Excavating Cuneiform Tablets in Iraq with the Girsu Project | Curator's Corner S8 Ep3

[@tommcallister7647]

After all the turmoil in Iraq, it is good to see that this type of respectful collaborative work is underway.

[@TheMadAfrican1]

Definitely. We need to save this wonderful history. And there are so many wonderful people who are doing their best to do so in terrible conditions. Really brave people.

[@gogogille740]

Hardly 'respectful' when you introduce a worker just as 'Ali'! If he is an Iraqi this is HIS history and you are the guests.

[@keevancrawford6708]

The project is amazing but how is that not cultural theft.

[@bengreatrex1364]

All the tablets are going to the museum in Baghdad.definitely isn’t theft. Just helping them out. Can’t do it themselves.

[@History_Coffee]

Iraq is such an amazing place, it's like standing at the center of the world and the beginning of time being there.

[@atlantic_love]

Timewise it is. Other than that, it's a hellhole of oppression.

[@darranwilkins4648]

it was the centre of the ancient world

[@britishmuseum]

There will be plenty more episodes of Curator's Corner from Iraq in a few months time (we shot a lot). However, if you can't wait that long. you can find out about the excavations in Iraq, and the wider work of the Girsu Project here: www.britishmuseum.org/research/projects/girsu-project

[@Northcountry1926]

Wonderful & Thank you !

[@JJONNYREPP]

Excavating Cuneiform Tablets in Iraq with the Girsu Project | Curator's Corner S8 Ep3 1000am 21.4.23 i always recall that the issues with dating are manifold - artefacts being dated incorrectly due to soil samples the artefact was encased in being dated as opposed to the artefact , itself...

[@davidevans3227]

this is wonderful, thankyou for sharing

[@patriciaoudart1508]

Went begining to visit BM rooms on the web site. Make me think about a way to read all data translation near tablets on a dedicated website, usable as a virtual library as it is done with ancient books freely readable and translatable on line. This is a common treasure of Humanity and Earth. And I see the project is just about that, to reunite in one data every artefacts wich were 'stolen' by private owners or Museums around the occidental world. Go I will be very attentive to the suite to come!👍🧡💚🙏😎👌

[@patriciaoudart1508]

@@JJONNYREPP hope errors will be rewind in context👍🐣 ... What I stand to is more the text on the tablets and what a data net can put in relation, dates will come with the puzzle building, not on the ground, that's for sure! 🙏💚🧡

[@abdd.challab7700]

As an Iraqi living in England, who likes to visit the British Museum every now and then, I thank you for this most magnificent work! Best of luck for your next episode

[@GTKJNow]

What about Enoch the Scribe? When did he write?

[@mobitouchiha]

Since his existence can’t be verified (same goes for every person in the Bible before Omri) he is a figure of faith and as such can’t be out in such a category. There is a very similar figure in Mesopotamian mythology called Uanna in Sumerian or Adapa in Akkadian. If you accept Enoch being copied after Uanna and Adapa the answer would be that a Sumerian would probably tell you he had been a Sumerian. I can encourage you to read the versions of the Adapa myth. It is fairly easy to read and offers a great picture onto the mindset of the Sumerian and Akkadian culture.

[@منتظر-ط5ن4ق]

الشكر خاص للدكتور سبستيان والدكتوره فاطمه. والدكتوره ايبرو. وكل الكادر المسؤولين عن البعثه البريطانيه. وعن الكادر العمل الذي بذلو جهودهم على اكتشاف الآثار أجدادنا وحضارتنا العريقه في العراق. ومعرفه اكثر عن الرموز وكتابه المسماريه وتعرف عليها لأنها اول كتابه في العالم هيه التي انطلق من العراق وبخط السومري ثقافه حضاره العراقيه. ❤ العراق منبع الحضارات والرموز الدينيه.

[@ike0072]

Great job. You can tell you worked hard on this, with clips from 2022 just now being shown. The process is everything, and seeing 6 experts from all fields from front to back(and the workers behind it!) is something that museums are privileged enough to be able to show. Bravo!

[@preservethings]

Absolutely did. Thanks for noticing, means a lot.

[@davidevans3227]

yes.. agree!

[@BigTruck27]

Nearly 18 minutes about cuneiform and zero Irving Finkel? How can this be?

[@christianfrommuslim]

I was wondering the same thing. Perhaps he retired? It seems there is a new curator of cuneiform?

[@sabrinarucker1663]

@@christianfrommuslim He and Jon are both curators together - Jon Taylor has been at the British Museum for years. He and Irving Finkle actually wrote a book on cuneiform together a few years ago!

[@conlangknow8787]

If you guys want more dr I.F. You’ll find his lectures at archeology now

[@censusgary]

It’s amazing how small these ancient tablets are, when you see one held in a human hand. From the photos I’ve seen, I assumed they were larger (maybe as big as a sheet of modern stationery). But most of those photos were enlarged from life size, I see now. It makes it very challenging to find those little clay nuggets in a big heap of earth.

[@britishmuseum]

Honestly spotting them at all is a whole skill in and of itself. That's why they call Ali 'Mr Brick' - he has a real knack for spotting the tablets, and telling the difference between them, the rubble of mudbricks that would have made up the original building they were housed in, the old mudbricks that were broken up and used as packing for the foundations of that building. Not to mention that the soil and dirt they are mixed up in is also effectively clay. If more people were familiar with excavating cuneiform, we wouldn't be using the phrase 'needle in a haystack' anymore.

[@censusgary]

@@britishmuseum Basically, you’re looking for small dirt clods in a mountain of dirt clods. At least when you have a needle in a haystack, the needle is made of a different material from the hay.

[@j.l.emerson592]

This video is by far the most informative video that I have seen on the processes of an archaeological dig. (In situ, so to speak) Usually, you only see the more important finds & it's not uncommon that the process is glossed over or even entirely omitted. This is what people who are considering a career in archaeology need to see. The common view is that archaeology is something akin to the Indiana Jones movies... Whereas, it's a much more painstaking process of discovery, recovery, conservation, recording, collation & THEN the final process of explaining the finds. Kudos to whomever decided to do a show & tell on the archaeological process!

[@britishmuseum]

Thanks so much for this. The hope was to try to give a reality as archaeology, at least from a ground level practical level, is so alien to just about everyone. However, if I'm honest, this was not a planned video. It was my spare time while I was there filming something else, as the process was just so fascinating. Which goes some way to explaining why there isn't that much variety in the shots.

[@JonnoPlays]

Very interesting! Makes me want to get into archeology. The digging looks weirdly cathartic.

[@mrengtop]

Thank you very much for all the hard work you are doing. You made us proud ourselves, I think Iraqi govrnment should reward you all generousely for letting us know our ancient civilisations...👏👏👏🇮🇶🇮🇶🇮🇶🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@GTKJNow]

What about Enoch the Scribe? When did he write? Pre-Sumerian?

[@loudspeakers3469]

Great video showing the work of the professionals. Their work is fascinating! And glad that the tablets will be permanently displayed in Iraq.

[@exactlyaron]

The reference to Finkel at 14:04 is absolutely brilliant. Well done!

[@britishmuseum]

You are the first person to acknowledge this. You have made my day!

[@dogus972]

@@britishmuseum Prof Finkel said it in the "game of ur" video :) good catch

[@zenzn7284]

I would like to thank you for all these efforts, but would like that make a special thank that you finally addressed the Mesopotamia is in Iraq where before no one wanted to admit it. as Iraqis this mean a lot to us. So really thank you and and a special thanks to Dr. Irving too.

[@bonesb7686]

I enjoyed following the tablet thru from discovery to translation and interpretation. Especially since it came from a rubbish pile of discarded soil deemed unimportant. Kudoes to the Curator's Corner editors at the Museum.

[@preservethings]

Thanks Bones! that genuinely means a lot. Was a killer of an edit

[@MariaFrancaSerrau]

It is amazing how we were connected from various parts of the world, today, while watching in awe how people from thousands of years ago communicate with each other, leaving a testimony of their passage in our planet in tiny tablets full of information. Thank you British Museum; i can't wait for the other episodes! PS: Also, the editing!! That was super good!! Bravo Nick Harris!

[@britishmuseum]

That's such a lovely observation. And really fitting. Mesopotamia often gets credited with inventing writing, but it frequently gets glossed over that they had postal systems and so used that writing to engage in some of the first complicated long distance communication. Next episode, 2 weeks. Next Girsu episode... a little longer than that.

[@MariaFrancaSerrau]

@@britishmuseum It is amazing how modern they were, isn't it? Two weeks? I will wait for them! It will be worth it!

[@patriciaoudart1508]

👍Agree. With some censoring, but already this is Amazing, to be able to study the window opened to the big Picture of History and past times where the Ancestors were so well organized, without this net we have, showing that there is a life after electricity... Perhaps I have to learn how to practice cuneiform! That could be the next degree of civilization!

[@MariaFrancaSerrau]

@@patriciaoudart1508 Indeed! Great observation!!

[@patriciaoudart1508]

@@britishmuseum of course we find cuneiform tablets letters in around Mediterranean sites, and scriptures were used for better things than accounts and business, the amazing thing I learnt from Erwin Finkle (sorry if bad written🙀) from his humoristic🤗👌🙋 view about his cuneiform Culture, this is a a Revelation in itself!🤗👍😎☀️

[@Northcountry1926]

Wonderful of you to share this impressive and collaborative effort to reveal Iraq’s history ! Warm Greetings and Delighted to donate 🇮🇶🇬🇧🇨🇦

[@brandonhaygood6824]

They figuring out what to steal 😅

[@helenamcginty4920]

It was lovely and refreshing to see Ali and other diggers acknowledged as part of the teams of archaeologists in this short video. The photo of the 'French' archaeology team, like the 'British' teams around the middle East seem to be mostly local people. Ignored in the official reports. Just like the English workmen who did most of the actual digging in 18th and 19th century digs in England. Including, I hate to say our favourite Time Team as I have been told by one 'back room' digger, with a senior digger appearing just for the photo op.

[@TheronC2]

A great video I may show to my students in world history. I've been trying to do more on "how do we know all this" and not just "here's the story." Oh, and I definitely noticed that some of the tables were about withdrawing beer!

[@kmhk7742]

نشكر اهتمامكم بالثقافه العراقيه لقد كانت تجربه ممتعه

[@Semtx552]

incredible the amount of work has gone into in writing and hiding all these tablets, well done mr. Irving Finkel!

[@atlantic_love]

Your comment makes no sense.

[@OutbackCatgirl]

​@atlantic_love it is called "a lighthearted joke", would you like it to be explained further?

[@murkyseb]

That was so cool! I love seeing ancient stuff from thousands of years ago

[@lh384]

Great video! Whenever I read about Mesopotamean history, the archaeology mentioned always refers back to those excavations a century ago or more. I never hear about much that's more recent , and I've wonder if the political situation in the region has allowed for continued archaeology. It's good to hear that work is continuing there and that people of Iraq will get the benefit of it.

[@rubenskiii]

Thanks for shining more light on this fascinating subject! Greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱.

[@ptonpc]

Good to see these being saved.

[@momala625]

Very fascinating! Thank you for this program. Cheers from northeast Arkansas, USA. 😊

[@Frollo84]

Where is Irving Finkel?? Give us more Finkel, please.

[@jrdtruckee]

My thoughts exactly!

[@aureaphilos]

I've been a fan of the Curator's Corner videos for many months, and it is really exciting to be able to follow the process of archeology from end to end. I hope you can produce other 'behibd the scenes' episodes. Thanks!

[@SindyJB]

This is amazing, thank you so much for sharing your findings with us. As an Iraqi I'm happy to see how much you care about our ancient history and continue to educate the entire world about it ❤

[@KarlGregory-g8f]

Thanks for shining more light on this fascinating subject!Greetings from the Netherlands.. Thanks for shining more light on this fascinating subject!Greetings from the Netherlands..

[@sherri-annchalmers7509]

Fabulous how much we can learn from what is essentially a shopping list.

[@blxtothis]

Hat’s off to everybody involved in this mind numbingly patient and difficult excavation, by the way, where’s Irving Finkel?

[@britishmuseum]

He's currently working on a big book all about the Royal Game of Ur, and publishing another. He's here, he's primed for a shoot next month, but he's not working on the tablets from Girsu

[@Aziz.faisal]

Very good work . Thankful efforts. God bless you and your family. And to more work, effort and discovery. In order to show this heritage and the origins of civilization and more light on the face of humanity. I ask God to bless you and protect you.

[@christianfrommuslim]

Ramadan Mubarak.

[@christianfrommuslim]

It is nice that the tablets are returning to Iraq. However, with the instability of the region, as well as for renown of their culture, it is good that artefacts are spread around the world. I think this for any culture - Greek, Chinese, etc. It is more glory to that culture and people group if their great accomplishments are spread around the world. We are now discovering other ancient cultures in various places which in ways are as rich and fascinating as those of Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome. But because of the artefacts of the latter are well known, their cultures are more well known and respected. (and of course, writing brings attention to a culture.)

[@aaronjaben7913]

8:55 it's obviously a frosted mini-wheat

[@gergelybesenyei1622]

Where is Irving Finkel?

[@kuroikage5957]

This was wonderfully put together. I really appreciate following the tablet through the whole process.

[@DraconaSpark]

What an awesome video, great editing and I loved seeing the entire walkthrough of the process.

[@davidevans3227]

thankyou for showing and explaining this stuff.. so good.. great job 🙂 x would love to see/hear more translation from the tablets, even if it is boring, a small amount be interesting i'm sure.

[@SchoolOfAlchemy]

It's good to see how artifacts are processed from excavation to museum. Thanks for the hard work and for sharing us the info.

[@phrayzar]

A very interesting example of why writing was one of humanities best ideas. I wonder how they were all archived and catalogued. Such bulky items to have to organise and retrieve.

[@mikemcginley6309]

Where is Irvng?

[@melo7572]

So nice, comprehensiv e and detailed, love to see every part of the process

[@Diyorbek_Ikhtiyorov]

Please, be safe guys! You are a true treasure for the human history!

[@IanZainea1990]

I love this concept of the BM being the archaeologists to support Iraq in discovering their own past. The BM and archaeological community at large benefit due to the new information and discoveries, but the Iraqis also benefit! Quite wonderful. A bit surprised 3D scans are not done.

[@Thelongesteconoline]

My question is for John Taylor.. Sir, I know you must get a lot of questions, but mine is one that more than likely only you or less than a handful of your colleagues could answer. It concerns your department at the British museum. I watched the Fall of Civilizations episode number 13- The Assyrians- Empire of Iron and at 2:10:53, Ashurbanipal was quoted after talking about gaining knowledge from Nabu the God of learning that, “I took my pleasure in reading stones inscribed before the flood. Such works as none of the Kings who went before me ever learnt.”. In your extensive studying Ashurbanipal’s library remnants, have you ever read any stone tablets that date before the flood? Also, would that flood be the one that resulted from the end of the ice age, before the Sumerians hit the stage? Your response would be greatly appreciated. If not, thank you for all your amazing work anyway. It is truly amazing and inspiring what you all are doing.

[@HebaruSan]

Love the term "paperwork" applied to materials millennia before the invention of paper :)

[@britishmuseum]

Paperwork is one of those weird concepts that predates its namesake. Human history constantly overlaps, frequently in a very timey wimey way

[@alicemilne1444]

​@@britishmuseum Never heard timey-wimey before. What exactly does it mean?

[@beth12svist]

​@@alicemilne1444 It's from Doctor Who. It refers to the complexity of time (especially if you're a Time Lord 😆 ). In this case, it probably has to do with the fact that ancient civilisations may be far removed in time, but actually had a lot in common with our age. 🙂

[@alicemilne1444]

@beth12svist Thanks. Last time I watched Dr Who was back in the 1960s. The phrase hadn't been invented then. 😁

[@beth12svist]

@@alicemilne1444 No, I think it's from the third season of the renewed series, so relatively recent. Very beloved by those who "grew up" with it, though, since it perfectly captures the handwavy nature of things that are difficult to explain but understood intuitively. 😁

[@Slywulf86]

Curious if "The translator" could be translating from written into spoken word? Or could most of the people of the time and area read? If so, Would that be more interesting then translating from one language into another? Love this channel!! Thanks for doing a great job in showing the world our past!

[@حيدر-ب8ج7ه]

سلام عليكم شكراً جزيلاً البعثة البريطانية تعمل بتنقب مدينة كرسو عمل جيد وممتاز وبدرسه وحترافيه في مجال التنقيب بدقة عالية والحفظ على الآثار العراقية نشكر مدير المتحف البريطاني ونشكر دكتور استبيسان ودكتوراه فاطمه وتعامل بروح انسانيه مع العمال في مدينه كرسو ونرجو منكم الترجمه الاستفادة اكثر من مقطع فيديو وياك حيدر يوسف من مدينة كرسو

[@creounity]

Looks somewhat similar to the inscriptions on the birch bark manuscripts found in Novgorod (Velikiy), Staraya Russa, Smolensk and other locations :)

[@stocktonjoans]

I saw "Cuneiform" and was really hoping the eminent Irvine Finkel would be making an appearance

[@theflyingfool]

Excellent! Thank you!

[@alfreddeahl7374]

Fascinating project. Fantastic work!

[@kellydalstok8900]

Those tablets remind me of the postcards my grandmother used to send; every square cm was filled with writing. The reason was that sending a postcard was 5 cents cheaper than sending a letter.

[@ecurewitz]

Very interesting Thank you

[@jamesraymond1158]

Fascinating, every step. Wonderful to see that this work is being done. I tried to donate but nothing happens when you click the donate button.

[@Eyes_Open]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@ancient_Iraqi_Mesopotamian]

Love from Mesopotamia(Iraq) ❤️🌹

[@user-ll4mr7xi6l]

I'm really relieved to see the artifacts are going home where they belong instead of to England

[@ancient_Iraqi_Mesopotamian]

Love British Museum❤❤❤

[@lacey3880]

Square to rectangle..& clay...great editing

[@christianvalenzuela225]

Excelent! Many thanks❤

[@arlenestanton9955]

@ 14:05, what does the note on the screen, mean, they ‘hope for the best’ about, calculation? Very strange!

[@jacobparry177]

Quick question. Do we know what the Sumerians (Akkadians, Hittites, etc) called the script we now refer to as Cuneiform? For example, in English we call the Latin script the Alphabet. In Welsh we call it 'Y Wyddor' (The principle), and so on. Because they obviously wouldn't have called it Cuneiform themselves?

[@alaaalsaadie6068]

Awesome work, wish you best findings guys...BTW, who is funding such excavation campaigns? Has the iraqi gov. invested in any?

[@lievenmoelants]

Great work!

[@valenciawalker6498]

Fantastic video thank you for the update!

[@ChigginsComposting]

Ancient Harappa of India had an Indus trade colony in the city of Girsu. We need the name of those translators!!! This is the only site we know of that might crack the ancient script of the Indus civilization! Very cool.

[@cmac2256]

I love the shopping list tablets not much have changed in 3000 years

[@jimmyzbike]

Keep up the good work

[@camilaaravena5206]

🗿CALZONES ROTOS 🗿 Ingredientes: 2 1/2 tazas de harina sin polvos de hornear 4 cucharaditas de polvos de hornear Pizca de sal 3/4 taza de azúcar 1 naranja, su ralladura 1 huevo 1/2 taza de leche 1 cucharadita de aceite Aceite para freír Azúcar flor para espolvorear. Preparación: Paso 1 En un bol mezclar la harina, polvos de hornear, pizca de sal, azúcar y ralladura de naranja. Agregar el huevo, leche y aceite. Amasar hasta formar una masa suave. Dividir la masa en dos trozos. Mientras se trabaja con una, tapar la otra con un paño de cocina. Paso 2 En una superficie lisa enharinada uslerear la masa de 1/2 cm de grosor. Cortar rectángulos de 8x4 cm. Con un cuchillo hacer un corte de 2 cm al centro a lo largo. Pasar una punta por el corte y sacarla hacia el otro lado. Repetir el proceso hasta terminar con toda la masa. Paso 3 En un sartén hondo calentar aceite a fuego medio. Agregar los calzones rotos cuidadosamente al aceite caliente para evitar quemarse. Freír 3-4 minutos por lado o hasta que estén cocidos y dorados. Estilar en papel absorbente. Espolvorear con azúcar flor y servir.🗿

[@OGIkonen70280]

Every video explaining archeological finds by the british museum: "We don't know yet but it'll be awesome!"

[@okancanarslan3730]

I think those grain and flour rations given to workers were not only as food but also as payments and they kept records of them just as we keep records of income and expenditure.

[@gitnob162]

Only tuned in to see the wonderful Irving Finkel! Where is he!? He would explain all this with humour and clarity…

[@BarrySuridge]

Brilliant!

[@MartinAhlman]

Hang on! Where's the bearded wizard that taught us "The game of Ur"? I hope he's not dead...

[@britishmuseum]

Not dead. 🐿️ Away at other mesopotamian things. Never fear!

[@MohammadAli-iz9ld]

Irving finkel you mean, he is a national treasure 😂

[@kittiwhieldon4329]

@@britishmuseum Thank God! His absence here was noticed.

[@charles7866-o1l]

Excellent!

[@VoidStar6900]

wow british museum is really beautiful and we'll preserved!

[@Bibi-ty5dn]

this is so good

[@angusmcbraith]

Wonderful

[@elijahbachrach6579]

I love that better information technology has allowed the British museum to resolve the moral problem of either stealing treasures or else leaving them where they will be destroyed.

[@maxiewawa]

It blows my mind with the modern translator filling in a Google spreadsheet full of information, that’s pretty much what the tablet itself is, just someone filling in a form for a bureaucracy. If you could go back to 4000BC you could make a similar video ending with the scribe going “I note if it’s fine flour or coarse flour, and record it down here using this cutting edge technology called “writing “

[@britishmuseum]

We really should have got Jon to fill out the Google Sheet on a tablet rather than a laptop - then we get to go full circle.

[@toddmurphy523]

When thinking about it, cuneiform writing existed at the same time as Egyptian Hieroglyphics. I love ancient history....!

[@ancient_Iraqi_Mesopotamian]

following ❤❤❤

[@LikelyToBeEatenByAGrue]

sounds like a fun collaboration. When the tablets are translated, are they translated into both English and Arabic?

[@sabrinarucker1663]

They’re usually translated into English, however all of the symbols must be written in their letter forms before translation. It’s easier to translate those letters from Akkadian/Sumerian/Hittite etc. into a modern language. There’s a lot of literature in French, German and Arabic in addition to the English records. It tends to depend on the research team. For this one, I’d guess both English and Arabic!

[@frankwolf3860]

Thank you for your passionate dedication to such monumental task! With the world's current turmoil combined with modern weaponry I feel its more important than ever that modern societies learn from History the mistakes that time after time led to conflicts that led to empire collapse...sadly! Such lessons that could be learned from the Bogazkoy Tablets first need translation, a tedious task indeed! Having said that; might machine learning (AI) algorithm technology be brought to bear here, as adjunct to and increased support for those who now toil at this task? If I may: isn't there already a good, if still incomplete, deciphering of the symbols found on these tablets. Such as they are could form the basis for teaching dedicated AI algorithms to interpret these cuneiform tablets (with the understanding, to start with, the various tablets are in several languages). Perhaps, "thinking outside the box", simply postings on social media calling for assistance ("Help!"), might be the catalyst for leading to machine language experts from other fields realizing their efforts might be transposable, even if only in part, to your field. Thus the possibility then exists to establish a more rapid path deciphering larger and larger numbers of these many still undeciphered tablets, yes? As I understand Bronze Age Hittite history there was much strife, interspersed with periods of enlightened social, and technological growth, leading to empire expansion. I see the same "human nature" forces still at play today: I see the introduction of AI machine learning into the academic field of deciphering the Bogazkoy tablets instigating similar contentious academic strife; however, just like "way back then" such strife might be part&parcel to bringing forth those moments of greater lucidity, where a single, or small group of researchers grasp the "big picture comprehension" necessary to move the whole interpretation process forward...it would be fun! James Reynolds Talent, Oregon USA

[@kidmohair8151]

it is a bit odd to do the context step as the original context was lost in the first unearthing. whatwhat?

[@britishmuseum]

So it was a bit complicated to cover in this video, but the French spoil heaps were built pretty much as close to where they were digging as possible. So the context for where the rescued tablets are coming from is pretty much directly under the spoil heaps. So we are getting the context, once we get to the bottom of the spoil heaps, as we can the survey and excavate the administrative centre underneath them. We'll be releasing a video all about spoil heaps specifically later in the year.

[@kidmohair8151]

@@britishmuseum ah I see...these aren't coming from the spoil heaps themselves. I misunderstood. thank you for your reply.

[@perfectcell9181]

All the excavating done in iraq is estimated to be 12% only imagine what stories and history still under the ground this study is done by an iraqi archeologist prof from stony brook University in New York

[@NGC-catseye]

I’m so pleased to hear that the objects will be returning to the museum in Iraq 🤗

[@christianfrommuslim]

Yes, this is good. But with the instability of the region, as well as for renown of their culture, it is good that artefacts are spread around the world.

[@Paradisusinfernalis6815]

We are sure you are all talented and hard working people - but we want only Irvin ❤❤❤ always ❤❤❤

[@llwyde1104]

Has Irving Finkel retired?

[@lostinthought475]

Where's Irving finkel what have you done to him!!

[@kathrynstemler6331]

Yes and when they were talking about the really big trench, I really wanted Phil from Time Team to be there

[@christianfrommuslim]

@@kathrynstemler6331 HA!

[@kathrynstemler6331]

But Ali was amazing and I am glad the artifacts will be returned to the people of Iraq and hopefully soon we can visit them there to celebrate their huge historical legacy ❤️🇮🇶

[@kellydalstok8900]

Apparently he was busy elsewhere

[@منتظر-ط5ن4ق]

سوف اقوم بالمشاركه وابذل قصارى جهدي للوصوله لأكبر عدد ممكن من المشاهدين للتعرف على حضاره العراق

[@glittersauce]

Why are so many tablets so small?

[@kaclama]

So they're portable and easier to store!

[@britishmuseum]

So with this particular tablet, it would have been an initial account that was then written up into a larger account of transactions for 'the household'. They are rapidly dying out, but if you think about how small the writing on a cinema ticket, or a receipt you would get at a corner shop is, and how small those print outs can be sometimes, it becomes slightly less strange that this tablet is so small. Given it was done by hand, the size is still very impressive, but it's not that different to some receipts we still use today.

[@napalmholocaust9093]

Are you putting the old spoil back into the excavated pit or shuttling it somewhere else?

[@britishmuseum]

No all the sifted through soil goes to a new spoil heap quite far from the French ones. One of the big problems with the French spoil heaps is they put them so close to where they were digging they actually covered up a lot of the areas they were excavating. They also walled themselves in! Not great for them, but good for the current excavations

[@davidevans3227]

are they going to go through the new heaps? to double check..

[@christianfrommuslim]

@@britishmuseum Would "wet sifting" of the tailings be of use the way it is in Israel?

[@OutbackCatgirl]

​@@christianfrommuslimnot an archaeologist but if the spoil heaps are mainly the same or similar clay as was used to create those tablets in the first place, i shudder to think of what a wet process would do to preserved tablets that had not been fired.

[@christianfrommuslim]

@@OutbackCatgirl You could be right, but I think they most clay tablets that have survived were fired. At least I have heard that is how some survived the millennia - because they were hardened when the cities were burnt. Nevertheless, perhaps wet sifting is to strong for them.

[@Durmomo0]

The museum there looks amazing.

[@69waveydavey]

Are you sure they are not fossilised raviolis or shreddies?

[@raviarcot3145]

Super

[@zapfanzapfan]

Accountants get a bad rap but are the reason we even have writing 🙂

[@CleanKiev]

Занимательная история