The volume discusses nudity and clothing in the Hebrew Bible, covering anthropological, theological, archaeology and religious-historical aspects. These aspects are addressed in three separate sections, enhanced by over a hundred pictures and illustrations. Part I places nudity and clothing in its ancient Israelite context, with discussions of methodology, the ancient Near Eastern evidence (including material culture and iconography), and an assessment of central aspects of the biblical material such as fabrication and uses of textiles, lexicography, theological and anthropological implications. Part II looks at key themes such as mourning, death, encounters with the divine and issues of power and status. Finally, Part III presents several close studies of key passages from narrative, prophetic and wisdom texts where clothing and nudity play an important role.
Biblical studies and clothing studies both abound, but with the additional perspective of nudity, texts and clothing references can be read in entirely new ways. Moreover nudity embodies, so to speak, the textual and sartorial expressions in these contributions. Clothing is examined both in its literal and metaphorical sense, and important references to archaeology, historical texts and iconography, found in Palestine, the ancient Near East and Egypt, are used to contextualize the Biblical texts.