Evolution of a Taboo
Pigs and People in the Ancient Near East
Max D. Price
Reviews and Awards
Winner, Nancy Lapp Popular Book Award, American Society of Overseas Research
"...this is an excellent book, one that both summarizes a large amount of information on such a complex and interesting topic and offers an overall picture of the development of the pig taboo—in Judaism and later in Islam." -- Aren M. Maeir , Bar-Ilan University
"This book is the first geographically and temporally rounded history of the pig and the development of the pig taboo in the Near East that is also archaeologically informed. This book rejects simplistic explanations and as such is relevant to scholars of the ancient Near East, animal specialists, anthropologists, historians, archaeologists, and religious studies interested in either or both pigs and taboos." --
"This author has written an extraordinary book that will hopefully get a wide audience not only for people interested in ancient history or the history of domesticated pigs but generally those who want to understand the ancient differences between Christianity, Judaism and Islam." -- Thiemo Braasch, Suiform Soundings
"How have pigs and humans interacted in the Near East and Mediterranean for 8,000 years? To answer this question, this excellent book traces the earliest Paleolithic boar-hominid interactions through Bronze and Iron Age domestication, which eventually produced pigs.... The subsequent Christian acceptance of pork, and especially renewed Muslim aversion to it, are discussed in fascinating detail too. Price's clear writing makes this a pleasure to read.... Highly recommended." -- CHOICE
"In summary, Max Price's book offers a fresh look at pigs in the ancient Near East, making an important contribution to the study of the much-discussed taboo." -- Nimrod Marom, Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies
"The sheer range of material Price offers is amazing... Price's prose is easy to read and most non-scholars will not have difficulty understanding his ideas. Although he looks at a larger time period and more material than some Jewish readers may be interested in, others will agree with me and appreciate the incredible research his book offers and its interesting and provocative ideas." -- Rabbi Rachel Esserman, Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton's The Reporter
