WHEN, four years ago, the volume entitled Myth and
Ritual had gone out of print, the advisability of bring-
ing out a new and revised edition was discussed. It was
felt that during the twenty-one years that had passed since its
first appearance so much new knowledge had accrued as to
make it preferable to bring out an entirely new book. Hence it
was decided to collect a fresh team, and to present those interested
in the theme of Myth and Ritual with a new symposium on the
same theme. Special emphasis has been laid on Kingship, because
it has become plain that the place of the king in the myth and
ritual of the ancient Near East is now the focal point of the
discussion that has arisen over Myth and Ritual during the
quarter of a century since its publication.

A procedure similar to that followed in the earlier book has
been adopted. Through the kindness of Professor Rowley it was
arranged that eight lectures dealing with various aspects of the
subject should be delivered by the scholars who had been invited
to take part in the symposium. These lectures were duly given
at the University of Manchester in the autumn of 1955 and
the spring of 1956, and are now published, with one addition,
under the title of Myth, Ritual, and Kingship. The addition
concerns Hittite studies. It was felt that the book would not
be complete without a contribution on this important but
relatively little-known part of the field, and Dr. O. R.
Gurney of Oxford has kindly undertaken to fill the gap.

Hence it might be said that this book is an example of one
of the elements in the much discussed and much abused 'ritual
pattern', namely, the dying and rising god, for it is Myth and
Ritual Redivivus. One significant change may be observed in
this new series of essays: they now have an international charac-
ter, for two eminent foreign scholars have made valuable con-
tributions to the discussion.

I should like to acknowledge with gratitude the important

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