the joys of cunieform
Having survived the visit of our Chinese exchange student, Zhuo, I have emerged with a new interest. We took her on a visit to the British Museum and I was impressed yet again by what an oasis of calm it is in a busy city- especially if you go in via the side entrance.
Bought an intro to ancient Mesopotamia in the book shop, which was rivetting reading.
Finally got clear in my head the sequence of Akkadians, Sumerians and babylonians and the overlapping nature of the timeline and geography.
Have determined not to be so lazy and to visit the museum every two weeks and methodically work my way through the galleries- starting with ancient Near East.
As you know, I've always been interested in languages, especially ancient ones with different scripts. For comfort reading I like nothing better than reading the story of the decipherment of an ancient language. Rawlinson's transcription of the cunieform inscriptions at Behistun is my fave tale. Fat chance any of us will ever get of visiting the archaeological sites in Iran or Iraq. Makes me envy the heyday of the late 1920s/30s.
A major regret I have is not going to a day school on reading cunieform ages ago at Senate House.
Why is it that I only started paying attention to the direction of my life when I am almost 50 and from the depressing conversation of my 50+ pals, it is downhill now.
BUT NO!!! I refuse to let it happen!! I must mount a rearguard action!
I am going to sign up for a programme of study for Oct. You can do ancient near east studies at Oxford, but that is full time.
Other contenders are...theology external Univ of London...or Norwegian at UCL. Don't ask me why Norwegian, I'll explain if that's the one I plump for!!
Bought an intro to ancient Mesopotamia in the book shop, which was rivetting reading.
Finally got clear in my head the sequence of Akkadians, Sumerians and babylonians and the overlapping nature of the timeline and geography.
Have determined not to be so lazy and to visit the museum every two weeks and methodically work my way through the galleries- starting with ancient Near East.
As you know, I've always been interested in languages, especially ancient ones with different scripts. For comfort reading I like nothing better than reading the story of the decipherment of an ancient language. Rawlinson's transcription of the cunieform inscriptions at Behistun is my fave tale. Fat chance any of us will ever get of visiting the archaeological sites in Iran or Iraq. Makes me envy the heyday of the late 1920s/30s.
A major regret I have is not going to a day school on reading cunieform ages ago at Senate House.
Why is it that I only started paying attention to the direction of my life when I am almost 50 and from the depressing conversation of my 50+ pals, it is downhill now.
BUT NO!!! I refuse to let it happen!! I must mount a rearguard action!
I am going to sign up for a programme of study for Oct. You can do ancient near east studies at Oxford, but that is full time.
Other contenders are...theology external Univ of London...or Norwegian at UCL. Don't ask me why Norwegian, I'll explain if that's the one I plump for!!