Languages and Literatures of Ancient Western Asia
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide a basic knowledge of cuneiform writing as well as an introduction to the Western Asia ancient languages which are documented from the end of the fourth millennium BC to the first century AD. During the course, the student acquires critical mastery of various textual sources, their connection with material culture and their use in view of historical reconstruction, familiarizing with the bibliographic resources and digital tools peculiar to Assyriology.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: Acquisition of the general outlines of the languages and literatures written in cuneiform, with chronological and geographical framing of the pre-classical civilizations that developed in Mesopotamia, the Levant, Anatolia and Iran. Knowledge of methodologies for analyzing the materiality and the textual content of cuneiform sources. Outlines of the history of studies, from the birth of Assyriology to its most recent developments.
Applying Knowledge and Understanding: Acquisition of philological skills on specific textual typologies, with reading of cuneiform texts accompanied by their analysis and translation. Acquisition of critical skills in material and conceptual approaches to cuneiform sources, with awareness of their role in the historical reconstruction of the pre-classical civilizations of West Asia.
Applying Knowledge and Understanding: Acquisition of philological skills on specific textual typologies, with reading of cuneiform texts accompanied by their analysis and translation. Acquisition of critical skills in material and conceptual approaches to cuneiform sources, with awareness of their role in the historical reconstruction of the pre-classical civilizations of West Asia.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course provides an overview of the main languages and literatures of ancient West Asia (Mesopotamia, Levant, Anatolia, Iran) documented in the period during which the cuneiform texts were written (i.e., from the end of the 4th millennium BC to the 1st century AD).
Topics covered by the course encompass:
- The chronology and spatial distribution of cuneiform writing, considering the historical and geographical outlines of both its development in antiquity (including the description of scholastic texts, such as lexical lists and other texts used in the training of scribes) and its rediscovery in the last two centuries.
- An overview of cuneiform texts with economic content (administrative, epistolary, legal, etc.), with a selection of documents in Sumerian and Semitic coming from both Mesopotamian (Lagash to Mari) and the Levant (Ebla).
- An overview of cuneiform texts with literary content (myths, incantations, hymns, prayers, epics, etc.), with a selection of documents in Sumerian and Semitic coming from Mesopotamian (from Lagash to Mari).
Students will be trained to acquire a general understanding of the main features that characterize cuneiform writing, from its different levels of complexity to its use to graphically note linguistically heterogeneous idioms, from its cultural and socio-political relevance to its relations with other coeval, hieroglyphic and linear, writing systems. Furthermore, students will be able to critically evaluate the main interpretative problems (of both semantic and linguistic order) that cuneiform writing and texts still pose, acquiring awareness of the main articulations of Assyriology (formative history and current configuration as an international discipline, with discussion of its significance for past, present and future scientific policy), the tools used by Assyriologists (paper-based working tools and their digital accessibility, websites) and their main professional practices (teaching and research activities, publications, associations, projects, interdisciplinary initiatives and congresses).
The class is divided in three teaching sections (20 hours and 3 ECTS each), organized as follows:
A) Introduction to cuneiform writing
B) Reading and translation of cuneiform economic texts
C) Reading and translation of cuneiform literary texts
Students can opt for two teaching units (A+B, B+C, A+C; 6 ECTS) or three teaching units (A+B+C; 9 ECTS).
Topics covered by the course encompass:
- The chronology and spatial distribution of cuneiform writing, considering the historical and geographical outlines of both its development in antiquity (including the description of scholastic texts, such as lexical lists and other texts used in the training of scribes) and its rediscovery in the last two centuries.
- An overview of cuneiform texts with economic content (administrative, epistolary, legal, etc.), with a selection of documents in Sumerian and Semitic coming from both Mesopotamian (Lagash to Mari) and the Levant (Ebla).
- An overview of cuneiform texts with literary content (myths, incantations, hymns, prayers, epics, etc.), with a selection of documents in Sumerian and Semitic coming from Mesopotamian (from Lagash to Mari).
Students will be trained to acquire a general understanding of the main features that characterize cuneiform writing, from its different levels of complexity to its use to graphically note linguistically heterogeneous idioms, from its cultural and socio-political relevance to its relations with other coeval, hieroglyphic and linear, writing systems. Furthermore, students will be able to critically evaluate the main interpretative problems (of both semantic and linguistic order) that cuneiform writing and texts still pose, acquiring awareness of the main articulations of Assyriology (formative history and current configuration as an international discipline, with discussion of its significance for past, present and future scientific policy), the tools used by Assyriologists (paper-based working tools and their digital accessibility, websites) and their main professional practices (teaching and research activities, publications, associations, projects, interdisciplinary initiatives and congresses).
The class is divided in three teaching sections (20 hours and 3 ECTS each), organized as follows:
A) Introduction to cuneiform writing
B) Reading and translation of cuneiform economic texts
C) Reading and translation of cuneiform literary texts
Students can opt for two teaching units (A+B, B+C, A+C; 6 ECTS) or three teaching units (A+B+C; 9 ECTS).
Prerequisites for admission
No prerequisites for admission
Teaching methods
Each teaching section consist of a series of frontal lessons (with the help of PowerPoint presentations, multimedia, 3-D models and on-line material) and lectures given by Italian and international scholars dealing with current research on texts, archaeological material and sites.
Lessons are completed with planned discussions to ascertain the understanding of the various topics, check students' attention, and evaluate the in-progress applied knowledge.
E-learning material is uploaded and made available on the Ariel platform and includes copy-left figures, tables and notes of the lessons, additional materials (open-access articles) and links to further resources (websites, videos), and bibliography.
Attendance is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended.
Lessons are completed with planned discussions to ascertain the understanding of the various topics, check students' attention, and evaluate the in-progress applied knowledge.
E-learning material is uploaded and made available on the Ariel platform and includes copy-left figures, tables and notes of the lessons, additional materials (open-access articles) and links to further resources (websites, videos), and bibliography.
Attendance is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended.
Teaching Resources
Attending students
Teaching Section A
- class notes
- Chr. Walker, La scrittura cuneiforme (traduzione di P. Corò), Roma, 2008.
- B. Lion ‒ C. Michel, Scritture cuneiformi. Storia, usi, decifrazione, Udine 2012.
Teaching Section B
- class notes
- P. Steinkeller, The Function of Written Documentation in the Administrative Praxis of Early Babylonia, in M. Hudson ‒ C. Wunsch (eds), Creating Economic Order. Record-keeping, Standardization, and the Development of Accounting in the Ancient Near East, Bethesda, 2004, pp. 65-88.
- J. Taylor, Tablets as Artefacts, Scribes as Artisans, in K. Radner ‒ E. Robson (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Cuneiform Culture, Oxford 2011, pp. 5-31.
Teaching Section C
- class notes
- Bottéro, J., S.N. Kramer, Uomini e dèi della Mesopotamia: alle origini della mitologia, Torino 1992.
Non-attending students
Teaching Sections A-C
The same texts for attending students and the book:
- M. Sauvage (ed.), Atlas historique du Proche-Orient ancien, Paris 2023.
Teaching Section A
- class notes
- Chr. Walker, La scrittura cuneiforme (traduzione di P. Corò), Roma, 2008.
- B. Lion ‒ C. Michel, Scritture cuneiformi. Storia, usi, decifrazione, Udine 2012.
Teaching Section B
- class notes
- P. Steinkeller, The Function of Written Documentation in the Administrative Praxis of Early Babylonia, in M. Hudson ‒ C. Wunsch (eds), Creating Economic Order. Record-keeping, Standardization, and the Development of Accounting in the Ancient Near East, Bethesda, 2004, pp. 65-88.
- J. Taylor, Tablets as Artefacts, Scribes as Artisans, in K. Radner ‒ E. Robson (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Cuneiform Culture, Oxford 2011, pp. 5-31.
Teaching Section C
- class notes
- Bottéro, J., S.N. Kramer, Uomini e dèi della Mesopotamia: alle origini della mitologia, Torino 1992.
Non-attending students
Teaching Sections A-C
The same texts for attending students and the book:
- M. Sauvage (ed.), Atlas historique du Proche-Orient ancien, Paris 2023.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The assessment consists in an oral examination related to the topics listed in the teaching programme (2 teaching sections, 6 ECTS, 3 teaching sections, 9 ECTS). The evaluation (from a minimum of 18 to a maximum of 30/30 cum laude) takes into account the following assessment criteria: completeness and clarity in the presentation of the acquired knowledge of the topics, ability in the discursive argumentation and critical capacity, ability to use the appropriate language, also in relation to the specific terminology of the discipline.
International and Erasmus incoming students are requested to contact the professor in charge of the course.
The assessment methods for SLD students and students with other disabilities should be agreed with the professor in charge of the course and with the responsible university office.
International and Erasmus incoming students are requested to contact the professor in charge of the course.
The assessment methods for SLD students and students with other disabilities should be agreed with the professor in charge of the course and with the responsible university office.
L-OR/03 - ASSYRIOLOGY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours