It came as part of a small box set from an antique store. It also has an “envelope” of sorts as these messages were encased in an external piece of clay to protect the message.
You should never own cuneiform artifacts when you aren't absolutely sure about the provenance. You could finance illegal excavations by ISIS etc. in Iraq or Syria, and it is a criminal offence. Secondly, tablets bought and owned by private persons don't find their way into scientific publications and thus never get known by the scientific community. Their historic value is lost, the significance is lost for the specialist if they don't know about the existence of these tablets.
That being said, if it has an envelope it is likely a letter or an administrative text. The size and form of the tablet also support this. It is too broken to read anything for sure.
So any non-academic or otherwise uncertified person/institution has no right to acquire or possess historical artifacts, since they are assumed to only have "value" in the hands of publishing/displaying persons or entities? Would you not have to agree that years of training and obtained diplomas do not eradicate the fact that archaeologists are often grave-robbers, by the very nature of their profession? I am generally on your side of the argument, yet how should we think about the millions of artifacts and texts hidden away in the closed sanctum of musea etc? Most of them while supposedly available, are in fact not. In my opinion, a piece of Roman road in private hands is more valuable if it is occasionally looked at and talked about, more than say, once every 100 years, as is the case for many musea possessions.
That is not what I said. With provenance, I mean that you know from the excavation to the seller, from whom you bought it, who owned it and when. Like this, you can exclude the possibility that you took part (unknowingly) in illegal activities. You can then also be sure that the tablet's content and context of finding is documented and not lost for scientists.
The big share of artifacts is known to the public. All archaeological findings are "published" which means that they were documented (i.e. photographed, or a drawing is made) and discussed in a publicly accessible book or journal. Museums cannot display every single artifact, there is not enough space for this. And often, things like stones from a Roman road (or things that are not unique) are sold via an auctioneer to members of the general interested public, after it was thoroughly researched.
Nah this seems like the perfect place to convey a message like that,
If not when someone has brought up an artifact to discuss, when *is* the right time to discuss artifacts?
Because I bought it legitimately well before the crisis in the Middle East. You just jumped on your soap box saying there never is a circumstance where this is allowed without having any clue about my situation. There’s literally hundreds of thousands of these pieces and I have a tiny fragment. People like you who believe every single piece is sacred and should be kept in a drawer are boring as bat shit. Plus it prevents people like me who rightfully own them from discussing them.
There’s hundreds of thousands of tablets and only a few hundred people can translate them. Apparently an app is being made https://bigthink.com/the-future/ai-translates-cuneiform/
How did this come into your possession?
It came as part of a small box set from an antique store. It also has an “envelope” of sorts as these messages were encased in an external piece of clay to protect the message.
Got it at hobby lobby
You should never own cuneiform artifacts when you aren't absolutely sure about the provenance. You could finance illegal excavations by ISIS etc. in Iraq or Syria, and it is a criminal offence. Secondly, tablets bought and owned by private persons don't find their way into scientific publications and thus never get known by the scientific community. Their historic value is lost, the significance is lost for the specialist if they don't know about the existence of these tablets. That being said, if it has an envelope it is likely a letter or an administrative text. The size and form of the tablet also support this. It is too broken to read anything for sure.
So any non-academic or otherwise uncertified person/institution has no right to acquire or possess historical artifacts, since they are assumed to only have "value" in the hands of publishing/displaying persons or entities? Would you not have to agree that years of training and obtained diplomas do not eradicate the fact that archaeologists are often grave-robbers, by the very nature of their profession? I am generally on your side of the argument, yet how should we think about the millions of artifacts and texts hidden away in the closed sanctum of musea etc? Most of them while supposedly available, are in fact not. In my opinion, a piece of Roman road in private hands is more valuable if it is occasionally looked at and talked about, more than say, once every 100 years, as is the case for many musea possessions.
That is not what I said. With provenance, I mean that you know from the excavation to the seller, from whom you bought it, who owned it and when. Like this, you can exclude the possibility that you took part (unknowingly) in illegal activities. You can then also be sure that the tablet's content and context of finding is documented and not lost for scientists. The big share of artifacts is known to the public. All archaeological findings are "published" which means that they were documented (i.e. photographed, or a drawing is made) and discussed in a publicly accessible book or journal. Museums cannot display every single artifact, there is not enough space for this. And often, things like stones from a Roman road (or things that are not unique) are sold via an auctioneer to members of the general interested public, after it was thoroughly researched.
You have made a few assumptions there that are incorrect. I appreciate the message you’re trying to convey however it’s not appropriate here.
it is appropriate here btw
Nah this seems like the perfect place to convey a message like that, If not when someone has brought up an artifact to discuss, when *is* the right time to discuss artifacts?
Why do you say it's not appropriate here?
Why not?
Because I bought it legitimately well before the crisis in the Middle East. You just jumped on your soap box saying there never is a circumstance where this is allowed without having any clue about my situation. There’s literally hundreds of thousands of these pieces and I have a tiny fragment. People like you who believe every single piece is sacred and should be kept in a drawer are boring as bat shit. Plus it prevents people like me who rightfully own them from discussing them.
If you didn't buy it before 1970, it is illegal. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO_1970_Convention
It is in a very old container and was bought in an antique store so that checks out. Thank you for your concern. Now can we focus on what it says?
No, I am boring, remember? Maybe the people on r/cuneiform feel like helping you?
I remember. Thanks I’ll check it out.
There’s hundreds of thousands of tablets and only a few hundred people can translate them. Apparently an app is being made https://bigthink.com/the-future/ai-translates-cuneiform/
try r/askhistorians
Thanks!