper should be an original contribution that explores the Hebrew Bible through the interpretive lens of Cultural Anthropology. 15-20 pages in length, using both primary sources (ie the Bible, and other texts or archaeological artifacts if relevant) and secondary sources (books, use the Internet for general orientation but cite only published work by serious scholars). Document all assertions. Topics may be:
Animal/Plant symbolism
Wet vs. Dry
Storm symbolism
Farming vs Herding
Bible’s own anthropology
Cities
Pilgrimage
Light vs Dark
Priesthood vs Kingship vs Prophecy
Social Contract
Imagined ideals
Ethnicity (us vs. them)
Local etiologies
Autochthony vs Allochthony
Love vs marriage
The Temple/ Tabernacle / High place
Symbolism of the four directions
Shame vs honor
Sin and impurity
Sacred Mountain/Trees/Springs
Healing
Music
Forbidden mixtures
Revering elders
Human Sacrifice
Relation to the land
Counting people


