Sometimes the dead come back - Mesopotamian ghosts by Irving Finkel

Renowned philologist and Assyriologist, Dr. Irving Finkel, who will present his latest book “FIRST GHOSTS: Most Ancient of Legacies”
There are few things more in common across cultures than the belief in ghosts. Ghosts inhabit something of the very essence of what it is to be human. Whether we personally 'believe' or not, we are all aware of ghosts and the rich mythologies and rituals surrounding them.
They have inspired, fascinated and frightened us for centuries - yet most of us are only familiar with the vengeful apparitions of Shakespeare, or the ghastly spectres haunting the pages of 19th century gothic literature. But their origins are much, much older...
“The First Ghosts: Most Ancient of Legacies” takes us back to the very beginning. A world-renowned authority on cuneiform, the form of writing on clay tablets which dates back to 3400BC, Irving Finkel has embarked upon an ancient ghost hunt, scouring these tablets to unlock the secrets of the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians to breathe new life into the first ghost stories ever written.
In “The First Ghosts”, he uncovers an extraordinarily rich seam of ancient spirit wisdom which has remained hidden for nearly 4000 years, covering practical details of how to live with ghosts, how to get rid of them and bring them back, and how to avoid becoming one, as well as exploring more philosophical questions: what are ghosts, why does the idea of them remain so powerful despite the lack of concrete evidence, and what do they tell us about being human?
(Our apologies for the camera wobbles; ghost in the tripod)
You can buy a copy of the book from our webshop: shop.watkinsbooks.com/product...
#ghosts
#cuneiform
#Netherworld

[@athenassigil5820]

I love this man...he's like a contemporary Gandalf who specializes in classical Mesopotamian lore and history. Cheers!

[@berniebarclay2183]

Top description of the man

[@SquirrelJam]

He’s like a man who specializes in mesopotamia almost

[@carolinebaker5955]

When I visited the British Museum in 2021, I took a break to have a coffee on the ground floor. Walking past me was the great Irving Finkel on his way to his office. I wanted to shout out my admiration, but resisted the temptation.

[@ConQuestInteractive]

Thank you! Irving Finkel is amazing.

[@bobhopeless4106]

Lol, I literally just said this out loud, 2min before even seeing your comment. xD

[@studiesonmagic]

Such a pleasure to hear this man speak.

[@mrh4742]

I wish the voice recording quality was better.

[@obscurum6]

It can't be worse.

[@kingchief4038]

Its filmed with a potato plugged into a lemon

[@bolasdefraile]

Irving Finkel is a treasure! I wish he came to Argentina someday.

[@lilitheden748]

This man is an ace in bringing history literally back to life. He truly is one of a kind.

[@fabiodeoliveiraribeiro1602]

Professor Irving Finkel is the real Indiana Jones. He spreads around the world the treasures hidden in the British Museum's collection of cuneiform tablets. A true wizard who eloquently revives a long-forgotten knowledge that for us is useless and paradoxically delicious.

[@authormichellefranklin]

The legend ❤

[@TOBY5783]

I've seen ghosts and fairies. Yes

[@arielrochin2567]

I have seen fairies too!... and heard a crying woman spectral lament, it happens one day or the same day of Halloween. Around 0400 in the morning.

[@Sharon-yk7xm]

He should be a Sir a great man hes given so much to all of us thankyou

[@paulgibbons2320]

I'm not sure if you were in a earthquake but the camera man was.

[@besacciaesteban]

Imagine finally getting a time machine, traveling to ancient mesopotamia and not being able to find a single person that can tell you why they did all the stuff they did. 🤣

[@berniebarclay2183]

There's a lot of our contemporaries who haven't got a clue either.

[@raginald7mars408]

he must be cloned and reborne and live forever

[@lacey3880]

Phil..

[@ralphstern2845]

I love your work. Thanks.

[@johncollins211]

But in the old days......... noooo why edit it?

[@maryhitchcock4847]

People hope for an afterlife where their consciousness is happier than that which very many consider a hell experience. If the afterlife happiness is removed their would be no spiritual reason to live

[@GARYINLEEDS]

Can we agree that a, Thought... Is faster than, light???

[@Za7a7aZ]

Entanglement...happens between love ones between great distances. A certain thought can reach that person instantly 😊

[@dadwilks6452]

240,000 to the power of 13

[@AndyJarman]

I don't agree with the idea burying someone with their possessions necessarily infers they believed in an afterlife. This occurred to me at the Viking ship museum in Oslo. It's a mark of respect - respect for the departed, and respect for the self - that the prized possessions of someone who's died are non "inherited". Profiting from someone's death is tainted with the inference of low respect for what labour had to be gone through to gain possession of that prized object. Gaining a possession as a consequence of somebody's death is an act of stealing and disrespect for the dead. Gaining a possession as a consequence of death opens (especially non literate) relationships between the survivors to dispute. Keeping a person's worldly possessions is a constant reminder of their loss, and the fragility of life. To renounce an interest in a person's possessions after they die reassures the survivors of their own capacity and integrity, reduces the attractiveness of murder as a solution to poverty, and is a means of declaring respect for someone, by burying them with the fruits of their life's labour. The very notion of heaven is merely an extension of that desire for a person's suffering to cease as a consequence of dying. Grave goods = Love and respect for the dead, for one's self and for the cohesion of social bonds between people.

[@lacey3880]

!! Comments r just..social etc.. Tis is out of context

[@harrybruijs2614]

I realy think it is something Anglo Saxon, on the continent we are not so preoccupied with it. We also don't celebrate Haloween, however the commerce are trying to push it. Americans are also obsessed with it and gosths.

[@johncollins211]

Yeah for candy.... we just want candy it doesn't go any deeper than that. Adults use any excuse to party so we party on Halloween. Your making out to be some weird obsession when it's completely innocent fun for kids and adults. There's like 10 actual goths left in America. Your whole response is baffling.

[@obscurum6]

"Sometimes the dead come back", apparently so, as one of them is presenting that video from Watkins and another is the worse video camera person ever. 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆

[@studiesonmagic]

when he dies (IF he dies), he s gonna haunt you sooooo bad

[@obscurum6]

@@studiesonmagic Do a lot of people haunt you from yt channels you comment on? 😆👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

[@boxfox2945]

​@@studiesonmagic 😂😂😂😂

[@studiesonmagic]

@@obscurum6 oh yes, some comments are truely haunting :D