Rezensiertes Werk: Michael Sokoloff and Joseph Yahalom, Jewish Palestinian Arameic Poetry from Late Antiquity: Critical Edition with Introduction and Commentary (Publications of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities

Oration 30 (Or. 30) has been commonly used in scholarship as positive affirmation of religious violence and temple destruction in late Antique Syria. This view of widespread violence in late 4th century Syria was previously supported by scholarship on temple destruction and conversion, which tended to argue that temple destruction and conversion was a widespread phenomenon in the 4th and 5th centuries. Recent archaeological scholarship, however, argues against this perspective, in favour of temple destruction and conversion being a rather exceptional and late phenomenon. The question must therefore be asked, to what extent can Libanius’ Or. 30 be used as a source of temple destruction in the Antiochene countryside in Late Antiquity? This question is explored through three chapters which examine: the text and context of Or. 30, the use and application of Roman law in Or. 30, and the archeological evidence for temple destruction and conversion in the Antiochene countryside. This research has revealed that Libanius tends to use similar arguments in his ‘reform speeches,’ that there was no legal basis for temple destruction in the late 4th century, and that there is no archaeological evidence for widespread temple destruction occurring around the composition of Or. 30. Thus, the evidence shows that Libanius’ claim of widespread violence must be seen as an exaggeration. Meaning that Or. 30 cannot be used to support the idea of widespread destruction and religious violence in the Antiochene countryside at the end of the 4th century or, for that matter, Late Antiquity in general.

Pollen profiles from two lakes, Tawny Pond (44°48’59”N, 77°10’54”W, 276m) and Stoll Lake (44°58’16”N, 77°17’22”W,303m) in Addington Highlands, eastern Ontario, Canada were analyzed to understand the effects of late-Holocene climate change and European settlement on eastern Ontario’s forests. Both lakes were analyzed at high temporal resolution and record vegetation dynamics over the last 1000 years. Throughout the past 1000 years, Pinus, Tsuga, Betula, Quercus, Acer and Fagus were the dominant taxa in the pollen record. The pollen records show vegetation response in relation to the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age. From 970-1200 AD the forest was dominated by hemlock, beech and maple trees. From 1200-1870 AD the forest composition changed as pine and boreal trees became more abundant and/or had increased relative pollen production. Most recently, since 1870 AD, herbaceous plants (weeds) increased, whereas softwoods decreased and hardwoods increased, due to landscape changes associated with European settlement. These results show that high resolution studies of unvarved lakes, with an appropriate chronology, can detect multi-decadal climate variability. This thesis was also concerned with making management suggestions to the forestry community. Future climate change will likely create a forest composition more similar to that of the Medieval Warm Period than the time of European colonization, and thus should be the basis for forest planning.

Chopin’s Third Piano Sonata, Op. 58, is the largest solo work of his late period. Chopin’s successful combination of the Classical and the Romantic aesthetic, which is explored in Chapter 1, results in an effective balancing of structural integrity and emotional fulfillment. Every movement of Op. 58 possesses qualities of movements in a traditional sonata cycle; however, the tendency to blend structural elements, the expansion of thematic material, and the postponement of climaxes contribute to Chopin’s distinctive treatment of the sonata genre. The issue of late style in Chopin’s output has recently garnered considerable attention. Most writers focus on particular compositional techniques such as the blending of musical genres and the increasing importance of counterpoint and chromaticism. New expressive elements include manifestations of a dandified aesthetic as well as emotional lassitude. These discussions are primarily related to works in Chopin’s original genres, neglecting somewhat the Third Piano Sonata, Op. 58. The second chapter of this dissertation examines the elements of Chopin’s late style present in Op. 58, emphasizing the sonata’s first three movements. These aspects of late style include blurring of genres, complex use of chromaticism, intricacy of counterpoint, textural and thematic variety, dandified impertinence, emotional lassitude and polyvalence. The employment of late stylistic features within the sonata model results in formal ambiguities, which are particularly manifest in the first movement. Chapter 3 reconsiders the movement’s thematic boundaries and especially evaluates the juncture between development and recapitulation. In Chapter 4, the last movement’s indebtedness to Chopin’s balladic model is examined. The gradual intensification of the primary theme together with the presence of a characterizing theme and dancelike episode suggest a merging of Chopin’s balladic practice with rondo form to create an end-directed hybrid structure. This study not only encourages further research into the implications of Chopin’s late style for his larger forms but also increases the variety of interpretative choices available to performers through awareness of Chopin’s stylistic features. The final chapter suggests how insights into musical structure, style, and genre might inform performances of this sonata and how these possibilities relate to a selection of recorded performances.

What is considered anomalous among the Late Bronze/Iron I Age Canaanite tomb plans rests on the understanding of the foreign and the local elements of interments of that period. When Diane Bolger, in her discussion of ancient Cypriot mortuary practices, noted the shift in the scholarly literature from the emphasis on the identity and status of the dead to an examination of the ways in which rituals of death and burial reveal the motives and identities of the living (Bolger 2003), her observation highlighted the importance of burial as a process rather than an event. <p>The phenomenon of burials in loculi chamber tombs during the transitional period of the end of the Late Bronze and beginning of the Early Iron Age is explored, building on the foundations established by Rivka Gonens work on Late Bronze burial behaviour in Canaan (Gonen 1992). The structural and ritual characteristics of the tombs that present evidence for cultural context and origins are considered, establishing whether the archaeological remains translate into a picture of a regional variation or a foreign influence. Are the Late Bronze/Iron I burials in Canaan examples of an amalgamation of cultural traits of variable geographical origins or did they represent an immigration of a mortuary custom? Why are loculi cave burials considered intrusive in the Canaanite territory?<p>The examination of Tell Dothan, Lachish, Tell el-Ajjul and Megiddo, and of the Cypriot sites of Ayios Iakovos Melia, Lapithos Vrysi tou Barba, Korovia Paleoskoutella and Dhenia Kafkalla facilitates the discussion of loculi chamber tomb plan interments in the Levant have prompted.

Chopin’s Third Piano Sonata, Op. 58, is the largest solo work of his late period. Chopin’s successful combination of the Classical and the Romantic aesthetic, which is explored in Chapter 1, results in an effective balancing of structural integrity and emotional fulfillment. Every movement of Op. 58 possesses qualities of movements in a traditional sonata cycle; however, the tendency to blend structural elements, the expansion of thematic material, and the postponement of climaxes contribute to Chopin’s distinctive treatment of the sonata genre. The issue of late style in Chopin’s output has recently garnered considerable attention. Most writers focus on particular compositional techniques such as the blending of musical genres and the increasing importance of counterpoint and chromaticism. New expressive elements include manifestations of a dandified aesthetic as well as emotional lassitude. These discussions are primarily related to works in Chopin’s original genres, neglecting somewhat the Third Piano Sonata, Op. 58. The second chapter of this dissertation examines the elements of Chopin’s late style present in Op. 58, emphasizing the sonata’s first three movements. These aspects of late style include blurring of genres, complex use of chromaticism, intricacy of counterpoint, textural and thematic variety, dandified impertinence, emotional lassitude and polyvalence. The employment of late stylistic features within the sonata model results in formal ambiguities, which are particularly manifest in the first movement. Chapter 3 reconsiders the movement’s thematic boundaries and especially evaluates the juncture between development and recapitulation. In Chapter 4, the last movement’s indebtedness to Chopin’s balladic model is examined. The gradual intensification of the primary theme together with the presence of a characterizing theme and dancelike episode suggest a merging of Chopin’s balladic practice with rondo form to create an end-directed hybrid structure. This study not only encourages further research into the implications of Chopin’s late style for his larger forms but also increases the variety of interpretative choices available to performers through awareness of Chopin’s stylistic features. The final chapter suggests how insights into musical structure, style, and genre might inform performances of this sonata and how these possibilities relate to a selection of recorded performances.

This paper explores the determinants of the number of bidders and final price of 1900s oil paintings auctioned by resellers or dealers on eBay art auctions. We find that starting price has negative effect on bidder’s decision whether to enter the auctions or not while seller reputation variables such as seller´s feedback, being top rate seller has a positive effect. Furthermore, auction theory is introduced to study the bidder´s behavior through auction characteristics and final price. We find that, interestingly, the seller´s reputation variables have no significant effect to the final price and the number of bidders has positive effect toward final price of art work. This evidence means that art auctions on eBay has a private value auctions characteristic. However, some specific characteristics of online auctions, which are the last minute bidding and the presence of experienced bidders, significantly affect the final price. Being an experienced winner or using last minute bidding as a strategy substantially pay more than inexperienced winners or winners who do not use last minute bidding in auctioned painting. This could result from different preference of bidders toward auctioned painting or information on which each bidder is holding.

Gregory of Nazianzus (ca. AD 330-390) was one of the most learned men of his time and is one of the most important theologians of the early Christian Church. His orations, letters and poetry were widely studied and greatly copied in the Middle Ages. However, there is a lack of modern scholarship on Gregory's poetry, which is why there is such need for this thesis, a study of carm. II 1. 22, with introduction and commentary. The introduction focuses primarily on aspects of carm. II. 1. 22 while outlining the events of Gregory's life and situating the poem within them. The commentary is largely linguistic with autobiographical and historical features discussed and brief mention of theological matters.

What is considered anomalous among the Late Bronze/Iron I Age Canaanite tomb plans rests on the understanding of the foreign and the local elements of interments of that period. When Diane Bolger, in her discussion of ancient Cypriot mortuary practices, noted the shift in the scholarly literature from the emphasis on the identity and status of the dead to an examination of the ways in which rituals of death and burial reveal the motives and identities of the living (Bolger 2003), her observation highlighted the importance of burial as a process rather than an event. <p>The phenomenon of burials in loculi chamber tombs during the transitional period of the end of the Late Bronze and beginning of the Early Iron Age is explored, building on the foundations established by Rivka Gonens work on Late Bronze burial behaviour in Canaan (Gonen 1992). The structural and ritual characteristics of the tombs that present evidence for cultural context and origins are considered, establishing whether the archaeological remains translate into a picture of a regional variation or a foreign influence. Are the Late Bronze/Iron I burials in Canaan examples of an amalgamation of cultural traits of variable geographical origins or did they represent an immigration of a mortuary custom? Why are loculi cave burials considered intrusive in the Canaanite territory?<p>The examination of Tell Dothan, Lachish, Tell el-Ajjul and Megiddo, and of the Cypriot sites of Ayios Iakovos Melia, Lapithos Vrysi tou Barba, Korovia Paleoskoutella and Dhenia Kafkalla facilitates the discussion of loculi chamber tomb plan interments in the Levant have prompted.

<p>This dissertation analyzes the period of late modernism (roughly 1930-1965) by attending to an understudied subgenre: fictions that depict the experiences of the dead in the afterworld. The project originated from my observation that a number of late modernist authors resorted to this type of writing, leading to the question of what made them do so. Such a project addresses the periodization and definition of late modernism, a period that has received relatively little critical attention until recent years. It also contributes indirectly to the study of European culture before and after the Second World War, identifying clusters of concerns around common experiences of belief and time during the period. </p><p>To approach this question, I adopt a situational approach. In this type of reading, I attempt to reconstruct the situations (both literary and extra-literary) of specific authors using historical and biographical material, then interpret the literary work as a response to that situation. Such a methodology allows me to ask what similarities between situations led to these convergent responses of afterlife writing. My primary objects are afterlife novels and plays by Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Wyndham Lewis, Flann O'Brien, and Samuel Beckett.</p><p>I find that the subgenre provided late modernists with the literary tools to figure and contest changes in experiences of belief and time in mid-20th century Europe. The situation of modernism is marked by <italic>the loss of belief in the world</italic>, a failure in the faith in action to transform the world, and <italic>the serialization of time</italic>, the treatment of time as static repetition and change as something that can only occur at the individual rather than the systemic level. While earlier modernists challenged these trends with the production of idiosyncratic private mythologies, late modernists encountered them as brute facts, leading to a shift in aesthetic sensibilities and strategies. Belief was split between private opinion and external submission to authority, and change reappeared under the figure of catastrophe.</p> / Dissertation