BOOK
Dissertation version (right) designed by Henna Pohjola
Denying Her Voice: The Figure of Miriam in Ancient Jewish Literature
Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (2016)
Book summary: Hanna Tervanotko first analyzes the treatment and development of Miriam as a literary character in ancient Jewish texts, taking into account all the references to this figure preserved in ancient Jewish literature from the exilic period to the early second century C.E. These texts demonstrate that the picture of Miriam preserved in the ancient Jewish texts is richer than the Hebrew Bible suggests. The results provide a contradictory image of Miriam. On the one hand she becomes a tool of Levitical politics, whereas on the other she continues to enjoy a freer role. People continued to interpret earlier literary traditions in light of new situations, and interpretations varied in different contexts. Second, in light of poststructuralist literary studies that treat texts as reflections of specific social situations, Tervanotko argues that the treatment of Miriam in ancient Jewish literature reflects mostly a reality in which women had little space as active agents. Despite the general tendency to allow women only little room, the references to Miriam suggest that at least some prominent women may have enjoyed occasional freedom.
EDITED VOLUMES & JOURNALS
Crossing Imaginary Boundaries: The Dead Sea Scrolls in the Context of Second Temple Judaism
Edited by Mika S. Pajunen & Hanna Tervanotko
Publisher: Helsinki: Finnish Exegetical Society (2015)
Abstract: The contributions of "Crossing Imaginary Boundaries" explore the Dead Sea Scrolls within the broader context of Second Temple Judaism. The volume challenges the reader to rethink critically the categories and interdisciplinary borders currently used in the study of ancient Jewish texts. In particular, Qumran research has frequently been seen as a limited esoteric area closed off from other areas of Biblical studies. This collection is an attempt to question and bridge some of these imaginary boundaries between scholarly disciplines and to demonstrate the importance of crossing them in order to get a fuller understanding of all these ancient texts and their underlying social phenomena.
Journal of Ancient Judaism
Theme issue: “The Image of Female Prophets in Ancient Greek and Jewish Literature”
Journal of Ancient Judaism (2015)
Volume 6, Issue 3
Guest Editor: Hanna Tervanotko
Edited with Maxine L. Grossman, Alex P. Jassen, and Armin Lange
Preface excerpt: Ancient Jewish literature contains frequent references to prophets as the hu-man transmitters of allegedly divine messages.1 Prophetic figures appear in prose narratives, and texts preserve oracles that are attributed to prophetic figures, as well. Given this rich background, one can say that in some ways prophecy is a characteristic element of ancient Jewish literature. But within the canonical biblical texts that ground this tradition, only four women – Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Noadiah – are explicitly referred to as prophets (נביאה).
CSTT and Gender
Edited by Hanna Tervanotko and Saana Svärd
Excerpt: We first got the idea to do something on gender at the 2016 CSTT annual meeting in Saariselkä, where, during the joint sessions, there was some discussion on gender both as an analytical category for research and as a factor in the scholarly community in general. The Centre of Excellence in Changes in Sacred Texts and Traditions (CSTT) is a large community and the research topics we operate with resonate only to a certain extent with those of our colleagues. Some of the most fruitful and engaging discussions within the entire group have been those that somehow address philosophy of research and involve everyone. Both aspects, research categories and community, are relevant for the CSTT. On the one hand, some researchers within the CSTT directly inquire about gender in antiquity. On the other hand, any research that deals with cultural objects left behind by ancient people is necessarily dealing with gender to some degree, as gender (just like social class) is generally a significant part of human societies.
