Through March 24, 2024 ISAC Museum Chicago, Illinois isac.uchicago.edu This special exhibition at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC; formerly the Oriental Institute—see “5 Questions”) explores what scribal training was like in ancient Babylonia. Since literacy in the ancient Near East was reserved for priests and royal scribes, most of the documents that survive from Babylonia were created by skilled professionals who worked for the king, temples, and local authorities. A highly specialized art, reading and writing Sumerian and Akkadian required mastering the complex cuneiform script. Accordingly, the exhibit examines the aims, methods, and struggles of literacy […]
