00436nam a22001217a 4500020001000000082001400010100002100024245003700045260004800082300003400130500002000164650013000184  a(pbk)  a956	bHIT  aHitti, Philip K.  aA short history of the near east  aNew jersey bD. van nostrand company c1996  ax, 278 p.b: ill.c; 22.5 cm.  aIncludes index   aMiddle EastaNear eastvHistory setting vSetting of the stage vEarly stage vCultural evolution vThe empirical age  vFSSH