nadegata

Description: Part of a Neo-Assyrian relief as published by Layard in 1853, depicting the ancient Mesopotamian Anzu myth.

Description: The beginning of Oscar Wilde's most famous novel in my handwriting.

Description: Sumerian cuneiform munus dub.sar, designating a female scribe. You can find the male equivalent here.

Description: The Cuneiform logogram meaning "queen" and "lady" (NIN or ERESH in Sumerian).

Description: Carved furniture plaque from Nimrud (Ancient Kalhu), Neo-Assyrian, ca. 9th-8th cent. BC. As many of the famous Nimrud Ivories, this piece is decorated with Egyptian and Phoenician elements. It is now kept at the MET: http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/325566

Description: Sumerian cuneiform dub.sar, meaning "scribe". You'll find the female equivalent here.

Description: Locomotive Patent Blueprint (1886)

Description: Hipster make-over of an Akkadian bust (ca. 2300-2000 BC) of an unknown bearded man, now at the MET Museum.

Description: Cuneiform sign for "god". In Sumerian, the language of the inventors of this writing system, the sign is read "dingir" for "god" (and anything divine), or "an" for heaven (see below). In Akkadian - the oldest Semitic language, which adapted this writing system - it can also denote several things: ilum = "god" shamûm ="heaven" Anum = (the god) Anum (=Heaven deified) Originally, the sign depicted a star. If you're interested to see other signs or words in any Ancient Near Eastern language, feel free to send a message!

Description: The Poem "The Moon" by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Description: Eye Idols (mid-3rd mill. BC) from Tell Brak (Syria), now at the MET Museum.

Description: The History of the Damnable Life and the Deserved Death of Doctor Faustus taken from a facsimile edition of the original print from 1592

Description: Akkadian bust (ca. 2300-2000 BC) of an unknown bearded man, now at the MET Museum.

Description: Cuneiform sign for “god”. In Sumerian, the language of the inventors of this writing system, the sign is read “dingir” for “god” (and anything divine), or “an” for heaven (see below). In Akkadian – the oldest Semitic language, which adapted this writing system – it can also denote several things: ilum = “god” shamûm =“heaven” Anum = (the god) Anum (= Heaven deified) Originally, the sign depicted a star. If you’re interested to see other signs or words in any Ancient Near Eastern language, feel free to send a message!

Description: The cuneiform sign meaning "king" (lugal in Sumerian).

Description: The cuneiform sign meaning "king" (lugal in Sumerian).

Description: Marduk, God of Babylon

Description: Eye Idols (mid-3rd mill. BC) from Tell Brak (Syria), now at the MET Museum.

Description: This is the ancient Sumerian word URSAĜ as it is written in cuneiform, meaning "hero" and "warrior".