Mesopotamia: The Classical Phase

FAIN: RO-10551-70

Yale University (New Haven, CT 06510-1703)
William W. Hallo (Project Director: May 1970 to present)

Period 2100-1600 BC extraordinarily well documented by cuneiform records from Mesopotamia, and reveals all aspects of that civilization in its classical phase. Yale Babylonian Collection particularly rich in records of this half-millenium. Grant will allow projects to continue in its preparation and publication goals of these manuscripts. ABSTRACT: Period 2100-1600 BC (neo-Sumarian and Old Babylonian periods) extraordinarily well documented by cuneiform records from Mesopotamia, and reveals all aspects of that civilization in its classical phase. Yale Babylonian Collection particularly rich in records of this half-millenium. Many have been published in various journals or in more than 50 monographs produced by the Collection from its inception to 1958. But backlog of manuscripts has developed since 1958, due to inability to fund publication, many languishing in partial completion, copies and editions of text of utmost importance for reconstruction of the preclassical sources of Western civilization. Previous grant (RO-42-68-1817) made possible publication, or preparation for publication, of nearly 3000 cuneiform documents (representing 10% of total collection). Current grant allows continuation of project, seeing manuscripts already prepared into print and tackling the remaining backlog of unfinished manuscripts. Project casts new lights on literary, religious, historical, socio-economic aspects of mesopotamian civilization, an essential link in the reconstruction of pre-classical sources of Western civilization in particular and of civilization generally. By contributing its unpublished riches to the funds of sources available, project helps assure American participation and indeed leadership, in one of the most exciting areas of scholarship in the humanities today. Funds provide salary for PI, summer stipends for collaborators completing unfinished manuscripts, and small travel allowance.