Norman Yoffee
American academic focused on Assyriology: Mesopotamian culture, languages, history; Near Eastern archaeology: late prehistoric and early historic periods; comparative early civilizations; legal anthropology
About Norman Yoffee
Born 1944. Norman Yoffee is an American anthropologist, archaeologist, ancient Near Eastern scholar, orientalist and university teacher.
Norman Yoffee (25 May 1944) is a senior fellow of the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University. He was previously professor in the Department of Near Eastern Studies and the Department of Anthropology at the University of Michigan. Yoffee is the editor of The Cambridge world history volume 3: Early cities in comparative perspective, 4000 BCE–1200 CE.
Selected publications The collapse of ancient states and civilizations. University of Arizona Press, 1988. (Edited by George L. Cowgill) Archaeological theory: Who sets the agenda? Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1993. (New Directions in Archaeology) (Editor with Andrew Sherratt) Early stages in the evolution of Mesopotamian civilization: Soviet excavations in northern Iraq. University of Arizona Press, 1994. Myths of the archaic state: Evolution of the earliest cities, states, and civilizations. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2005. Excavating Asian history: Interdisciplinary studies in archaeology and history. University of Arizona Press, 2006. (Edited with Bradley L. Crowell) Negotiating the past in the past: Identity, memory, and landscape in archaeological research. University of Arizona Press, 2008. (Editor) Questioning collapse: Human resilience, ecological vulnerability, and the aftermath of empire. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2009. (edited with Patricia McAnany) The Cambridge world history volume 3: Early cities in comparative perspective, 4000 BCE–1200 CE. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2015. (Editor)
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Norman Yoffee?
American academic focused on Assyriology: Mesopotamian culture, languages, history; Near Eastern archaeology: late prehistoric and early historic periods; comparative early civilizations; legal anthropology
When was Norman Yoffee born?
Norman Yoffee was born on 25 May 1944.
What is Norman Yoffee's occupation?
Norman Yoffee is an anthropologist, archaeologist, ancient Near Eastern scholar, orientalist and university teacher.
What nationality is Norman Yoffee?
Norman Yoffee is American.
Sources & further reading
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APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Norman Yoffee. https://biography.guide/norman-yoffee/
MLA: "Norman Yoffee." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/norman-yoffee/.
Chicago: "Norman Yoffee." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/norman-yoffee/.
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