AUB Press

​George Miles was the curator of Islamic coins for the American Numismatic Society (ANS) and later their chief curator and executive director. The essays in this volume, chosen to mark his retirement, concentrate on the subjects that occupied his scholarly research: numismatics, epigraphy, iconography, and the history of the Islamic, pre-Islamic, and Byzantine worlds. ​

There are essentially two themes to these essays. The first is an attempt to define the relative social status of women holding certain titles, and the second is to show that harems and concubines did not exist in the Middle Kingdom, at least as recognized institutions. The former theme is approached primarily through translations of official and religious titles held by women and their husbands, the latter theme by examining some key terms said to refer to harems and concubines. Further essays give new interpretations to the famous genealogy of Tomb 9 at El-Kab and the so-called “harem" of King Nebhepetre Mentuhotep. ​

Ancient texts up to the coming of Islam are gathered in this volume, translated, many for the first time, from numerous ancient languages, and provided with a full annotation. The first four chapters cover texts of general interest as well as more specific references to geology, hydrography, and industries, while the final chapter is a complete collection of the texts, which describe the original afforestation of Lebanon and its destruction. Unfortunately, no subsequent volumes were published.​