Dan Snow's History Hit The Ultimate Mesopotamian Mystery
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Jun 10, 2025 Joshua Hammer, a freelance journalist and author of 'The Mesopotamian Riddle', shares captivating tales of the 19th-century race to decipher cuneiform, the first written language. He introduces an adventurous trio—a dashing archaeologist, a diplomatic officer, and a reclusive clergyman—who unveiled Mesopotamia's secrets. The podcast also explores the fierce competition between Victorian scholars, reveals Enheduanna's pioneering role as a female writer, and emphasizes the significance of Assyrian mythology in understanding ancient narratives.
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Layard's Epic Archaeological Journey
- Austen Henry Layard was a British aristocrat who abandoned law to discover lost Assyrian cities in Mesopotamia.
- He faced attacks and hardships crossing the Ottoman Empire and uncovered well-preserved palaces and artifacts.
Assyrian Art's Astonishing Detail
- Layard uncovered Assyrian palaces with detailed alabaster bas-reliefs and massive Lamassu statues.
- These finds brought ancient Assyrian life vividly to the public and redefined Western views of Near Eastern art.
Rawlinson’s Behistun Breakthrough
- Henry Rawlinson started with Persian cuneiform then tackled the more complex Assyrian script.
- His discovery of the Behistun Inscription was pivotal in cracking cuneiform like a Rosetta Stone for Mesopotamian languages.
