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The Epic of Gilgamesh
*Author unknown (multiple
authors)
*Circa 1900 BCE – 4,000 years ago
*Akkadian cuneiform (protowriting)
*Babylonia (Sumerian and
Akkadian)
*The oldest work of literature in
the history of humankind!
The cradle of civilization
• Babylon was one of the
first, great civilized nation
states in the IndoEuropean region.
• It developed social system
of storing and distributing
food.
• It was also the first major
civilization to implement
taxation.
• The first system of graphic
representation of language
developed in Babylon.
• These graphics evolved into
the first form of writing:
cuneiform.
The cradle of civilization
• Babylon was one of the
first, great civilized nation
states in the IndoEuropean region.
• It developed social system
of storing and distributing
food.
• It was also the first major
civilization to implement
taxation.
• The first system of graphic
representation of language
developed in Babylon.
• These graphics evolved into
the first form of writing:
cuneiform.
Cunei = “wedge”
Form = “shape”
The cradle of civilization
• Today, the nation of
Iraq occupies the center
of what was once the
heart of Babylon.
• You can visit
Babylon’s ancient
cities, like “Uruk”
where Gilgamesh
was king.
The first book-keeping
• Food storage, taxation, complex temple
organization made it necessary to …
• Keep track of inventory, rites and
rituals, and money!
• Babylonians began using graphic
illustrations:
• Simple
• Uniform
• Sketches
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/writing/story
Writing evolves into “cuneiforms”
• Eventually these
illustrations became
lined, wedge-shaped
symbols, called
“cuneiforms”
• At first they were
randomly ordered
• After time, they were
ordered in a line …
like a sentence from
left to right
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/writing/story
Writing evolves into “cuneiforms”
• The shape of
many words
evolved over
time:
http://www.virtualmuseumiraq.c
nr.it/homeENG.htm
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/writing/story
Cuneiform writing
• For thousands of years, the ability to
read or write cuneiform disappeared from
the face of the Earth.
• Works like Gilgamesh, which were
written in cuneiform on clay tablets, were
lost or destroyed by invading armies.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh disappeared, and
was unknown by humankind from 100
CE to the late 19th century—1,800 years!
• Eventually, scholars discovered
cuneiform tablets and began to decipher
them. (Assyriologists)
Cuneiform writing
• Cuneiform symbols can be deciphered
alphabetically:
Cuneiform writing
• Cuneiform symbols can be deciphered
alphabetically.
• But they also have characters for word
part sounds, creating whole word sounds:
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/writing/story
The Epic of Gilgamesh
• Written on clay tablets by hundreds of
scribes over many centuries.
• No single “manuscript” exists.
• Sections—both large and small—are still
missing, yet to be discovered.
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Implications. In small groups, discuss:
• Based on what you’ve learned about the
following, what questions do you have.
• What are some characteristics of Gilgamesh
you expect?
• How would the process of writing cuneiform
effect the text itself?
• What does it say about the text that it was
written for thousands of years?
• Why is this text important from an
historical standpoint?