WAS THE FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME RECOGNIZED IN THE ANCIENT NEAR-EAST

One of the most frequently cited examples of ancient prescience concer ning the potential dangers of drinking during pregnancy is the story o f Samson in the Biblical Book of Judges. The present article examines the relevant passages from this and other related Biblical texts for i ndications that the ancient Hebrews were indeed aware of alcohol's pot ential to harm the fetus. This examination was then broadened to inclu de a survey of later Talmudic literature relating to drinking during p regnancy, and literature from Sumerian, Hittite, and Egyptian cultures contemporary with those found in the Bible. No evidence was found for concern in the ancient Near East about any possible harm.