The present collection honors the long career and contributions of Rifaat Y. Ebied. Only one essay is in German – the rest are in English – but the assemblage of authors is highly international. Eighteen essays by colleagues and former students reflect the global impact and disciplinary breadth of Ebied’s work, ranging from biblical studies, Syriac patristics, and trinitarian iconography to early Muslim-Christian relations and Mandaean texts and ritual practices. Those familiar with Syriac studies will recognize many notable names among the contributors, e.g. S.P. Brock, Lucas van Rompay, Erica Hunter, John Healey, Terry Falla, Herman Teule, and others. In keeping with the honoree’s own portfolio of work, many of the essays draw on fairly traditional philological methodology, presenting new editions and original translations, conducting close analyses of Semitic language texts, applying textual criticism and lexicology. A few essays focus on mainly non-textual material evidence, such as mosaics from Osrhoene, icons, and bone relics in Mardin. Several essays advance our knowledge of specific figures, including some whose significance is just beginning to be appreciated or perhaps reevaluated in scholarship: Daniel of Ṣalaḥ, Timothy Aelurus, Daniel of Mardin, Peter of Kallinikos, al-Qāsim ibn Ibrāhim al-Rassīī, and Marco Polo. Those working in Mandaean studies will welcome essays in that field, while other readers will appreciate learning more about the interest attached to that area of study.

The Festschrift describes Ebied’s contributions and lists his publications. It is nicely edited, including a number of figures and color plates. Very welcome in such diverse collections, a brief abstract prefaces every essay, describing the subject or argument of each and helping readers discern the essay’s relevance to their own interests. The book lacks an index, but a Mandaean glossary assists readers who may be unfamiliar with the Mandaean terms and names that appear in several of the essays. Libraries with Semitic Studies or Eastern Christianity collections will want to add this book to their holdings. Scholars and students will be interested in selected essays in this diverse but impressive anthology.