Book list—titles recommended for the study of ancient Mesopotamia
Teachers’ packs—now available
for (1) Ancient Sumer, (2) The Assyrian Empire
Teach Yourself Cuneiform
Although cuneiform script can seem bafflingly complex at first,
the Higher Education Academy’s website aims to demystify it by
explaining how cuneiform developed over three thousand years,
how it was used, and how you can learn it. They also provide a
short introduction to the Akkadian language, which was written
in cuneiform script, and suggest ways to continue learning.
Video on the Gilgamesh epic
This link will take you to the Annenberg Media website which
provides multimedia resources for teachers and students in
American schools. After following the link, click on the VoD
button for The Epic of Gilgamesh video.
The Last Jews of Iraq. Alan Yentob investigates a 2600-year-old community, now almost disappeared. Once they thrived as a
third of Baghdad’s population; now only seven Jewish people
remain. Programme broadcast on Radio 4 on 4th December 2011.
The Enheduanna Society’s activities were featured in a
BBC World Service TV news report by Kifah Arif in
July 2010.
Click on the image on the right to play the video in
Arabic (approx. 3.5 minutes).
Click here for more details
(in Arabic).
Note: BBC videos will not play for users outside the UK.
The Radio 4 series
A History of the World in 100 Objects
(2010), written and narrated by Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, featured
several objects from ancient Mesopotamia. Follow the links below
to see photos and videos of these objects, listen to the
programmes, download podcasts, and read transcripts:
•
The Standard of Ur is object number 12. The programme includes
contributions from Enheduanna Society patron Dr Lamia
al-Gailani.
•
A 5000-year-old
Mesopotamian clay tablet
with cuneiform writing is object number 15. The BBC web page
includes a commentary by Enheduanna Society patron Dr Irving Finkel.
•
The Flood Tablet is object
number 16. This clay tablet from the library of King
Ashurbanipal pre-dates the Bible by at least 400
years and tells a flood story similar to the one of Noah’s ark.
•
The Lachish Relief is object
number 21. This stone panel from the palace of King Sennacherib
depicts the Assyrian army laying siege in 701 BC to the town of
Lachish, about 40 kilometres from Jerusalem.
The Radio 4 series
In Our Time, presented by
Melvyn Bragg, includes the following programmes in which ancient
Mesopotamia is discussed:
•
The Library at Nineveh
This
programme, first broadcast in May 2008, is about King Ashurbanipal’s library. Learn all about those amazing clay tablets from
Enheduanna Society patrons Professor Andrew George, Dr Karen Radner
and Dr Eleanor Robson.
• The links between
Archaeology and Imperialism are
discussed with reference to Mesopotamia and Egypt. The program
was first broadcast in April 2005 and the guests include
Enheduanna Society patron Dr Eleanor Robson.
•
Babylon This programme, first
broadcast in June 2004, seeks to uncover the truth about
Babylon. The guests are Enheduanna Society patrons Dr Irving
Finkel, Professor Andrew George and Dr Eleanor Robson.
Ancient Mesopotamian myths were discussed on the Radio 4 Today
programme in December 2004. Guests included Enheduanna Society
chairperson Fran Hazelton, and patrons Dr Stephanie Dalley and Dr
Irving Finkel. Available to listen (4m 31s).
