Assyrian Discoveries
An Account of Explorations and Discoveries on the Site of Nineveh, during 1873 and 1874

In this 1875 work, self-taught Assyriologist George Smith describes his first archaeological expedition to the Middle East.

George Smith (Author)

9781108078993, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 6 November 2014

498 pages, 28 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 2.8 cm, 0.63 kg

The Assyriologist George Smith (1840–76) was trained originally as an engraver, but was enthralled by the discoveries of Layard and Rawlinson. He taught himself cuneiform script, and joined the British Museum as a 'repairer' or matcher of broken cuneiform tablets. Promotion followed, and after one of Smith's most significant discoveries among the material sent to the Museum - a Babylonian story of a great flood - he was sent to the Middle East, where he found more inscriptions which contained other parts of the epic tale of Gilgamesh. In this 1875 work, a bestseller in its day, Smith describes his expedition, the difficulties encountered, and the discoveries, including hundreds of inscriptions which increased knowledge of the Babylonian and Assyrian civilisations but also had a profound effect on traditional biblical studies. Smith died in Aleppo in 1876, having revolutionised understanding of the ancient Near East.

Preface
1. Former excavations and discoveries in the valley of the Euphrates and Tigris
2. Discoveries from 1866 to 1872
3. From London to Mosul
4. Visit to Babylonia
5. Excavations at Nimroud
6. Excavations at Kouyunjik
7. From Mosul to England
8. Second journey to Mosul
9. Excavations at Kouyunjik
10. Return from Assyria
11. The Izdubar or Flood series of legends
12. Early Babylonian texts
13. Early Assyrian inscriptions
14. Inscriptions of Tiglath Pileser II
15. Inscriptions of Sargon
16. Inscriptions of Sennacherib
17. Inscriptions of Esarhaddon
18. Inscriptions of Assurbanipal
19. Inscriptions of Bel-Zakir-Iskun, king of Assyria, and his succession
20. Miscellaneous texts
21. Foreign inscriptions
22. Objects illustrating arts and customs
23. Conclusion
Index.

Subject Areas: Archaeology by period / region [HDD]