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A C k n o w l e d g m e n T s There are those who say that writing a book is like giving birth to a child. It is true that writing sometimes feels like labor pains and the process does change us in unexpected and permanent ways, but now that I have given birth during the writing of a book I can state with confidence that the two events are nothing alike. Most assuredly a book requires more quiet time, more patience, and the involvement of many more people. And it is to those people who have been most intimately involved with this project that I wish to express my gratitude here. ThebeginningofthisprojectcoincidedwithmyarrivalattheUniversity of Oregon, where I have found a warm and productive professional home among colleagues and friends. In the Department of Religious Studies, Daniel Falk, Stephen Shoemaker, Mark Unno, Rick Colby, Veena Howard, TariqJaffer,ErinCline,DavidReis,MichaelSlater,andJonathanSeidelhave graciously engaged me in dialogue and supported me throughout this project . I am deeply grateful to Judith Baskin, who, in her role as the founding director of the Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies, has been instrumental in much of the success I have enjoyed thus far in my career. More important, Judith is a good friend and a wise and nurturing mentor. Institutional support has been critical for this project. In the early stages, while in graduate school, I received research and dissertation grants from the Divinity School and the Martin Marty Center of the University of Chicago, the Dorot Fellowship, and the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. The seeds for this more recent project were planted during the year I spent in Israel as a graduate student (2000–2001). While there, I worked in the National Library, studied at the Hartman Institute, and was afforded the opportunity to attend weekly sessions at the Institute of Advanced Studies at Hebrew University. As a result, I received not only help and encouragement but the sustenance of wonderful conversations and connections with a host of scholars from Israel and the United States. Although I do not have room to list them all, at the moment of this writing I have learned of the recent passing of Hanan Eshel (‫ל‬"‫ז‬) and must take at least a few lines to remember him. Hanan and Esther (“Esti”) Eshel warmly extended themselves to me from the moment I met them at the bus stop in Jerusalem. Hanan strongly encouraged me to pursue the archaeological evidence for perfume and incense—even to the point of dropping the occasional article or journal on my desk at the National Library and copying an out-of-print source for me from his own library. Those references appear in this volume thanks to him. Conversations with others throughout that year, including Yairah Amit, Menachem Lorberbaum, Moshe Halbertal, Israel Knohl, Jan Willem van Henten, Adele Reinhartz, Greg Sterling, Tessa Rajak, Cana Werman, Michael Swartz, Esther Chazon, Betsy Halpern-Amaru, Dena Ordan, Daniel Stökl Ben Ezra, Søren Holst, and Raquel Ukeles, were also invaluable. More recently, grants from the Oregon Humanities Center and the University of Oregon Office of Research, as well as time off from teaching responsibilities, have ensured that I was able to focus on my work and travel as necessary. To the Catacomb Society, to Laurie Brink in particular, and to the entire “Grateful Dead” team, I am extremely appreciative. Meeting and traveling with them was invaluable to my research; getting to know them, a delight (thank you, Laurie, David Balch, John Bodel, Patout Burns, Amy Hirshfeld, Robin Jensen, Tanya Luhrmann, Margaret Mitchell, Carolyn Osiek, Richard Saller, Susan Stevens, and Andrew Wallace-Hadrill). I also want to express my gratitude to Annal Franz and Karen Stern for their perceptive and helpful responses to my paper at the Shohet Conference. My experience with the “Grateful Dead” team encouraged me to continuemypursuitofmaterialculture ,andtothatendIamindebtedtoGideon Avni (and the Israel Antiquities Authority), Steven Fine, Esther JacobsonTepfer , Jodi Magness, Sarah McClure, Carol Meyers, Eric Meyers, and Zeev Weis for their insights, comments, and advice. Closer to my intellectual home, in the area of the study of the senses and religion, I have received a warm reception from those who have trodden this ground ahead of me. Among those of special note are Georgia Frank, who invited me to comment on Susan Ashbrook Harvey’s book at the Byzantine Studies Conference . There I was able to meet Susan, whom I am pleased to thank for her book and for...

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