Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period (Bollingen Series XXXVII)

New York: Pantheon Books, 1968. Hardcover. vg. Complete 13 volume set. Lg. 4to. Blue and black cloth with gold-decorated cover and gold lettering on spine. Blue top edge. A revolutionary work on the study of Jewish art, which caused art historians to reevaluate the concept of Jews in the classical period creating art. Traditionally Greeks and Jews were seen as contrasts from each other with the Greeks seen as visually centered and the Jews as aural centered. This assumption was largely based on the biblical taboo against images, which scholars assumed stopped Jews from engaging in the visual arts. Goodenough assumed the existence of a powerful Hellenistic Judaism that dominated Diaspora Judaism and which would eventually play a critical role in the formation of Christianity. This Hellenistic Judaism was more open to the use of imagery. Over the past few decades a number of scholars have come to challenge Goodenough's narrative, arguing that rabbinic Judaism was more open to images and carried greater influence in the Diaspora than previously thought. Most volumes are illustrated with b/w photographic reproductions of hundreds of Jewish objects & symbols from the Greco-Roman period. Volume III consists of b/w illustrations. Volume XI is profusely illustrated with color plates, mostly from the famous Dura Europos synagogue in Syria. A number of volume top edges are sunned. Spine titles sunned. Endpapers stained by dj remains. Overall in very good condition. Vol. I: The Archeological Evidence from Palestine. Vol. II: The Archeological Evidence from The Diaspora. Vol. III: Illustrations. Vol. IV: The Problem of Method. Symbols from Jewish Cult. Vol. V & VI: Fish, Bread, and Wine. Vol. VII & VIII: Pagan Symbols in Judaism. Vol. IX, X & XI: Symbolism in the Dura Synagogue. Vol. XII: Summary and Conclusions. Vol. XIII: Indexes and Maps with corrigenda.