Uncovering a Tablet in a Previously Unknown Language: Excavation Results Revealed

In this episode of Digital Hammurabi, Dr. Daniel Schwemer, Head of Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Julius-Maximilians-Universitӓt, Würzburg, joins us to discuss the exciting results of the archaeological excavation at Boğazköy-Hattuša. This year, a tablet written in a previously unknown language was uncovered, and Dr. Schwemer provides insights into the linguistic analysis of the text. If you're interested in the ancient world and want to learn more about this fascinating discovery, be sure to tune in! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and join us live on KZbin for future episodes.
Questions:
Could you please tell us how you first became interested in the Ancient Near East?
How did you come to be involved in the excavations at Hattuša?
Could you tell us a little about the Hittite Empire?
What does working as an epigraphist on an excavation entail?
When your duties as epigraphist have come to an end, what happens in the translation life of the tablet?
What kinds of genres are represented in the corpus?
How easy or difficult is it to recognize when you’re dealing with a tablet written in a previously-unknown language?
Does the Hittite preface give any clue as to what the tablet is recording?
Is this kind of ritual text typical of the Hittite tablets?
Did the Hittites practice syncretization at all?

[@kittymachine3798]

Megan is a superb host, asking thoughtful questions and then graciously giving all the talking space to the guest.

[@marcherlord9971]

My favourite Digital Hammurabi interview so far. Great to take a break from all the Hebrew Bible Studies and get stuck into some Hittitology, it seems a fascinating field of study!

[@jamiegallier2106]

Such an interesting discussion! I appreciate this channel more than you could know.

[@kittymachine3798]

God I love this channel!

[@hassanminbaghdad]

Can't wait for the content to be revealed!

[@user-soon300]

Amazing conversation ❤i am interesting in ancient civilization. And i believe that there are many things we didn't know i hope we discover more and more 😊

[@js1423]

Good to see more of Dr. Schwemer on KZbin!

[@gerryparker1390]

Wow I enjoyed that!

[@silcionea6693]

I just recently watched your podcast with mythvision and ordered cuneiform 1/2 and atheist 1/2. Thanks. Ps, I heard it can be spoken. I’d like to know more

[@mdug7224]

Thanks

[@ArchThorn]

Comment for the algorithm gods.

[@mdug7224]

Oooooooohh!!!! Oooooohh! Ace!

[@arckrc8]

I can hear you now!

[@The_CR_Phil]

How likely is it that this newly discovered text is enough to understand and translated it?

[@arckrc8]

Hello!

[@TheDanEdwards]

It took until about 28:30 before the issue of "new" languages started to be discussed. Not saying that the prior material was bad, there is a lot of good information. Just sayin', maybe a title that fits the content better is needed.

[@Bramble451]

Hittitologists don't get many chances to speak to people about what they do - bit of a niche field, you could say. Don't mind them if they take the chance to say everything they've been itching to tell people at the slightest opportunity. 😄 Also, they understand that most people know very very little about the Hittites, so they feel the need to give you a lot of background information. He wasn't actually asked anything very deep or complicated, so a lot of his answers were probably almost scripted in his mind from prior interviews and speeches. Also, if all he talked about was this specific discovery, he wouldn't have much to talk about. It's just one part of one tablet. It sounds like he's not doing the linguistic analysis of the text, so if this interview focused on the grammar of the particular language, then I don't know how much he would be able to say. There is a text in which Kalasman officials swear an oath in the Hittite language, but it is a different dialect from other officials. It will be interesting to see if the linguists are able to use this in any way to help translate this fragment. The only other thing he could have added is what we know about the history of Kalasma, which is to say, not very much. Although it's interesting how much we do know. It's not just a name in a list of places, we do know some events and people's names.

[@WerIstWieJesus]

How do you know that it is no falsification?

[@user-soon300]

It's difficult to know that because you know the human mind can create lies and believe them 😂😂😂

[@kariannecrysler640]

Very exciting news! People don’t realize just how many “text” in the archaeological world are indecipherable as of yet. Examples of entire languages that have not yet been figured out to be translated. If I had known in my youth I might have made different life choices to have been able to study and try to figure them out. I do love a good puzzle 🧩

[@user-soon300]

Yes that's so true .i really wondering why there is a lot of people they don't care in ancient civilization. They just doing stupid stuff like ritual or sacrifice to deity😂😂😂

[@kariannecrysler640]

@@user-soon300 The dreaded word! …….. ritual😂

[@user-soon300]

@@kariannecrysler640 😂😂♥️