Open Thread 23 - 29 Oct | 54 comments (54 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Open Thread 23 - 29 Oct (none / 0)

I'm not entirely sure that anyone can say with authority what the governmental arrangements were in Uruk. I'm not entirely sure anyone can say with any confidence how far back the saga of Gilgamesh lies in pre-history.

But if Uruk was the first town, ie pre-dates Jericho, then we're talking 10,000 years. And there are towns in Turkey that are older than Jericho with sophisticated stone work. So, the events that inspired the Saga of Gilgamesh probably originates from the middle Ice age. Way before Nineveh.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Oct 31st, 2017 at 04:34:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

"I'm not entirely sure ..." (none / 0)

well, yeah. Bernal's phrase for uncertainty of theoretical claims in the business is "reasonable plausibility."

I take your point therefore in defense of volumes of historiography published by "professional" and amateur classicists that deviate in any respect from eurocentric, judeo-christian "interpretations" of The Evidence. Hell, that deadline 8,000 BCE (canon, first "civilization")? It is whimsical, strictly speaking as dating conventions on which all sorts of ancillary research relies have been upset by supposed hi-fi material analyses several times in the last 50 years.

So too are toponymic conventions :) among the ancients and the interpreters. Cunieform Ugaritic and Hurrian or Linears A and B, don't translate themselves, yo. Elsewhere, oral "tradition" is SOL on the *Matters-Meter.

I promoted this one article, for example, and a couple of pertinent lectures (previously) to illustrate the state of play in sociology of knowledge. Premium added to "greek" democracy is fading.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Oct 31st, 2017 at 05:50:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Open Thread 23 - 29 Oct (none / 0)

One whose delusions are out of fashion.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Nov 2nd, 2017 at 03:35:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Open Thread 23 - 29 Oct (none / 0)

blimey. that's quite a diary. No time to read right now, but will return to it later

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Nov 2nd, 2017 at 08:21:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Open Thread 23 - 29 Oct (none / 0)

It's sad to look at all the commenters there, I'm the last of them

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Nov 2nd, 2017 at 08:25:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Open Thread 23 - 29 Oct (none / 0)

but not the least!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.