This volume contains Schrader’s study of the underworld journey of Ishtar. He examines this Old Babylonian epic together with samples from Assyrian poems. The text is given, along with a translation, commentary and glossary. In addition to the presentation of the primary source material, Schrader also provides extensive commentary on the material, divided into sections based on Ishtar’s progress. The Assyrian poems fall into several genres. Schrader begins with royal psalms, followed by supplications and some single exemplars of poems. Several hymns are presented as well, along with incantation texts. The glossary provides the necessary tools to work through the translations presented in the text. A handy little text for those who are interested in the early history of Assyriology.

Eberhard Schrader (1836-1908) was a German Orientalist. He studied at Göttingen. He taught at the universities of Zürich, Giessen, and Jena before his appointment Friedrich Wilhelm University, Berlin. He is primarily known as an Assyriologist and was a key figure in the founding of that discipline.