Professor Antonios Finitsis describes the group research that delved into the multivalent importance of dress and clothing in the ancient Near East and the Hebrew Bible; resulting in Dress and Clothing in the Hebrew Bible: “For All Her Household Are Clothed in Crimson”, one of the latest volumes in the acclaimed series The Library of Hebrew/Old Testament Studies.
1. How would you describe this book in one sentence?
It is a study of the articulation of power in the Hebrew Bible via Dress and clothing.
2. What drew you to amassing an anthology on dress and clothing?
Two primary reasons drew me. First, even though “Dress studies” is a field of inquiry with a long history in other disciplines such as history, sociology, anthropology, and sociology, it is relatively untouched by Hebrew Bible scholars. That —in itself— was an irresistible motivator that generated a lot of excitement among members of my research group. Second, recent approaches for the interpretation of Hebrew Bible, such as queer, iconographic, disability studies etc. have questioned dominant presuppositions of deriving meaning and have shed new light on age old texts. It is precisely this revolutionary potential of Dress studies that drew me to creating this anthology.
3. Are there any new discoveries that you and the contributors made while writing the book?
The method by which we conducted our research led us to a series of new discoveries. Because we worked together for four years in the manner of a “think tank” group, we were able to achieve a level of refinement and cross-pollination that is rare among volumes of collected essays. Then, as we set out to investigate the multivalent importance of Dress in ancient Israel, we found out that beyond the material and metaphoric uses of Dress, there is a third use that we called “constitutive.” This third use has all the features of communicative power, but Dress itself moves beyond the symbolic to hold its own distinct power.
4. What aspects of clothing did you choose to concentrate on, and why?
We concentrated on material aspects of clothing in order to be accurate and respectful of the socio-historical context of the text. Then, we focused on the ideological use of Dress, in order to question the power it commands and communicates. Lastly, we paid attention to the ensuing implications between the interconnection of the material and the ideological. We chose these aspects in order to adopt a critical-analytical lens that could define our process of investigation with clarity.
5. What does your book focus on that hasn't been explored elsewhere?
This book makes an important breakthrough because of its sustained examination of the topic of Dress. It offers an illustration of the power inhabiting Dress, as well as the dynamic forms and expressions with which this power manifests itself. The red thread running through the chapters is the power communicated by Dress in all its forms: generative and destructive, real, perceived, and projected.
6. What do you hope this volume will contribute towards biblical focused scholarship?
My hope for the volume is to serve as the catalyst for a robust analysis of Dress studies in Hebrew Bible, and create another avenue of discourse and interpretation that will enrich scholarly examination and stimulate further research.
Dress and Clothing in the Hebrew Bible: “For All Her Household Are Clothed in Crimson” is available for pre-order now, and will be published on 8th of August 2019!
Comments