Abbreviations

An active research interest in the Ancient Near East means negotiating a vast array of relevant publications in a quest for detailed information, pertinent data and original insights. Amongst these works are a large number of journals, periodicals, monograph series and occasional publications which – for the sake of convenience – are usually cited in abbreviated form. Whilst prefatory pages often provide a key to these abbreviations, they are rarely comprehensive and are often either missing or lacking in convenience.

To help remedy this situation, AncientNearEast.Net is pleased to have compiled a list of the more useful abbreviations employed. As a further aid, a select number of common acronyms and sigla have been inserted into the list, largely concerned with various relevant institutions, textual indicators and the like.

Please select from one of the initial letters below in order to consult the relevant section of the list.

A detailed list of abbreviations used particularly in Assyriology may also be consulted at the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI) website.

Comments and suggestions for this list may be communicated to the [email protected]

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

abbreviation title
Ä&L Ägypten und Levante : Zeitschrift für ägyptische Archäologie und deren Nachbargebiete, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, 1990-
AA Archäologischer Anzeiger, Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Berlin
AAA Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology, Liverpool, 1908-1948
ÄA Ägyptische Abhandlungen
AAAS Annales Archéologiques Arabes Syriennes, Damascus
AASOR Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research, New Haven, Cambridge MA, 1919-
ÄAT Ägypten und Altes Testament, Wiesbaden
AAWLM Abhandlungen der Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur in Mainz
ABD Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. Freedman, D.N., 6 volumes, New York, 1992
ABL Assyrian and Babylonian Letters, ed. Harper, R.F., 5 volumes, Chicago, 1892-1911
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ABSA Annual of the British School at Athens, London, 1894-
ADAJ Annual of the Department of Antiquities, Jordan, Amman, 1951-
ADAIK Abhandlungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts Kairo
AÉM Archives épistolaires de Mari, Paris, 1988-
AfO Archiv für Orientforschung, Berlin, 1923-
AHw Akkadisches Handwörterbuch, ed. W. von Soden, 3 volumes, Wiesbaden, 1965-1981
AION Annali dell’istituto orientale di Napoli, Naples, 1959-
AIP, AIPh, AIPHOS Annuaire de l’insitut de philologie et d’histoire orientales et slaves, Université libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, 1936-
AJA American Journal of Archaeology, Princeton, Baltimore, 1897-
AJP American Journal of Philology, Baltimore, 1880-
AJSLL American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literature, Chicago, 1895-1941
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AMI Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran, Berlin, 1929-38. NF= Neue Folge, 1968-
ANEP The Ancient Near East in Pictures Relating to the Old Testament, 2nd edition, ed. James B. Pritchard
ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, 2nd edition, ed. James B. Pritchard
AnnRevAnth Annual Review of Anthropology, Palo Alto, California, 1972-
AnOr Analecta Orientalia, Rome, 1931-
AnSt Anatolian Studies, British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara, London, 1951-
AO Acta Orientalia
AOAT Alter Orient und Altes Testament, Kevelaer, Neukirchen-Vluyn, 1969-
AOS American Oriental Series, New Haven, 1925-
AthMitt Athenische Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts
AR Archeologické rozhledy, Prague
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ARAB Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, ed. Luckenbill, D.D., 2 volumes, University of Chicago Press, 1926
ARE Breasted, J., Ancient Records of Egypt
ARI Assyrian Royal Inscriptions, ed. A.K. Grayson, Weisbaden, 1972-1976.
ARM Archives royales de Mari, ed. A. Parrot & G. Dossin, Paris, 1950-
ArOr Archiv orientální, Prague
AS Assyriological Studies, Chicago, 1931-
ASAE Annales du Service des Antiquités de l’Égypte, le Caire / Cairo, 1900-
ASJ Acta Sumerologica, Hiroshima, 1979-
AW Antike Welt – Zeitschrift für Archäologie und Kulturgeschichte, Mainz, 1970-
BA Biblical Archaeologist, Atlanta
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BAe Bibliotheca Aegyptiaca, Fondation Égyptologique Reine Elisabeth, Bruxelles
BaghMit Baghdader Mitteilungen, Berlin, 1960-
BAR, BARev Biblical Archaeology Review, Washington DC, 1975-
BASOR Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, New Haven, 1919-
BACE Bulletin of the Australian Centre for Egyptology, Sydney, 1990-
BES Bulletin of the Egyptological Seminar, New York
Berytus Berytus Archaeological Studies, American University of Beirut, Beirut, 1934-
BIAUL Bulletin of the Institute of Archaeology, University of London
BibOr, BiOr Bibliotheca Orientalia, Leiden, 1943-
BIFAO Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale, le Caire / Cairo, 1901-
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BM siglum for British Museum, London
BMMA Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1905-1942
BN Biblische Notizen, Bamberg, Munich, 1976-
BSAE British School of Archaeology in Egypt, London
BSEG Bulletin de la Société d’Egyptologie de Genève, Geneva
BSFE Bulletin de la Société française d’égyptologie, Paris
BZ Biblische Zeitschrift
BZAW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
CAD (Chicago Assyrian Dictionary) The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago
CAH Cambridge Ancient History, Cambridge, 1970-
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CAJ Cambridge Archaeological Journal, Cambridge, 1991-
CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Washington DC, 1939-
CCE Cahiers de la Céramique égyptienne, IFAO, Le Caire, 1987-
CdÉ Chronique d’Égypte, Musée royaux d’art et d’histoire, Bruxelles, 1925
CG, CGC Catalogue général du musée de Caire, Cairo, 1904-
CHB Chicago House Bulletin
CHD The Hittite Dictionary of the University of Chicago, Chicago, 1980-
CNRS Centre National du Recherche Scientifique
CRAI Comptes rendu de l’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-lettres, Paris, 1857-
CRIPEL Cahiers de recherches de l’institut de Papyrologie et d’Egyptologie de Lille: Sociétés Urbaines en Égypte et au Soudan
CT Coffin Texts – de Buck, The Egyptian Coffin Texts, 7 volumes, Chicago
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CTM Concordia Theological Monthly
DAFI Délégation archéologique française en Iran, Paris, 1971-
DE Discussions in Egyptology, Oxford, 1985-
EA siglum for El Amarna texts, following the edition of Knudtzon, J., Die El-Amarna Tafeln, Leipzig, 1915
EES Egypt Exploration Society
EI, ErIsr Eretz Israel, Jerusalem, 1951-
GM Göttinger Miszellen, Göttingen
GN geographical name
HSS Harvard Semitic Series, Cambridge MA, 1912-
HTR Harvard Theological Review
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HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual
IEJ Israel Exploration Journal, Jerusalem, 1950
IES Israel Exploration Society
IJNA International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
ILN Illustrated London News, London, 1842-
IOS Israel Oriental Studies, Tel Aviv
Iran Iran – Journal of the Institute of Persian Studies, London, 1963-
IrAnt Iranica Antiqua, Leiden, 1961-
Iraq Iraq, British School of Archaeology in Iraq, London, 1934-
IstMitt Istanbuler Mitteilugen, Istanbul, 1933-
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JA Journal asiatique, Paris 1822-
JAA Journal of Anthropological Archaeology
JAC Journal of Ancient Civilizations, Changchun, 1986-
JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society, New Haven, 1843-
JARCE Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, New York, 1962-
JAS Journal of Archaeological Science, London, New York, 1974-
JBL Journal of Biblical Literature, Philadelphia, 1890-
JCS Journal of Cuneiform Studies, Cambridge MA, 1947-
JdE Journal d’Entrée (accessions register of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo)
JdI Jahrbuch des deutschen archäologischen Instituts, Berlin, 1886-
JdS Journal des Savants, Paris, 1816-
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JEA Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Egypt Exploration Society, London, 1914-
JEOL Jaarbericht – “ex oriente lux”, Leiden, 1933-
JESHO Journal of the Economic & Social History of the Orient, Leiden, 1958-
JFA Journal of Field Archaeology, Boston, 1974-
JHS Journal of Hellenic Studies, London, 1880-
JIES Journal of Indo-European Studies, Hattiesburg, Minnesota, 1973-
JKF Jahrbuch für Kleinasiatische Forschung, Heidelberg, 1978-
JMA Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology
JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies, University of Chicago, 1942-
JPOS Journal of the Palestine Oriental Society
JQR Jewish Quarterly Review, Philadelphia, 1910-
JRA Journal of Roman Archaeology
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JRAI Journal of the Royal Asiatic Institute
JRAS Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, London, 1834-
JRGS Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, London
JRS Journal of Roman Studies, London, 1911-
JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Sheffield, 1978-
JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament – Supplement Series, Sheffield
JSS Journal of Semitic Studies, Manchester, 1956-
JSSEA Journal of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities, Toronto, 1978-
JTS Journal of Theological Studies, London, 1899
JWH Journal of World History, Paris, 1973-
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JWSR Journal of World-Systems Research
KBo Keilschrifttexte aus Boghazköi, Berlin & Leipzig, 1916-1921.
KRI Ramesside Inscriptions, 7 volumes, ed. K.A. Kitchen, London, 1969-
KUB Keilschrifturkunden aus Boghazköi, volumes I-XXXIV, Berlin, 1921-1944.
LAAA Liverpool Annals of Archaeology & Anthropology, Liverpool, 1908-1948
LD Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, 13 volumes, ed. Karl Richard Lepsius, Berlin, 1849-58, Leipzig, 1913
LdÄ Lexicon der Ägyptologie, Wiesbaden
Levant Levant, Journal of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem and the British Institute at Amman for Archaeology and History, Annual of the Council for British Research in the Levant, London, 1969-
LSS Leipziger Semitische Studien, Leipzig
MARI Mari: annales de recherches interdisciplinaires, Paris, 1982-
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MÄS Münchner ägyptologische Studien, Munich, 1962-1988
MDAIK Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Institute Abteilung Kairo, Mainz, 1956-
MDOG Mitteilungen des Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft, Berlin, 1898-
Meditarch Mediterranean Archaeology – the Australian and New Zealand Journal for the Archaeology of the Mediterranean World, Sydney, 1988-
MIO Mitteilungen des Institut für Orientforschung
MMA siglum for Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
ms(s) manuscript(s)
NABU Nouvelles assyriologiques brèves at utilitaires, Paris, 1987-
NBC Niesse Babylonian Collection
NEA Near Eastern Archaeology, Atlanta
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n.s., NS new series, Nova Series
o ostrakon, e.g. oBrussels E317
OA Oriens Antiquus, Rome, 1962-
OBO Orbis biblicus et orientalis, Freiburg, Switzerland, 1973-
OIP Oriental Institute Publications, University of Chicago, 1924-
OLA Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, Leuven, 1975-
OLZ Orientalische Literaturzeitung, Berlin, 1898-
Or (n.s.) Orientalia (new series), Rome, 1932-
OrSuec Orientalia Suecana, Stockholm, 1952-
p papyrus, e.g. pAnastasi = papyrus Anastasi
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PA Památky archeologické, Prague, 1914-
PEF Ann Palestine Exploration Fund Annual, London, 1911-
PEFQS Palestine Exploration Fund Quarterly Statement, London, 1869-1936
PEQ Palestine Exploration Quarterly, PEF, London, 1937-
P-M / P-M² Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs and Paintings, 7 volumes, London, 1927-
PN siglum for personal name within text
PN Die ägyptischen Personennamen, ed. H. Ranke, 3 volumes, Glückstadt & Hamburg
PPS Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, London, 1935-
PRU Le palais royal d’Ugarit, ed. C. Schaeffer, Mission de Ras Shamra, Paris, 1956-
PT Pyramid Texts
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QDAP Quarterly of the Department of Antiquities in Palestine, Jerusalem, 1931-1950
RA Reallexicon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie
RA Revue d’Assyriologie et d’Archéologie Orientale, Paris, 1886-
RB Revue Biblique, Paris, 1892-
RdA Revue d’Assyriologie
RdÉ Revue d’Égyptologie, Paris and Cairo, 1933-
RHA Revue Hittite et Asiatique, Paris, 1930-
RHR Revue de l’Histoire de Religions
RLA Reallexicon der Assyriologie, Berlin / New York
RLV Reallexicon der Vorgeschichte
RN siglum for royal name within text
RQ Revue de Qumran
RS siglum for Ras Shamra (Ugarit) texts
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RSO Rivista degli studi orientali, Rome, 1907-
SAA Soviet Anthropology and Archaeology
SAK Studien zum altägyptischen Kultur, München, Hamburg, 1974-
SAOC Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization, University of Chicago, 1931-
SCCNH Studies on the Civilization and Culture of Nuzi and the Hurrians
SEb Studi Eblaiti (Mission Archeologica Italiana in Siria), Roma, 1979-
SEG Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum
SHAJ Studies in the History and Archaeology of Jordan, Amman, 1982-
SIMA Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology
SMEA Studi Micenei ed Egeo-Anatolici, Rome, 1966-
StBoT Studien zu den Bogazköy-Texten
StOr Studia Orientalia, Helsinki, 1925-
Sumer Sumer, Baghdad (Directorate General of Antiquities), 1945-
SPAW Sitzungsberichte der Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Berlin (after 1938 = SDAW)
TA Tel Aviv – Journal of the Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 1974-
TAD Türk Arkeoloji Dergisi, Ankara
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TM find siglum for Tell Mardikh / Ebla, Syria
TN siglum for temple name in text
TT Theban Tomb
TynBul Tyndale Bulletin, Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical and Theological Research, Cambridge, 1966-
UF Ugarit-Forschungen, Neukirchen-Vluyn, 1969-
Urk. Urkunden des ägyptischen Altertums, ed. G. Steindorff, Leipzig & Berlin, 1906-1958.
VT Vetus Testamentum, Leiden, 1951-
VT Supp Vetus Testamentum Supplementum
WA World Archaeology, London, 1969-
Wb Wörterbuch des ägyptischen Sprache, 7 volumes, ed. A. Erman & H. Grapow, Berlin & Leipzig
WB Wiener Beitrage zur Kunst und Kulturgeschichte Asiens
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WO, WdO Die Welt des Orients, Stuttgart, 1952-
WZKM Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes, Vienna, 1887-
YNER Yale Near Eastern Researches, New Haven, 1967-
YOS Yale Oriental Series, Babylonian Texts, New Haven, 1915-
ZA Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und Vorderasiatische Archäologie, Leipzig, Berlin, 1886-
ZÄS Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache und Altertum, Leipzig, Berlin, 1863-
ZAW Zeitschrift für alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, Berlin, 1881-
ZDMG Zeitschrift der deutschen morgenländischen Gesellschaft, Wiesbaden, Stuttgart, 1847-
ZDPV Zeitschrift des deutschen Palästina-Vereins, Stuttgart, Wiesbaden, 1878-
ZSem Zeitschrift für Semitistik

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