ASSYRIOLOGY

The course is part of the Bachelor's Degree Program in History. Its scope is to guide the student to the understanding of the basics of the writing system, language and grammar of the Sumerian language leading to the ability to read the sources from the original.
At the end of the course the students will have acquired the basics of the phonology, morphology and sintax of the Sumerian language and will be able to read and translate simple texts in cuneiform. He will have gained the necessary knowledge to contextualise the sources in their ideological, historical and literary context and the knowledge and ability to use the main bibliographical tools for the discipline.

- knowledge of the main dictionary, tools and repertoires for the study of the Sumerian language;
- knowledge of the basics of the language (phonology, morphology and sintax)
- knowledge of the main textual types
- ability to read, understand and contextualise simple texts in Sumerian

no prerequisit is required; a basic knowledge of Akkadian, while useful, is not required

Introduction to the Sumerian language: phonology, morphology, sintax and writing system. Tools and Methods for the study of Sumerian (sign lists, dictionaries, on-line resources). Reading of a selection of texts from the original: transliteration, transcription and analysis.

G. Zólyomi, An Introduction to the Grammar of Sumerian, Budapest, 2017.
P. Attinger, Éleménts de linguistique sumerienne, Fribourg 1993.
K. Volk, A Sumerian Reader, Roma, 1999.
The on-line dictiionary of the University of Pennsylvania (on-line, free): http://psd.museum.upenn.edu/epsd

Reading, translation and analysis of a selection of texts among those studied in class.

Public lectures; sources and materials will be made availbale to the students through Moodle. Analysis and discussion in class of selected cources. Exploration of on-line resources

Italian

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