“when i wasn’t too busy feeling lonely / i’d stare over his shoulder at a map of the world”

[larryhammer]

A history here, a history there -- pretty soon it adds up to real people:

Thanks to a dialogue for training cuneiform scribes c.1600 BCE, we know how to get your laundry done in ancient Mesopotamia. Also, pain-in-the-ass customers have been a Thing for a v-e-r-y long time. (via)

Wall chart of the evolution of the latin aphabet from Proto-sinaitic roots. (via)

Map of medieval afro-eurasian trade routes c. 11-12 centuries version 4. Zoomable version. (via)

---L.

Subject quote from Tony, Patty Griffin.

Comments

[asakiyume]

I love the idea of ancient scribe-teachers making up a story about a hard-to-please laundry client as a set text for the students to practice copying. It *does* help to make your source material insteresting!

And the Afro-Euroasian trade routes are beautiful to behold.

[oracne]

Most excellent linkage.

[larryhammer]

It reads very like a language lesson dialog of today.

[larryhammer]

Thankee!

[asakiyume]

Duolingo! Have you been plundering Mesopotamian tablets again??

[larryhammer]

... if they are, why aren't they offering Akkadian yet?