Since time immemorial, temples have been the go-to place for both ancient and modern people when conducting a wide array of religious, social, and political activities. Aside from being religious and ritual spaces, temples have also served as dwelling places for monarchs and bureaucracies, wherein they handle public affairs as well as develop and implement infrastructure and legal codes. Bearing this in mind, Zach Whitworth demonstrates the uncanny resemblance of many modern state government buildings to temples—in terms of architectural style, sheer scale, and central placement. Read full article here
Research
Researcher uses AI to make texts that are thousands of years old readable
The Gilgamesh Epic, the oldest work of world literature, has been brought back to life by LMU researchers in the Electronic Babylonian Literature project. Using their new Fragmentarium tool, they have discovered hundreds of manuscripts, including the most recent tablet of the Gilgamesh Epic which dates from 130 BC – thousands of years after the earliest known version. This shows how highly valued the Epic was, even at a late period. With the public release of the Fragmentarium, anyone can now explore the thousands of cuneiform fragments and explore the ancient Babylonian literature. Read full article here
Merv
March 12, 2023
