The ancient secrets revealed by deciphered tablets | BBC Ideas
TLDRThe cuneiform script, the earliest known form of writing used over 5000 years ago, offers a unique window into ancient Mesopotamian civilizations. Its decipherment in the Victorian era revealed astonishing insights, including the flood story predating Noah's Ark and the high status of women like Enheduanna, the first recorded author. The script's durability contrasts with the fragility of modern digital storage, prompting consideration of ancient methods for preserving information in the long term.
Takeaways
- 📜 Cuneiform is the earliest known form of writing, predating Egyptian hieroglyphs and first used over 5000 years ago by civilizations in Mesopotamia.
- 🏺 Cuneiform tablets are made of clay and are incredibly durable; they can withstand fire and have lasted thousands of years.
- 🌍 Cuneiform script was deciphered in the Victorian era, revealing extraordinary insights into ancient civilizations and their stories, such as the flood story that predates the Bible.
- 📖 The discovery of the Epic of Gilgamesh's 11th tablet, with its flood story, challenged the Victorian understanding of history and the origins of stories.
- 👩 Women in Mesopotamia, especially those from wealthy families, had significant agency and could hold high religious positions, as exemplified by Enheduanna, the first known author in recorded history.
- 🏠 From cuneiform tablets, we learn about Mesopotamian society, including women's rights to own property, manage businesses, and retain control of their dowries.
- 🔢 The Sumerians and Akkadians used a sexagesimal numbering system, which is the basis for our modern measurements of time (60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour).
- 📈 Cuneiform tablets show that the Mesopotamians used mathematical models, a concept foundational to all modern science, to predict future events.
- ✉️ The Mesopotamians were prolific letter writers, with correspondence that included specific opening and closing formulae, much like modern emails.
- 😠 Angry letters from Mesopotamia reveal personal issues, financial concerns, and the universal human emotions of jealousy and desire.
- 💿 Despite technological advancements, the preservation of digital data is uncertain, leading to initiatives like inscribing important books onto ceramic tablets to ensure long-term survival.
Q & A
What is the significance of holding a cuneiform tablet?
-Holding a cuneiform tablet is significant because it provides a direct connection to ancient civilizations, allowing one to experience a form of time travel and understand the lives of people from thousands of years ago.
What is cuneiform and how old is it?
-Cuneiform is one of the earliest known forms of writing, first used over 5000 years ago, and it predates Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Which civilizations used cuneiform as their writing system?
-Civilizations that used cuneiform as their writing system include the Sumerians and the Akkadians, who lived in Mesopotamia.
Why are cuneiform tablets so durable?
-Cuneiform tablets are incredibly durable because they are pressed onto clay, making them resistant to damage, including being fireproof.
When and how was cuneiform script deciphered?
-Cuneiform script was deciphered in the Victorian era, after much trial and error, revealing extraordinary insights into ancient civilizations.
What significant discovery was made by George Smith in 1872?
-George Smith discovered the 11th tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh in 1872, which contained a flood story similar to Noah's Ark, predating the Bible by hundreds of years.
Who is the first known author in recorded history?
-The first known author in recorded history is Enheduanna, an Akkadian priestess.
What can cuneiform tablets tell us about women's roles in Mesopotamian society?
-Cuneiform tablets reveal that women in Mesopotamia had agency, could own property, manage businesses, and retain control of their dowry, especially those from wealthy families.
How has the Mesopotamian numbering system influenced our modern measurements?
-The Sumerians and Akkadians used a sexagesimal numbering system, which is the basis for our modern measurements, such as 60 seconds in a minute and 360 degrees in a circle.
What similarities can we find between ancient Mesopotamian letters and modern correspondence?
-Both ancient Mesopotamian letters and modern correspondence use specific formulae for greetings and structure, and both can express a range of human emotions and concerns.
How does the script's mention of technological evolution relate to the preservation of information?
-The script suggests that despite technological advancements, ancient methods like writing on clay may offer a more reliable way to preserve information for future generations, as digital data can become obsolete quickly.
Outlines
🏺 Cuneiform: The Earliest Writing and Its Impact
This paragraph delves into the marvel of cuneiform, the earliest known form of writing dating back over 5000 years. It highlights the durability and historical significance of cuneiform tablets, which were used by civilizations in Mesopotamia, such as the Sumerians and Akkadians. The narrative describes the challenge of deciphering cuneiform, which was eventually achieved during the Victorian era, revealing extraordinary insights into ancient societies. Notably, it discusses the discovery of the Epic of Gilgamesh, which contains a flood story similar to Noah's Ark, predating the Bible. The paragraph also explores the status of women in Mesopotamian society, emphasizing their agency and the influential role of Enheduanna, the first known author in recorded history. It further touches on the Mesopotamian contributions to mathematics and time measurement, and the human elements evident in their correspondence, showing that despite the passage of time, certain aspects of human nature remain constant.
🔄 The Evolution and Preservation of Information
This paragraph discusses the evolution of information recording methods and the challenges of preserving digital data for future generations. It contrasts the fleeting nature of modern digital storage with the enduring qualities of clay tablets, highlighting a project in Austria that aims to inscribe important books onto ceramic tablets as a preservation method. The narrative ponders whether ancient methods might be the best way to ensure the longevity of our information, reflecting on the cyclical nature of human innovation and the importance of preserving our knowledge and secrets for posterity.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Cuneiform
💡Mesopotamia
💡Epic of Gilgamesh
💡Enheduanna
💡Sexagesimal System
💡Agency
💡Mesopotamian Scholarly Tradition
💡Clay Tablets
💡Digital Data Preservation
💡Cultural Insights
💡Technological Evolution
Highlights
Holding a tablet that was written thousands of years ago provides a unique connection to the past.
Cuneiform tablets may not be immediately recognizable as writing due to their distinct appearance.
Cuneiform is considered a form of time travel, immersing one in the life of ancient civilizations.
Cuneiform is the earliest known form of writing, predating Egyptian hieroglyphs by over 5000 years.
The durability of clay tablets, including their resistance to fire, has contributed to their preservation.
The deciphering of cuneiform script in the Victorian era revealed extraordinary historical insights.
The discovery of the Epic of Gilgamesh's 11th tablet, with a flood story similar to Noah's Ark, challenged Victorian worldviews.
Women in Mesopotamia, particularly those from wealthy families, had significant agency and could manage businesses.
Enheduanna, an Akkadian priestess, is recognized as the first known author in recorded history.
Cuneiform tablets provide insights into societal structures, including gender roles and business transactions.
The sexagesimal numbering system of the Sumerians and Akkadians has influenced modern time measurement.
Mesopotamian mathematical models laid the foundation for using data to predict future events.
Ancient Mesopotamians used specific correspondence formulae, similar to modern email conventions.
Cuneiform tablets reveal human concerns and emotions, such as complaints about financial support and social comparisons.
The study of past civilizations through cuneiform tablets enhances our understanding of our own society.
The durability of clay has ensured that the secrets of cuneiform tablets are accessible today.
Technological advancements lead to rapid obsolescence, raising questions about the longevity of digital data storage.
A project in Austria is inscribing important modern books onto ceramic tablets, echoing ancient methods of information preservation.
Efforts to preserve digital data are ongoing, suggesting that ancient recording methods may offer the best longevity for information storage.
Transcripts
Browse More Related Video
Irving Finkel | The Ark Before Noah: A Great Adventure
Fossils In Amber Show Us What Earth Looked Like When Dinosaurs Lived [4K] | AMBER | Spark
Ancient Sumer and the Sumerians (Ancient Mesopotamia in Minutes)
Overview of early Judaism part 1 | World History | Khan Academy
Cuneiform: The Earliest Form of Writing from Ancient Mesopotamia
ANCIENT INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION | History for Kids
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)
Thanks for rating: