Cuneiform writing: Did you mean...?

My animation takes you through the birth and evolution of writing. Watch the story of the world's scripts unfold, from the early cave days to modern writing systems. But only if you choose to take Thoth's Pill... This animated documentary...

He who saw everything in the broad-boned earth, and knew what was to be known, Who had experienced what there was, and had become familiar with all things. The Epic of Gilgamesh. The tornado has started After the US-led invasion of...

A painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris showing Thomas Jefferson (right), Benjamin Franklin (left), and John Adams drafting the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776. (Virginia Historical Society, Library of Congress)

A 17th century CE artist's rendition of David inscribing one of his famous psalms. By Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (Guercino).

Thoth is the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom, magic, writing and the moon and was one of the most important gods of the Egyptian pantheon. As the son of gods representing order and chaos, he was also considered the god of equilibrium which...

When presented with a meeting-free Friday afternoon we did what any normal person who has access to Irving Finkel would do - we asked him to teach us cuneiform. We're not really sure Nick learned anything, but hopefully you will. Dr. Irving...

This clay tablet still has its clay envelope. The tablet mentions a legal case before Niqmepuh, King of Iamhad (Aleppo) concerning the legacy of two houses. The seal impressions of ten witnesses (including the King) survive on the fragmentary...

This clay tablet mentions the names of the kings of Babylon (genealogy of the Hammurabi's dynasty) as far as the reign of Ammiditana (reigned 1683-1647 BCE). The list also mentions the names of several Amorite tribal ancestors, to whose spirits...

This clay tablet represents a lawsuit against Niqmepa King of Alalakh brought before Saustatar king of Mitanni who used a seal made about 2200 BCE and later recut for an earlier king of Mitanni, Shutarna, son of Kirta. circa 1450 BCE. From...

This is the latest datable clay tablet in the British Museum. It gives the monthly positions of the planets in the zodiac signs and the dates of their characteristic phenomena. Dates of solstices, equinoxes, and eclipses are also given. The...