Thin End of the Wedge

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 century9:38  cast collections in Spain11:52  Spanish interest in ancient Iraq14:22  how objects were selected18:31  different options for different purposes21:24  impact of historical context23:13  historiography and gender studies28:32  impact in textual studies30:08  opportunities and challenges for us nowAgnès's Academia page Agnès's university page Music by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 sources9:36 what do we need to know about Assyria?12:44 Assyrian royal women18:33 were the Assyrians really 'cruel'?23:44 empathy for the Assyrians25:31 their greatest achievements?28:03 Assyria's legacy32:33 Eckart's approach to history writing35:55 what's new?39:46 unsolved problemsEckart's university pageEckart's AcademiaHis new book is availableUS: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/eckart-frahm/assyria/9781541674400/?lens=basic-booksUK: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/assyria-9781526623812/Music by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 making19:28 were all gods equal in voting?23:07 did gods each vote in their own organ?25:49 why decide by consensus?29:49 how much weight did an answer carry?Parsa's Academia pageMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

 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 method8:02 dung11:43 limitations of phytoliths14:07 from the micro-scale to the big picture 16:59 combination with other methods20:59 training26:27 Birgül's projectsBirgül's Academia pageIf you would like to donate in support of the earthquake victims, Birgül suggests the following organisations: Ahbap: https://ahbap.org/Akut: https://www.akut.org.tr/en Music by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 university7:14 student life at Mosul11:12 military service12:39 research assistant15:48 time in the UK25:21 military service again28:07 opening a department33:40 promotion37:55 the ISIL years42:30 after ISIL, heritage46:16 retirementMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 archive7:15 confiscated tablets9:53 locating ancient Shatir11:39 publication plans15:00 teaching at Baghdad University21:06 how did Basima become interested?23:51 thoughts about the futureMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: 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, Enrique Jimenez, Cornelia Wunsch, Mark Weeden, and Pippa Steele.3:23Smith finds a marvel13:46who was Smith?17:06Smith's 1st and 2nd expeditions22:02the fateful 3rd expedition27:43the mysterious Mr Mathewson33:29Carchemish and the Hittites40:25quarantine!42:58to Aleppo by horse51:10a tragic end56:22Mathewson's career58:09Smith's family1:03:10boo, a ghost1:06:50Smith's notebooks1:12:55Egibi tablets1:16:30statue of Kubaba1:21:29deciphering Cypriote syllabic scriptThe sad story of Boscawen can be found in Ruth Horry’s “Assyriology at the Margins. The Case of William St. Chad Boscawen (1855–1913)” in IRAQ 77 (2015) pp. 129-142You can read more about the Egibit tablets in Strahil V. Panayotov and Cornelia Wunsch, "New Light on George Smith’s Purchase of the Egibi Archive in 1876 from the Nachlass Mathewson", in: Melammu: The Ancient World in an Age of Globalization (2014)Music by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: 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 marvel10:24who was Smith?14:26the fateful 3rd expedition17:26the mysterious Mr Mathewson20:58Carchemish and the Hittites25:50quarantine!27:44to Aleppo by horse33:50a tragic end38:10Mathewson's career39:35Smith's family and legacy42:33Smith's notebooksThe sad story of Boscawen can be found in Ruth Horry’s “Assyriology at the Margins. The Case of William St. Chad Boscawen (1855–1913)” in IRAQ 77 (2015) pp. 129-142 You can read more about the Egibit tablets in Strahil V. Panayotov and Cornelia Wunsch, "New Light on George Smith’s Purchase of the Egibi Archive in 1876 from the Nachlass Mathewson", in: Melammu: The Ancient World in an Age of Globalization (2014)Music by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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-elites11:38 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 data26:11 writing a synthesis30:26 why this book?32:52 the author's hopesAmanda's Academia pageAmanda's university pageAmanda's new bookMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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?22:29 who did the laundry?27:11 how fine were fabrics?29:44 what will fabric impressions tell us?Louise's Academia pageLouise's ResearchGate pageLouise's new bookMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 horses9:50 animal agency12:59 human-horse-dog relations15:36 animal behaviours22:31 potential of animal studiesLaerke's Academia pageLaerke's TwitterLaerke's websiteMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: 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 archives11:01 in situ or rubbish?15:28 the story of tablets from Tell Sabi Abyad23:55 the story of tablets from Tell Fekheriye27:46 history from office bins35:03 current researchVictor's Academia page: https://ucy.academia.edu/VictorKlinkenbergVictor's ResearchGate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Victor-KlinkenbergPalloures:project site: https://palloures.eu/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@palloures Music by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 statues7:21 Mari votive statues12:43 what did they look like?17:45 how do statues work?22:59 walking statues33:46 women watching from the sidelines?35:47 end of lifeSophie's Academia pageMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 Budge10:51 the letters, and Svoboda's diaries15:10 Ferida21:28 Ibrahim26:09 relations between Ferida and Ibrahim28:39 Nadia's inspirationNadia's blog post, February 2022Nadia's blog post, May 2022Nadia's blog post, July 2022Magali Dessagnes' thesisSvoboda Diaries ProjectMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 history5:30 origins of interest8:25 archaeological experience13:58 community in Baghdad17:44 PhD life20:43 first job26:26 on the Nimrud excavations33:25 Tell Taya37:12 museum discoveries44:49 displaying Assyrian sculptureMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

 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. Rawa6:33 family background15:01 interest in history19:36 after graduation27:33 early career34:51 student life37:40 teachers41:31 PhD46:05 return to Iraq51:17 discovery of the Sippar temple library58:40 trouble in Baghdad1:00:05 Suleimaniyah Museum1:06:02 thoughts about the futureMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_podPatreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 Surghul7:13 choosing a site9:17 project goals13:25 results so far16:49 the excavation team20:07 a typical day25:47 why excavation?31:11 conservation/preservation35:38 making the future betterDavide's university pageDavide's Academia pageDavide's TwitterThe 10-point list of suggestions for decolonising excavations permitsMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_pod Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 Excellence6:38 team goals11:44 what digital Akkadian tools can do19:50 why two tools?23:23 sources and consequences26:29 what might the future hold?ANEE: https://researchportal.helsinki.fi/en/projects/centre-of-excellence-in-ancient-near-eastern-empiresSaana's university pageFear in Akkadian pdfMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_pod Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 Shulgi5:47 Shulgi's family9:19 Shulgi's children13:01 Shulgi's motivation14:37 the 'harem'17:47 the court21:35 agency of the wives25:56 impact of Shulgi becoming a god27:32 royal deaths Tonia's university pageTonia's Academia pageTonia's email: tonia.sharlach [at] okstate.eduMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_pod Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

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 achievements18:04 characteristic Kassite material culture23:13 where to see Kassite objects24:57 where to find out more28:49 Tim's own researchTim's Academia pageMusic by Ruba HillawiWebsite: http://wedgepod.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgwEmail: wedgepod@gmail.comTwitter: @wedge_pod Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod