Thin End of the Wedge

Moudhy talks about the different kinds of outreach work she has done. How does she excite interest in material that is very unfamiliar for most people? What works well? She discusses the different audiences and formats, the various approaches and possibilities. 

2:18  why Mesopotamia?
4:45  attracting interest
8:11  overcoming the unfamiliar
11:19  reliable history versus pseudo-history
13:10  radio and podcasts
17:06  scale and detail
19:47  different audiences
22:03  images
23:52  what didn't work
25:55  favourite fact
27:17  new book
33:30  what's next?

Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website: http://wedgepod.org
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c...

The Mosul region is the focus of renewed activity by local and foreign teams. Archaeology there inevitably works differently now. Michael and John talk about the Iraq Heritage Stabilization Program, including conservation and reconstruction work, excavation, and capacity building. 

2:34Iraq Heritage Stabilization Program
3:39 Nimrud and Nineveh
8:29why those sites? Who sets the goals?
12:56exhibition and online resources
13:47conservation and reconstruction
18:08long term commitment
20:06the dig team
22:38latest results from Nimrud
31:26kudurru
34:46architectural remains
37:01inscriptions
39:34publication, research, collaboration
42:51working in Mosul region
45:52engaging communities
50:26w...

Zoltán and Erika introduce us to their exhibition about gods and demons. This exhibition, and the extensive catalogue that accompanies it, are major landmarks in Hungarian assyriology. What is it about, how did it become a reality, and what impact will it have?

2:40 the exhibition
8:11 key objects
10:47 why this topic, and why now?
12:56 reaction
15:15 preparing an exhibition
21:19 about the displays
23:19 significance for Hungary
24:52 the museum's own collection
27:45 favourite object

https://www.mfab.hu/exhibitions/kingdom-of-gods-and-demons-mesopotamia-1000-500-bce/

Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website: h...

Christopher discusses new ideas around the murder of King Sennacherib. Who really killed him and why? Was it a coup? Where was Esarhaddon and why wasn't he in Nineveh? [Much of this first section of the episode was published as part of Episode 71.  8:03-10:30 is not found there. And everything from 25:19 is also new] Next he addresses the question of how the kings of this dynasty ran their empire. What does social network analysis reveal about how they coped with information flow? Who was influential and why did that change?

2:09 prize winner
3:09 regicide
8:04 motives for m...

 This is a special episode presenting the prize-winning research of three early career scholars: William McGrath, Alessia Pilloni, and Christopher Jones. What prizes did they win, and what was their research about? We hear about the latest news from Isin II period history, astrology in the Late Babylonian period, and a military coup in the Neo-Assyrian period. 

1:24 William McGrath
2:10 dissertation
6:08 key conclusions
9:10 publication plans
10:48 what's next?

13:45 Alessia Pilloni
14:27 horoscopes
20:03 star signs
22:37 two technical terms identified
26:51 wider context

29:10 Christopher Jones
30:45 whodunnit
35:59 new evidence
41:54 pu...

This episode was recorded live at the Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale conference held in Helsinki in July 2024. 

Simo Parpola reflects on his long and momentous career. He explains how he became an assyriologist, and how he came to focus on the Assyrians. A key collaboration led to one of the most significant projects in assyriological history. What was it like to study large groups of tablets in the days before bulk digitisation? How did they identify so many joins remotely? Simo then discusses what has brought him satisfaction, and offers advice to younger scholars. He also explains what e...

Carolyne introduces us to the study of ancient plant remains, especially carpology--the study of seeds, fruits, and flowers. In her case study she takes us to the site of Logardan in the Kurdish region, and explains what she could learn from the remains found in kilns. We discuss the role and uses of dung.

2:02 archaeobotany
4:08 how to train
5:09 site of Logardan
6:37 role of archaeobotany
9:47 comparison with results from other fields
12:30 main results from Logardan
14:00 why use dung?
18:28 dung sources and their properties
20:37 plants as evidence for pottery production practices<...

Witold discusses the labour market under Hammurabi of Babylon. What kind of work could you get, and what would you be paid in exchange? Who would be looking for employment, who would take them on, and who held the balance of power?


1:45 how we know about getting a job
2:54 who are the job seekers?
3:48 how common was it?
4:58 what jobs are there beyond harvest time?
6:17 what kind of people are working?
8:19 how good were conditions?
11:12 different jobs for men and women?
13:03 do workers replace you or work alongside you?<...

Amy discusses the multi-sensory presence of the queens of Assyria. What was queenly dress and what meaning did each part of it convey? How does the evidence from art compare to what we learn from archaeology? Can we identify personal choice? She also talks about what it's like to wear queenly clothes, and what experimental archaeology can tell us.
 
2:45 sources for textiles
5:13 experimental archaeology
6:37 tombs of the queens
8:35 art versus archaeology
9:50 queenly dress
14:28 symbolism
17:03 individual choice
20:58 burialwear
21:54 craftsmen for the queen
22:44 smell, sound, and other senses
26:40 international d...

Rune, Seraina, and Gustav discuss their recently completed project on geomapping cuneiform. Where were inscriptions found and where are they now? How many tablets are there? What counts as a tablet anyway? They reveal the challenges of integrating datasets, and explore the potential opened up by knowing where inscriptions really come from.

4:18 GLoW project
7:44 data collection
10:51 how many tablets are there?
13:50 provenance problems
17:06 why 'where' matters
20:50 what distribution tells us
24:20 why this hasn't been done before
27:06 integrating databases
33:56 what can we do now?

GLoW publications

...

Omar discusses the importance of studying gender as part of assyriology. What are the big themes now, and how did we get here? He focuses on two areas of special interest: masculinity, and eunuchism. What can we expect from the conference on gender  studies (GeMANE) hosted in Malta this April? And what is the context of assyriology in Malta?

0:37 Introducing Ellie
2:56 the importance of studying gender
5:39 current trends
8:59 gender beyond only women
11:54 masculinities
16:21 eunuchs
23:58 organising GeMANE
27:15 assyriology in Malta
29:38 public engagement

Omar's Academia
Omar's university page

The site of Ur is easily one of the most important in Iraq. In this interview, originally recorded in late 2021, we hear from the person responsible for managing that site. Ali talks about Ur's significance, and its role in local life. What are the plans for the development of this key site?

4:18 introducing Lina
7:02 importance of Ur
7:34 what tourists can see
8:39 information for visitors
9:12 what Ur means to Iraqis
10:15 excavations
11:04 site conservation
11:49 future of tourism
12:19 cultural activities
13:41 the Pope's visit
16:42 future projects
18:10 website for Ur
19:00...

Enrique introduces us to a major new resource in digital assyriology: The electronic Babylonian Library. What does it offer and what are its aims? He discusses the issues facing the field and the potential of digital tools, including AI, to help solve them. To what extent can Babylonian literature be reconstructed now, and what we can do with it?

2:08 what is the eBL?
4:59 how much Babylonian literature do we have?
6:16 the non-literary fragments
10:27 why launch now?
11:50 what's the reaction / impact?
15:05 what's the significance of eBL for your research on literature?
18:14 what...

At the Rencontre in Leiden this summer, the IAA awarded its annual prizes celebrating the excellence of early career scholars. There were prizes for the best dissertation, best first article, and a research subsidy. I tracked down the prize winners to ask them about their work. 

2:17 Clélia Paladre
2:57 thesis on Iranian glyptic
4:38 the Proto-Elamite phenomenon
6:14 working at the Louvre

7:31 Tomoki Kitazumi
8:29 translating in the Hittite empire
11:45 interpreters in the ancient Near East
13:56 German-Japanese interpreters colloquium

16:26 George Heath-Whyte
17:02 Neo-Babylonian patterns of life
21:05 naming practises project

Shigeo shares the results of fieldwork at a site that was once a key city on the edges of the Assyrian empire. How do we know which city it was? He describes the key finds, and interprets their significance. What can we learn from a necklet?

2:22 Yasin Tepe
4:54 goals
6:38 identification as Dur-Ashur
9:12 results
12:44 who lived there?
13:44 inscribed necklet of a slave
18:49 future work
23:20 Tsukuba

Shigeo's Academia
Shigeo's ResearchGate

Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website: http://wedgepod.org
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel...

Susanne pulls back the curtain on how exhibitions are made. She explains how the topic was chosen, and how that vision is translated into reality. How long does it take, how many people are involved, and just what needs to be done?

2:17  about Back to School
3:27  goals
5:37  what's on show?
7:16  star pieces
10:10  recreating an ancient school
11:05  how to display tablets
17:06  why school and why now?
19:10  return to Nippur and the Nippur Tablet Project
23:51  audience testing
25:50  how long it takes
27:37  what does a curator do?
29:33  the wider team
38...

Louise discusses Ishtar, one of the most enigmatic and fascinating deities of the ancient Middle East. What characteristics were assigned to her, and what stories were told about her? What happened when Ishtar met Gilgamesh? Louise also discusses the reception of Ishtar and Gilgamesh. What do people find interesting about them now? She explains how being based in Australia influences her research.

1:56 how many Ishtars are there?

3:20 male or female?

5:11 Ishtar in myths

7:38 Ishtar as the archetypal or impossible woman 

10:52 Ishtar and the king

12:34 popular reactions to I...

This special episode is a follow-up on the big annual conference. I offer some thoughts on what happened, and on how things might be in the future. As part of this, I catch up with three colleagues who have appeared as guests. Two were among the very first guests, who kindly helped me start the podcast. It was a leap in the dark for all of us. Since then, there have been a lot of changes for Gina and Jana. The third is a more recent guest, but someone who will shape our experience at next year's conference. Saana...

The organising team of RAI 68 Leiden introduce us to what we can expect from the conference. Why did they pick inequality as a topic? And how do they address inequality in the conference design? What role does live-streaming play in a modern Rencontre?

2:03 about RAI 68 Leiden
2:52 what's different?
3:33 childcare support
4:23 why "inequality" as the topic?
5:41 live-streaming papers
9:37 scheduling papers fairly
12:41 building networks
16:39 recognising contributions
17:35 Leiden's RAI tradition
18:44 what else?

RAI 68 homepage

Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website: http://wedgepod.org
YouTube: https...

Nicholas explains about imprisonment in ancient Iraq. Were there prisons? Who would be confined, how long for, and why? What would someone do in prison? And whose interest did confinement serve?

2:08  confinement in ancient Iraq
5:11  were there prisons?
7:45  why would you be confined?
8:53  for whose benefit?
10:01  the religious dimension
14:11  sources
15:29  life in confinement
18:15  labour in confinement
19:58  could you tell if someone was imprisoned?
21:17  jail terms
23:54  the longer historical picture

Nicholas's Academia page

Nicholas's book on prisons

Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website...

Agnès discusses the history of the field, and why that matters now. Cast collections were an important part of Spain's early interest in ancient Iraq. How did these collections form? Who was interested? What were they interested in? And why? The history of the field has also impacted how we interpret objects, and how we read ancient texts. What lessons does that teach us?

3:16  why study the history of the field?
5:47  what is a cast?
7:39  casts in 19th/20th century
9:38  cast collections in Spain
11:52  Spanish interest in ancient Iraq
14:22  how objects were se...

Eckart has just published a new history of Assyria. What sources can we draw on? How reliable are they? He talks about Assyria's remarkable royal women and how they were remembered. What did the Assyrians achieve and what is their legacy?

3:39 how have we heard of the Assyrians?
6:42 biblical and classical texts as sources
9:36 what do we need to know about Assyria?
12:44 Assyrian royal women
18:33 were the Assyrians really 'cruel'?
23:44 empathy for the Assyrians
25:31 their greatest achievements?
28:03 Assyria's legacy
32:33 Eckart's approach to history writing
35:55 what's new?
39:46 unsolved...

Parsa explains how decision-making took place in ancient Iraq. When you asked the assembly of gods for a yes/no answer to help you solve a difficult problem, how would they agree on what to reply? Why would these answers be time limited? And how would they make their answer visible in the entrails of the sacrificial sheep?

2:35 what is extispicy?
6:25 who used it?
11:17 how long was a divine answer valid?
15:15 consensus decision making
19:28 were all gods equal in voting?
23:07 did gods each vote in their own organ?
25:49 why decide by...

 Birgül explains about her work using microscopic plant remains to understand life in ancient western Asia. What are phytoliths and how do we find them? How can such microscopic evidence tell us about building use, for example? And where do they sit in the archaeological toolkit?

3:12 what are phytoliths?
5:14 sampling method
8:02 dung
11:43 limitations of phytoliths
14:07 from the micro-scale to the big picture
16:59 combination with other methods
20:59 training
26:27 Birgül's projects

Birgül's Academia page

If you would like to donate in support of the earthquake vict...

Ali reflects on his long career. How did he become an assyriologist? What are his achievements, and what is his legacy to the next generation? How was his academic career shaped by the twists and turns of political events?

1:56 from school to university
7:14 student life at Mosul
11:12 military service
12:39 research assistant
15:48 time in the UK
25:21 military service again
28:07 opening a department
33:40 promotion
37:55 the ISIL years
42:30 after ISIL, heritage
46:16 retirement

Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website: http://wedgepod.org
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com...

Dr Basima talks about her new research on a Late Babylonian economic archive from Shatir. She explains about her teaching, and incorporating tablet handling sessions at the Iraq Museum.

2:03 an Achaemenid archive
7:15 confiscated tablets
9:53 locating ancient Shatir
11:39 publication plans
15:00 teaching at Baghdad University
21:06 how did Basima become interested?
23:51 thoughts about the future

Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website: http://wedgepod.org
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgw
Email: wedgepod@gmail.com
Twitter: @wedge_pod
Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

150 years ago, a young George Smith made headlines around the world. He had pieced together an Akkadian version of the Flood story found on fragments of clay tablets. Who was Smith, and why did his discovery have such a dramatic impact? What happened to him next? And what is his legacy?

We're joined by guests Sophus Helle, Gareth Brereton, Strahil Panayotov, and Enrique Jimenez.

2:46Smith finds a marvel
10:24who was Smith?
14:26the fateful 3rd expedition
17:26the mysterious Mr Mathewson
20:58Carchemish and the Hittites
25:50quarantine!
27:44to Aleppo by horse
33:50...

150 years ago, a young George Smith made headlines around the world. He had pieced together an Akkadian version of the Flood story found on fragments of clay tablets. Who was Smith, and why did his discovery have such a dramatic impact? What happened to him next? And what is his legacy?

We're joined by guests Sophus Helle, Gareth Brereton, Strahil Panayotov, Enrique Jimenez, Cornelia Wunsch, Mark Weeden, and Pippa Steele.

3:23Smith finds a marvel
13:46who was Smith?
17:06Smith's 1st and 2nd expeditions
22:02the fateful 3rd expedition
27:43the mysterious Mr Mathewson
33:29...

How can 3000 years of history, documented by a mountain of sources, be surveyed clearly in a single book? Amanda tells us all about her new history of the ancient Middle East. Why did she use micro-histories? Who among the people in her book made the biggest impacts on her?

3:36 why micro-histories?
7:46 finding the non-elites
11:38 who did Amanda empathise with?
13:22 who did she feels sorry for?
16:56 who made her laugh?
19:40 whose story to tell?
21:43 history from limited data
26:11 writing a synthesis
30:26 why this book?
32:52 the author's hopes

...

Louise introduces us to the fascinating world of Babylonian textiles. How do we know about textiles when almost none survive? What were they made of and what did they look like? Who made them, and who washed them? What would someone's clothing say about them?

2:46 how do we know about textiles?
8:02 what materials were clothes made of?
11:17 how practical was wool as a material to make clothes from?
12:59 who made clothes?
15:45 were clothes plain or decorated?
18:11 what would someone's clothes say about them?
20:43 what clothes would someone have in their cupboard?<...

Laerke talks about animals in a new way, taking us beyond thinking about animals as sources of products. What was their agency? And how did they influence human behaviour?

6:10 equids not just horses
9:50 animal agency
12:59 human-horse-dog relations
15:36 animal behaviours
22:31 potential of animal studies

Laerke's Academia page
Laerke's Twitter
Laerke's website

Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website: http://wedgepod.org
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgw
Email: wedgepod@gmail.com
Twitter: @wedge_pod
Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

Victor takes a fresh look at tablets as archaeological objects. Where and how are they found, and what does that mean for how we interpret them? Are we reconstructing archives from ancient office bins?

5:28 an archaeological approach to archives
11:01 in situ or rubbish?
15:28 the story of tablets from Tell Sabi Abyad
23:55 the story of tablets from Tell Fekheriye
27:46 history from office bins
35:03 current research

Victor's Academia page: https://ucy.academia.edu/VictorKlinkenberg
Victor's ResearchGate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Victor-Klinkenberg

Palloures:
project site: https://palloures...

Sophie reveals the secrets of the votive statues from Mari. How did people choose to represent themselves, and why did they make those choices? Why are the male statues walking? And what do the markings on some them tell us about the life of the statue?

4:42 votive statues
7:21 Mari votive statues
12:43 what did they look like?
17:45 how do statues work?
22:59 walking statues
33:46 women watching from the sidelines?
35:47 end of life

Sophie's Academia page

Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website: http://wedgepod.org
YouTube: https://www...

Nadia discusses her work on the Iraqi antiquities market of the late 19th and early 20th century. She focuses on two remarkable figures from the trade. Ibrahim Gejou was perhaps the most significant dealer used by European and American collectors. Ferida Antone Shamas is less well-known, but still a fascinating character. Who were they? What was their role in the trade? And what was their motivation?

3:24 the network: Ibrahim, Ferida and Budge
10:51 the letters, and Svoboda's diaries
15:10 Ferida
21:28 Ibrahim
26:09 relations between Ferida and Ibrahim
28:39 Nadia's inspiration

Nadia's blog post, February 2022<...

Julian looks back over his career. He explains how he developed his interests, and his unusual path into the field. He discusses some key moments: from the excavations at Nimrud, to discoveries in museum collections, and his own excavations at Tell Taya. Who influenced him? What does he think about how things are done? Plus news of his latest work.

3:03 approach to history
5:30 origins of interest
8:25 archaeological experience
13:58 community in Baghdad
17:44 PhD life
20:43 first job
26:26 on the Nimrud excavations
33:25 Tell Taya
37:12 museum discoveries
44:49 displaying Assyrian sculpture

...

 Farouk offers his personal story. He describes his family background, his early life, and details of his career. He explains how he became interested in ancient Iraq, and the many people who influenced and helped him develop his career. We learn about life in Iraq during the 20th century, and how political changes affected one man's journey.

3:14 introduction. Rawa
6:33 family background
15:01 interest in history
19:36 after graduation
27:33 early career
34:51 student life
37:40 teachers
41:31 PhD
46:05 return to Iraq
51:17 discovery of the Sippar temple library
58:40 trouble in Baghdad
1:00:05 Suleimaniyah Museum

Davide recently returned from a season of work at Tell Surghul in southern Iraq. He discusses the site and his team's work there. How did they choose the site and what did they want to achieve there, and what are their results so far? Why is excavation important anyway? He explains what an archaeological team looks like today, what they do, and what happens once the excavations are over. He also offers his thoughts on current discussions around how foreign teams should work in Iraq.

2:53 Tell Surghul
7:13 choosing a site
9:17 project goals
13:25 results so...

Saana introduces us to the Centre of Excellence in Helsinki. She explains the new tools her team is developing to help us understand the meaning of Akkadian words. How can they help cuneiform specialists? And how can they make cuneiform resources more accessible to other specialists?

3:45 The Centre of Excellence
6:38 team goals
11:44 what digital Akkadian tools can do
19:50 why two tools?
23:23 sources and consequences
26:29 what might the future hold?

ANEE: https://researchportal.helsinki.fi/en/projects/centre-of-excellence-in-ancient-near-eastern-empires

Saana's university page

Fear in Akkadian pdf

...

History isn't just about great men. Tonia introduces us to the complicated family life of King Shulgi. Who were his wives? Did they live in a 'harem'? How did he control his empire while managing the ambitions of his many sons?

2:43 the Ur III period and king Shulgi
5:47 Shulgi's family
9:19 Shulgi's children
13:01 Shulgi's motivation
14:37 the 'harem'
17:47 the court
21:35 agency of the wives
25:56 impact of Shulgi becoming a god
27:32 royal deaths
 
Tonia's university page

Tonia's Academia page

Tonia's email: tonia.sharlach [at] okstate.edu

Tim introduces us to a dynasty that ruled over Babylonia during one of the periods of its greatest influence. Where did they come from? What were their achievements? And what is their legacy? 

2:29 who were the Kassites?
4:57 where did they come from?
9:20 Kassite achievements
18:04 characteristic Kassite material culture
23:13 where to see Kassite objects
24:57 where to find out more
28:49 Tim's own research

Tim's Academia page


Music by Ruba Hillawi

Website: http://wedgepod.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgw