TY - JOUR AU - Pyschny, Katharina PY - 2021/10/21 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - On Deserted Landscapes and Divine Iconography: Iconographic Perspectives on the Origins of YHWH JF - Entangled Religions JA - ER VL - 12 IS - 2 SE - Articles DO - 10.46586/er.12.2021.9263 UR - https://er.ceres.rub.de/index.php/ER/article/view/9263 SP - AB - <div><div>In light of three important trends and developments within recent research—first, the interpretation, the dating and the literary growth of the second commandment (Exod 20:4 ‖ Deut 5:8); second, the reevaluation of ancient Israel’s origins; and, third, the continuously increasing archaeological and iconographic record—the article surveys potential repre­senta­tions of YHWH from pre-exilic and post-exilic times in order to evaluate them against the background of YHWH’s origins. Without aiming at a clear identification of YHWH imagery, the study analyses a broad range of iconographic material: anthropomorphic and theriomorphic figurines, the motif of “the lord of the ostriches,” a cult stand from Taanach, the Bes-like figurines on the drawings from Kuntillet Ajrud, humanoid figures on a sherd from a strainer jar, the motif of an enthroned deity on a boat, the so-called horse and rider figurines and a famous Yehud coin depicting a deity on a winged wheel. Based on this evidence, it will be argued that the iconographic data can and should be included as a verifying or falsifying per­spec­tive into the discussion about YHWH’s origins. In order to fulfill this function, the iconographic evidence has to be studied without a specific religious-historical reconstruction in mind. Instead, the full range of possible interpretations and the polyvalent character of the imagery in particular should be taken into account.</div></div> ER -