The Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies invites you to an afternoon of lectures on the topic "Writing in Seventh-Century BC Levant." The seventh century BC was a pivotal period in the history of the world. Not only did this century span the time between the Assyrian captivity and the impending Babylonian captivity, it was also the century when Isaiah ended his work and Jeremiah started his. This was the period of the Pax Assyriaca; it marked the height of the Assyrian Empire, its demise, and the rise of Babylon. It is the time when Lehi's family was born and when he himself was the most active.

What was the state of writing in this time period? Four lectures will be given on different aspects of writing in the seventh century. Subscribers to Maxwell Institute publications will recognize the importance of these topics.

•    Marvin Sweeney, Claremont Lincoln University, "Seventh-Century Judean Historiography"

•    K. Lawson Younger Jr., Trinity International University, "The Role of Aramaic in the Neo-Assyrian Empire: Interactions in Writing Systems"

•   Christopher Rollston, Emmanuel Christian Seminary, "The State of Literacy in the Levant of the Seventh Century BC"

•    Stefan Wimmer, University of Munich, "Palestinian Hieratic"

Visit our website, maxwellinstitute.byu.edu, for the latest updates regarding this event.