Prof. Natan Wasserman from the Department of Archeology and the Ancient Near East at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Prof. Michael Stark from the University of Leipzig in Germany recently deciphered the text that appears on a tablet that was discovered about 35 years ago in Iraq
Prof. Natan Wasserman from the Department of Archeology and the Ancient Near East at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Prof. Michael Stark from the University of Leipzig in Germany recently deciphered the text that appears on a tablet that was discovered about 35 years ago in Iraq. The board shows seven logic puzzles written by an educated young Babylonian. The ancient riddles are very similar to today's logic riddles, and even touch on topics that preoccupy people today - sex, violence, politics, alcohol and family.
The tablet, written in the Akkadian language, was on display at the Iraq Museum in Baghdad for years. After three wars and the looting of the museum in 2003, his traces were lost. The researchers based the translation on a copy of the inscription published in 1976 by the Dutch researcher Prof. Jan Jacob van Dijk. Items of this type are very rare, so this collection of riddles is essential to understanding the wisdom literature that was common in the ancient Near East.
The text contains many logograms (visual symbols that represent words). Due to damage caused to the board, part of the text is missing and this made the work of translation difficult. According to Prof. Van Dijk, the writing is probably part of an exercise given at school because the writing seems careless.
Example riddle: What rises like a tall tower but casts no shadow?
The answer: sunlight.
"This riddle is reminiscent in spirit of the riddles of 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings,'" explains Prof. Wasserman, "half-mystical-half-metaphorical riddles where you can't guess the answer, but when you hear it you understand the riddle in retrospect" . Other riddles contain political criticism, similar to today's humor, and sometimes a sober look at life.
"This is a very developed culture. Even though thousands of years have passed, if people from that time had landed here we could easily connect with them and become their friends. They were just like us," adds Prof. Wasserman.
14 תגובות
Great Puzzles
To the evil one who knows how to ask: Our father Abraham came to Israel from Iraq, so we are all civilized Iraqis.
No.
After all, I wasn't talking about root ten in the 2012 power, nor about root 11 in the 2012 power, but about the 2012 power of their sum.
To spot the mistake, check what happens when you square instead of the 2012 power (you can do this with a computer or by looking at the formula of (A plus B) squared
The solution to M.'s riddle: 0 because the result should come out as a whole number. Right?
Here is a (simple) contemporary riddle:
What is the hundredth digit after the point of (root ten plus root 11) in the power of 2012
More puzzles will be drawn among those who solve them correctly
Here are all the puzzles:
He gouged out the eye:
It is not the fate of a dead man.
He cut the throat: A dead man (-Who is it?)
The answer is a governor.
In(?) your mouth and your teeth (or: your urine)
constantly stared at you
the measuring vessel of your lord (-What is it?)
The answer, it appears, is beer.
The deflowered (girl) did not become pregnant
The undeflowered (girl) became pregnant (-What is it?)
The answer, strangely enough, appears to be "auxiliary forces," a group of soldiers that tend not to be reliable.
... of your mother
is by the one who has intercourse (with her) (-What/who is it?)
The researchers aren't sure of the riddle's solution since the answer has been lost.
The tower is high
it is high, but nevertheless has no shade (- What is it?)
The answer is sunlight.
(Note the translation of the first line is uncertain)
Like a fish in a fish pond
Like troops before the king (-What is it?)
The answer is a broken bow.
How nice to discover that there used to be a culture in Iraq...a sign that there might still be. As they once said "Cairo writes, Beirut publishes, Baghdad reads".
first question
What is the national anthem of Akkad?
??
Little Akkad, little Akkad, eight days our name was Nathan!
Bored scientists will be drawn among the correct solvers
And suppose the researchers were able to solve the riddles, who exactly confirmed to them that the solution was correct? And why don't they publish all the puzzles?
Lol
Dear point
Another ancient Akkadian logic puzzle came to me in a different way
Puzzle:-
How many Akkadian scientists are required to measure the acceleration of gravity?
................
Two scientists, one measuring and one falling
(:))
Good Day
Sabdarmish Yehuda
Perhaps the scientist would do well to interview the country's president, Shimon Peres, regarding that ancient period. What riddles were sharp, what jokes ran there. I believe he will be happy to answer.
OK, so where are six more puzzles??
Any chance we'll get an Akkadian riddle every day?
Whatever
Good night
Sabdarmish Yehuda