The Digital Hammurabi Podcast

Digital Hammurabi

Digital Hammurabi is the creative outlet for two Assyriologists, Megan Lewis and Joshua Bowen. Driven by a passion for the ancient Near East and the belief that history is both important and relevant to modern life, Megan and Josh aim to break out of the ivory tower of academia and bring ancient Mesopotamia to the world! This podcast brings academic scholarship and interviews with researchers to your brain (via your ears) in an easily-understood format, so you can enjoy fascinating content wherever you are! read less
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Unpacking the Lives of Ancient Immigrants with Dr. Teodoro Alstola
Apr 5 2024
Unpacking the Lives of Ancient Immigrants with Dr. Teodoro Alstola
Dr. Tero Alstola, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, discusses his work on ancient Near Eastern cultures and the social history of Babylonia in the first millennium BCE. He talks about his research on ancient immigrants, network approaches to historical data sets, and the use of computer-aided study of the Akkadian language. The conversation delves into his involvement in the 69th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale and his interest in the ancient world, starting with ancient Egypt. Dr. Alstola's research: https://researchportal.helsinki.fi/en/persons/tero-alstola Information on RAI: http://helsinki.fi/rencontre More information on migration and immigrants: The Ancient Near East Today has blog posts on migration: https://www.asor.org/anetoday How Bad Was the Babylonian Exile? https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-near-eastern-world/how-bad-was-the-babylonian-exile/ 00:00:30 - Introduction to Dr. Teodoro Alstola00:01:43 - Dr. Alstola's Background and Interest in Ancient Studies00:03:22 - Dr. Alstola's Specialization and Research Focus00:04:01 - Origins of Dr. Alstola's Interest in Migration00:05:34 - Sources for Studying Ancient Migration00:06:56 - Comparing Ancient and Modern Migration00:09:19 - Legal Aspects of Ancient Migration00:10:54 - Perceptions of Immigrants in the Ancient Near East00:14:26 - Digital Humanities and Computer-Aided Research00:22:19 - AI in Academic Research00:24:31 - The 69th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale00:30:47 - Assyrian Deportation Policy00:33:28 - Artifacts Documenting Ancient Migration00:35:04 - Cultural Assimilation of Migrants

Episodes

Unpacking the Lives of Ancient Immigrants with Dr. Teodoro Alstola
Apr 5 2024
Unpacking the Lives of Ancient Immigrants with Dr. Teodoro Alstola
Dr. Tero Alstola, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, discusses his work on ancient Near Eastern cultures and the social history of Babylonia in the first millennium BCE. He talks about his research on ancient immigrants, network approaches to historical data sets, and the use of computer-aided study of the Akkadian language. The conversation delves into his involvement in the 69th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale and his interest in the ancient world, starting with ancient Egypt. Dr. Alstola's research: https://researchportal.helsinki.fi/en/persons/tero-alstola Information on RAI: http://helsinki.fi/rencontre More information on migration and immigrants: The Ancient Near East Today has blog posts on migration: https://www.asor.org/anetoday How Bad Was the Babylonian Exile? https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-near-eastern-world/how-bad-was-the-babylonian-exile/ 00:00:30 - Introduction to Dr. Teodoro Alstola00:01:43 - Dr. Alstola's Background and Interest in Ancient Studies00:03:22 - Dr. Alstola's Specialization and Research Focus00:04:01 - Origins of Dr. Alstola's Interest in Migration00:05:34 - Sources for Studying Ancient Migration00:06:56 - Comparing Ancient and Modern Migration00:09:19 - Legal Aspects of Ancient Migration00:10:54 - Perceptions of Immigrants in the Ancient Near East00:14:26 - Digital Humanities and Computer-Aided Research00:22:19 - AI in Academic Research00:24:31 - The 69th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale00:30:47 - Assyrian Deportation Policy00:33:28 - Artifacts Documenting Ancient Migration00:35:04 - Cultural Assimilation of Migrants
Uncovering a Tablet in a Previously Unknown Language: Excavation Results Revealed
Dec 18 2023
Uncovering a Tablet in a Previously Unknown Language: Excavation Results Revealed
In this episode of Digital Hammurabi, Dr. Daniel Schwemer, an expert in magic and witchcraft in the Ancient Near East, joins the host to discuss the recent excavation at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Boğazköy-Hattuša. The focus of the conversation is on a tablet written in a previously unknown language that was discovered during the excavation. Dr. Schwemer shares his journey into the study of the Ancient Near East and how he became involved in the excavations at Boğazköy-Hattuša. Tune in to learn more about this fascinating discovery and its implications for our understanding of the ancient world.Timestamps:[00:00:46] Previously unknown language[00:07:01] Hittite Old Kingdom and Empire[00:09:38] Ancient East and excavation process[00:17:12] Identifying and reuniting fragments[00:22:18] Administrative texts and society[00:26:18] Political history and religious practice[00:29:33] Understanding ancient tablet inscriptions[00:34:05] Hittite adoption of foreign traditions[00:39:01] Syncretization and types of deities[00:44:48] Location of Kalashma
Faking It - Provenance, Antiquities, and eBay Interview with Dr. Erin Thompson
Nov 24 2020
Faking It - Provenance, Antiquities, and eBay Interview with Dr. Erin Thompson
Many people want to own a piece of the past, but eBay really the answer? Definitely not, and Dr. Erin Thompson, the nation's only full-time professor of art-crime, tells us why!
No, You Shouldn't Buy Stolen Objects! With Dr. Patty Gerstenblith
Sep 29 2020
No, You Shouldn't Buy Stolen Objects! With Dr. Patty Gerstenblith
With the Museum of the Bible rarely out of the news due to their stolen, smuggled, or faked artifacts, the antiquities market is getting more attention than ever. Dr. Patty Gerstenblith, research professor of law at DePaul University, founding president of the Lawyers Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation, and former chair of the President's Cultural Property Advisory Committee in the U.S. Department of State is not only an expert in this area of law, but consulted with the founders of the Museum of the Bible at the beginning of their venture. She very kindly agreed to join us to talk about the legalities of buying antiquities, and why the Museum of the Bible just keeps getting it wrong. Dr Gerstenblith on Twitter: @PGerstenblithFurther reading: https://displayatyourownrisk.org/gerstenblith/
Fakes, Felonies, and the Museum of the Bible: Interview with Dr. Joel Baden
Jul 30 2020
Fakes, Felonies, and the Museum of the Bible: Interview with Dr. Joel Baden
The Museum of the Bible has a reputation for housing fakes and looted objects; most recently, the institution was in the news for their forged Dead Sea Scrolls, the arrest of their consultant, Dr. Dirk Obbink, and the revelation that the famous "Gilgamesh Dream Tablet" housed in the museum was removed from Iraq illegally. Dr. Joel Baden, Professor of Hebrew Bible at Yale Divinity School, joins Megan to talk about these many and varied events.Recorded May 28th 2020
The REAL Israelite Religion: Interview with Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou
Jun 22 2020
The REAL Israelite Religion: Interview with Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou
Dr. Stavrakopoulou is professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at Exeter University, and star of the BBC's "Bible's Buried Secrets". Hear about her research into what ancient Israelite religion was actually like, and how it's (mis)represented in the Bible!Dr. Stavrakopoulou on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProfFrancescaOriginally recorded May 23 2020.
We Need Racial Diversity in Ancient Studies!
Jun 9 2020
We Need Racial Diversity in Ancient Studies!
Bethany Hucks is a Ph.D. student at the University of Heidelberg, studying the Roman reuse of Egyptian motifs in material culture. Listen in to hear about her Ph.D. research, and about why diversity is so important for the study of the ancient world.Originally recorded June 7th 2020.Bethany on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RomanAegyptiaca White Homework: https://www.toriglass.com/white-homeworkhttps://twitter.com/toriglasshttps://www.patreon.com/toriglass Sportula: https://www.patreon.com/Libertinopatrenatus/posts https://thesportula.wordpress.com/ https://twitter.com/Libertinopatren Data and resources on police violence: https://www.pnas.org/content/116/34/16793 https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/police-shootings-2019/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/585152/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-race/ https://www.citylab.com/equity/2019/08/police-officer-shootings-gun-violence-racial-bias-crime-data/595528/
COVID-19, the Bible, and the End of the World.
May 9 2020
COVID-19, the Bible, and the End of the World.
Apocalypticism is a poorly-understood genre of literature that is found in the Hebrew Bible, and has given rise to countless predictions of the end of the world. Join Megan and Dr. Josh as they talk to Dr. Stephen Cook, professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at Virginia Theological Seminary, to talk about this fascinating genre of text.Recorded March 21st 2020.
Everybody Dies! Death and Burial Practices in the Ancient Near East with Dr. Pinar Durgun
Apr 14 2020
Everybody Dies! Death and Burial Practices in the Ancient Near East with Dr. Pinar Durgun
Death is the one common thread binding humanity together, but how we treat the dead and think about the afterlife varies by culture. Dr. Pinar Durgun is an archaeologist and art historian primarily interested in Anatolian burial practices, and in this episode of the Digital Hammurabi Podcast, she talks to us about jar burials, the afterlife, and ghosts in the ancient world. Originally recorded October 12th 2019.Episode links:The Order of the Good Death: http://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/ Project Visiting Scholar: https://pinardurgunpd.wixsite.com/visitingscholar Ask a Mortician: https://www.youtube.com/user/OrderoftheGoodDeath
Ancient Egypt, Modern Egyptians
Feb 28 2020
Ancient Egypt, Modern Egyptians
What importance does ancient Egypt hold for modern Egyptians, and what can museums do to recognize and honor this relationship? In this episode, Megan talks to Heba Abd el Gawad, Egyptian Egyptologist, Ph.D. student at Durham University, and postdoctoral researcher on the "Egypt’s dispersed heritage: views from Egypt" project at the University College of London. Relevant links:Scattered Finds: http://www.oapen.org/search?identifier=1004171 Artefacts of Excavation: http://egyptartefacts.griffith.ox.ac.uk/ Excavated Egypt on Twitter: @excavatedegypt Listen to Her!: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2018/sep/listen-her-egypts-women-fight-their-rights Heba on Twitter: @GawadHebaFind Digital Hammurabi:YouTube: www.youtube.com/digitalhammurabiTwitter: @digi_hammurabi and @DJHammurabi1Patreon: www.patreon.com/digitalhammurabiWebsite: www.digialhammurabi.com
Cuneiform and the Invention of Writing
Oct 31 2019
Cuneiform and the Invention of Writing
For our inaugural podcast episode, we chose to focus on one of the most important technological innovations of the ancient world - the invention of writing! This episode introduces you to cuneiform, the writing system developed during the late 4th millennium BCE, with an interview with Dr. Jennifer Ross of Hood College, and a narration of Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta, the Sumerian literary composition that explains how and why writing was invented.Interview conducted on 2/23/2019.Please let us know what you think! Is there something you want more, or less, of?