The "Rosetta Stone" for Cuneiform ancient language: Behistun Tri-Lingual Inscription | Irving Finkel

Quick Overview

The decipherment of cuneiform script, exemplified by the trilingual Behistun Inscription, was a monumental achievement in ancient language study, primarily driven by scholars like Sir Henry Rawlinson and Edward Hincks, who used the simpler Old Persian script as a key to unlock the more complex Elamite and Babylonian cuneiform texts.

Key Points: The Behistun Inscription, dating from 520–518 BCE, is trilingual, featuring the same text in Elamite, Babylonian, and Old Persian cuneiform. Scholars first deciphered the Old Persian script, which served as the crucial key to translating the two more complex cuneiform scripts (Elamite and Babylonian). Sir Henry Rawlinson, a British officer and diplomat known as the 'Father of Assyriology' (1810–1895), was instrumental in this decipherment, reportedly climbing the cliff face to copy the inscription. Edward Hincks, an Irish clergyman and scholar, also made significant, though sometimes controversial, contributions to cuneiform decipherment ahead of his French counterparts. The process of decipherment involved matching known elements between the languages and realizing that cuneiform signs often had multiple values or meanings depending on the context, necessitating careful analysis. The speaker notes that the foundational grammar texts, like Sir Alan Gardiner's 'Egyptian Grammar' (published 1927), were essential for learning related ancient languages.

Context: This segment of the Lex Fridman Podcast features a discussion about the decipherment of cuneiform, an ancient Mesopotamian writing system, focusing heavily on the importance of the Behistun Inscription. This massive rock carving contains the same message recorded in three different cuneiform scripts (Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian), making it the ancient world's equivalent of the Rosetta Stone for cuneiform. The conversation highlights the brilliance and dedication required by 19th-century scholars to unlock these lost languages.

Detailed Analysis

The discussion centers on the decipherment of cuneiform, specifically referencing the Behistun Inscription (c. 520–518 BCE), which is trilingual, containing the same text in Elamite, Babylonian, and Old Persian cuneiform. The breakthrough occurred when scholars successfully deciphered the Old Persian script first, which then provided the necessary framework to translate the two more complex cuneiform systems. Sir Henry Rawlinson, called the 'Father of Assyriology,' is credited with this work, which involved dangerous physical feats to copy the inscriptions carved high on a cliff face at Bisitun. Edward Hincks, an Irish clergyman, is also recognized as a pioneer in this field, having made significant strides in decipherment ahead of French scholars. The speaker emphasizes that cuneiform signs were complex, often having multiple sound or meaning values, which required context-based analysis to resolve ambiguities, such as distinguishing between the sign for 'hot' and the sign for 'river' ('nahr' vs. 'ab'). The difficulty of the task is underscored by the speaker mentioning that his professor, Wilfred Lambert, taught him the basics of cuneiform, and the speaker realized immediately that this would be his life's work. A related point is made about the importance of foundational texts like Sir Alan Gardiner's 'Egyptian Grammar' for learning related ancient languages.