66 episodes

Thin End of the Wedge explores life in the ancient Middle East. There are many wonderful stories we can tell about those people, their communities, the gritty reality of their lives, their hopes, fears and beliefs. We can do that through the objects they left behind and the cities where they once lived. Our focus is on the cultures that used cuneiform (“wedge-shaped”) writing, so mostly on ancient Iraq and nearby regions from about 3000 BC to about 100 AD. Thin End of the Wedge brings you expert insights and the latest research in clear and simple language. What do we know? How do we know anything? And why is what we know always changing? Why is any of this important today? We won’t talk to you like you’re stupid. But you won’t need any special training to understand what we’re talking about. This is an independent production by me as an individual. It is not supported by my employer or any other organisation I am involved with, and the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect theirs.

Thin End of the Wedge Jon Taylor

    • History
    • 5.0 • 5 Ratings

Thin End of the Wedge explores life in the ancient Middle East. There are many wonderful stories we can tell about those people, their communities, the gritty reality of their lives, their hopes, fears and beliefs. We can do that through the objects they left behind and the cities where they once lived. Our focus is on the cultures that used cuneiform (“wedge-shaped”) writing, so mostly on ancient Iraq and nearby regions from about 3000 BC to about 100 AD. Thin End of the Wedge brings you expert insights and the latest research in clear and simple language. What do we know? How do we know anything? And why is what we know always changing? Why is any of this important today? We won’t talk to you like you’re stupid. But you won’t need any special training to understand what we’re talking about. This is an independent production by me as an individual. It is not supported by my employer or any other organisation I am involved with, and the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect theirs.

    64. Ali Kadhem Ghanem: Managing the site of Ur

    64. Ali Kadhem Ghanem: Managing the site of Ur

    The site of Ur is easily one of the most important in Iraq. In this interview, originally recorded in late 2021, we hear from the person responsible for managing that site. Ali talks about Ur's significance, and its role in local life. What are the plans for the development of this key site?

    4:18 introducing Lina
    7:02 importance of Ur
    7:34 what tourists can see
    8:39 information for visitors
    9:12 what Ur means to Iraqis
    10:15 excavations
    11:04 site conservation
    11:49 future of tourism
    12:19 cultural activities
    13:41 the Pope's visit
    16:42 future projects
    18:10 website for Ur
    19:00 how Ali became interested in archaeology
    20:14 advice for students now
    22:12 reasons for optimism
    24:24 closing thoughts

    This interview was originally recorded in September 2021, in Arabic. The interview was conducted by Lina Meerchyad and translated into English by her. The text is spoken by her and Terry Birkett.

    New website for the site of Ur

    Music by Ruba Hillawi

    Website: http://wedgepod.org
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgw
    Email: wedgepod@gmail.com
    Twitter: @wedge_pod
    Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

    • 29 min
    63: Enrique Jiménez: the electronic Babylonian Library

    63: Enrique Jiménez: the electronic Babylonian Library

    Enrique introduces us to a major new resource in digital assyriology: The electronic Babylonian Library. What does it offer and what are its aims? He discusses the issues facing the field and the potential of digital tools, including AI, to help solve them. To what extent can Babylonian literature be reconstructed now, and what we can do with it?

    2:08 what is the eBL?
    4:59 how much Babylonian literature do we have?
    6:16 the non-literary fragments
    10:27 why launch now?
    11:50 what's the reaction / impact?
    15:05 what's the significance of eBL for your research on literature?
    18:14 what happens to eBL when the project funding ends?
    19:11 how does eBL relate to other digital resources?
    22:02 impact of AI
    23:56 long term goals

    eBL website

    Enrique's university page
    Enrique's Academia page


    Music by Ruba Hillawi

    Website: http://wedgepod.org
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgw
    Email: wedgepod@gmail.com
    Twitter: @wedge_pod
    Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

    • 31 min
    62. Prize-winning assyriology

    62. Prize-winning assyriology

    At the Rencontre in Leiden this summer, the IAA awarded its annual prizes celebrating the excellence of early career scholars. There were prizes for the best dissertation, best first article, and a research subsidy. I tracked down the prize winners to ask them about their work. 

    2:17 Clélia Paladre
    2:57 thesis on Iranian glyptic
    4:38 the Proto-Elamite phenomenon
    6:14 working at the Louvre

    7:31 Tomoki Kitazumi
    8:29 translating in the Hittite empire
    11:45 interpreters in the ancient Near East
    13:56 German-Japanese interpreters colloquium

    16:26 George Heath-Whyte
    17:02 Neo-Babylonian patterns of life
    21:05 naming practises project

    23:31 Annarita Bonfanti
    24:50 Urartian bowls project


    Music by Ruba Hillawi

    Website: http://wedgepod.org
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgw
    Email: wedgepod@gmail.com
    Twitter: @wedge_pod
    Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

    • 30 min
    61. Shigeo Yamada: Yasin Tepe: on the margins of empire

    61. Shigeo Yamada: Yasin Tepe: on the margins of empire

    Shigeo shares the results of fieldwork at a site that was once a key city on the edges of the Assyrian empire. How do we know which city it was? He describes the key finds, and interprets their significance. What can we learn from a necklet?

    2:22 Yasin Tepe
    4:54 goals
    6:38 identification as Dur-Ashur
    9:12 results
    12:44 who lived there?
    13:44 inscribed necklet of a slave
    18:49 future work
    23:20 Tsukuba

    Shigeo's Academia
    Shigeo's ResearchGate

    Music by Ruba Hillawi

    Website: http://wedgepod.org
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgw
    Email: wedgepod@gmail.com
    Twitter: @wedge_pod
    Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

    • 27 min
    60. Susanne Paulus: Back to School in Babylonia

    60. Susanne Paulus: Back to School in Babylonia

    Susanne pulls back the curtain on how exhibitions are made. She explains how the topic was chosen, and how that vision is translated into reality. How long does it take, how many people are involved, and just what needs to be done?

    2:17  about Back to School
    3:27  goals
    5:37  what's on show?
    7:16  star pieces
    10:10  recreating an ancient school
    11:05  how to display tablets
    17:06  why school and why now?
    19:10  return to Nippur and the Nippur Tablet Project
    23:51  audience testing
    25:50  how long it takes
    27:37  what does a curator do?
    29:33  the wider team
    38:40  workshops for children
    41:33  souvenirs for the giftshop

    Susanne's university page
    Susanne's Academia page
    Susanne's ResearchGate page

    Back to School in Babylonia exhibition
    exhibition catalogue
    The Adventures of Inanaka and Tuni: Learning to Write in Ancient Babylonia
    Augusta McMahon's talk on excavations at Nippur

    This special exhibition has been curated by Susanne Paulus, with Marta Díaz Herrera, Jane Gordon, Danielle Levy, Madeline Ouimet, Colton G. Siegmund, and Ryan D. Winters and with support from Pallas Eible Hargro, C Mikhail, Carter Rote, and Sarah M. Ware.

    This exhibition has been organized by the ISAC Museum: Susan Allison, Rob Bain, Denise Browning, Laura D’Alessandro, Anne Flannery, Marc Maillot, Helen McDonald, Kiersten Neumann, Josh Tulisiak, and Alison Whyte, with contributions by Erin Bliss and Judy Radovsky.


    Music by Ruba Hillawi

    Website: http://wedgepod.org
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgw
    Email: wedgepod@gmail.com
    Twitter: @wedge_pod
    Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

    • 46 min
    59. Louise Pryke: Ishtar then and now

    59. Louise Pryke: Ishtar then and now

    Louise discusses Ishtar, one of the most enigmatic and fascinating deities of the ancient Middle East. What characteristics were assigned to her, and what stories were told about her? What happened when Ishtar met Gilgamesh? Louise also discusses the reception of Ishtar and Gilgamesh. What do people find interesting about them now? She explains how being based in Australia influences her research.
    1:56 how many Ishtars are there?
    3:20 male or female?
    5:11 Ishtar in myths
    7:38 Ishtar as the archetypal or impossible woman 
    10:52 Ishtar and the king
    12:34 popular reactions to Ishtar
    14:03 hot take on Gilgamesh
    17:00 Australian context for research
    19:08 sharing research widely
    20:12 what's popular about assyriology?
    23:42 sources for the popular Ishtar
    26:13 what's new for you?

    Louise's university page
    Louise's book on Ishtar
    Louise's book on Gilgamesh
    Louise's book on Wind
    Louise's Academia page
    Louise's Instagram: @louloveshistory

    Music by Ruba Hillawi

    Website: http://wedgepod.org
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSM7ZlAAgOXv4fbTDRyrWgw
    Email: wedgepod@gmail.com
    Twitter: @wedge_pod
    Patreon: http://Patreon.com/WedgePod

    • 30 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
5 Ratings

5 Ratings

Marmaneil ,

Marmaduken

Love the whole concept for this, how everything is so clearly set out and explained and the themes that it addresses. Looking forward to listening through...

jon123987 ,

Excellent, thoughtful and informative

Fantastic podcast series on the Middle East in antiquity. The host, Jon Taylor, is talking to experts from all over the world on issues linked to their research on the Middle East in antiquity and how it materialises and impacts our world. One of my favourite podcasts!

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