Winter has gone far in her career to enliven and transform the field of Ancient Near Eastern art history and this collection of previously published articles--the second of two volumes-- clearly demonstrates why. The articles, which display both the depth of her knowledge not only of the works of art and the archaeological data, but also the texts from the period, engage these topics within theoretical approaches that are current and relevant, making vivid to the reader the creation, use, and meaning of the works of art and architecture. Ritual and rulership are two prevalent themes to this collection, which spans a broad time period. Several articles are devoted to aspects that include sexuality and the significance of landscape on the famous Akkadian Stela of Naram-Sin. Others explore the ritual context of rulers in Sumerian and Akkadian sculpture and texts, and the value of aesthetics and materials in ancient Mesopotamia. The concluding chapters concern historiography of the field. The volume is beautifully illustrated with b&w plates of excellent quality. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)