The Babylonian Map of the World with Irving Finkel | Curator’s Corner S9 Ep5

Summary

In this video, Irving Finkel, a curator at the British Museum, discusses a remarkable clay tablet replica, which is the oldest known map of the world. The map, dating back to 6th century BC Mesopotamia, depicts the region now known as Iraq, including the Euphrates River and the city of Babylon. It also features mythical lands beyond known boundaries, described with fantastical elements such as a great wall and a tree with jeweled fruit. A volunteer, Edith Horsley, discovered a missing fragment that fit perfectly into the map, revealing details about the 'Great Wall' and linking the map to the Babylonian Ark, akin to the Biblical story of Noah's Ark. The video highlights the importance of archaeological discoveries in enhancing our understanding of ancient civilizations.

Takeaways

• 🗺️ The British Museum holds objects of all sizes, including the oldest known map of the world from ancient Mesopotamia.
• 📝 The tablet is a replica of a fragile clay tablet that contains significant cuneiform writing and depicts early world creation stories.
• 🌍 The map shows ancient Mesopotamia, with the Euphrates River and the city of Babylon depicted inside a double ring representing the 'Bitter River' that surrounded the known world.
• 🗻 Triangular shapes outside the double ring are believed to represent distant mountains or mysterious, magical lands.
• 🔍 Archaeologists recently discovered a missing piece of the tablet, thanks to volunteer Edith Horsley, who identified a fragment that completed the map's missing triangle.
• 🧭 The triangles are linked to descriptions of far-off places, including magical lands, such as a place where the sun is never seen and trees bear jewels instead of fruit.
• 📜 The tablet also provides a connection to the Babylonian flood myth, with references to a ship as thick as a 'parsiktu vessel,' possibly alluding to the Babylonian Ark similar to Noah's Ark.
• 🏔️ One triangle describes a massive wall, 'The Great Wall,' which is 840 cubits tall and associated with mythical lands beyond the known world.
• ⏳ Matching the newly discovered fragment to the rest of the tablet helped clarify several other sections and aligned the descriptions with the map's layout.
• 🦅 The tablet's scribe remains unidentified, but the father's name 'Iṣṣuru' means 'bird,' leading Irving Finkel to suggest the map provides a bird's-eye view of the known world.

Q & A

What is the significance of the clay tablet discussed in the script?

The clay tablet is significant because it is the oldest known map of the world, dating back to Ancient Mesopotamia. It provides a depiction of the world as understood by the Babylonians in the 6th century BC, including a representation of Mesopotamia, the Euphrates river, and the city of Babylon.

Why is the clay tablet replica used instead of the original in the presentation?

The replica is used because the original clay tablet is delicate and constantly on exhibition. Handling the original for demonstration purposes would be irresponsible due to its fragility and value.

What does the double circle drawn on the clay represent?

The double circle represents the 'Bitter River', which was believed to surround the known world. The area inside the double ring is Ancient Mesopotamia itself.

How does the map depict the city of Babylon in relation to the Euphrates river?

The map shows a great river, the Euphrates, running from north to south, and it is straddled by a long oblong shape, which represents the city of Babylon.

What are the triangles in the outer ring of the map thought to represent?

The triangles in the outer ring are thought to represent mountains, and they are associated with remote lands beyond the known world, full of magic and mystery according to Babylonian cosmology and theology.

What was the discovery made by Edith Horsley regarding the clay tablet?

Edith Horsley discovered a missing fragment of the map that fit perfectly into the existing tablet, providing new insights into the map's descriptions and the locations of mythical places.

What does the term 'parsiktu-vessel' refer to in the context of the tablet?

In the context of the tablet, 'parsiktu-vessel' refers to a measurement of thickness, which is used to describe the ribs of the Babylonian Ark, similar to the Ark in the Bible, which came to rest on a mountain.

How does the discovery of the missing fragment affect the understanding of the map?

The discovery of the missing fragment allows for a clearer understanding of the map by matching three triangles in a row with their corresponding descriptions, which was previously difficult with isolated triangles.

What is the significance of the name 'Iṣṣuru' mentioned in the script?

The name 'Iṣṣuru', meaning 'bird' in Babylonian, is significant as it suggests that the map might be a 'bird's-eye view' of the world, reflecting the perspective of the scribe's family, possibly named after this view.

How does the script describe the process of matching the fragment to the tablet?

The script describes the process as a meticulous and exciting journey of discovery. Edith Horsley initially identified the fragment, and Irving Finkel confirmed its fit to the tablet using a photograph and later the original tablet itself.

What is the importance of the Babylonian Ark's description in relation to the map?

The description of the Babylonian Ark is important as it provides a tangible link between the mythical narrative and a physical location on the map, suggesting that the Ark's remains could be found on a specific mountain, paralleling the Biblical story of Noah's Ark landing on Mount Ararat.