Assyriology

Assyriology comprises a comprehensive study of the ancient cultures in the Near East that used cuneiform writing. The core of the subject is made up of the Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian cultures, which played a dominant part during the time period 3200–600 BC. Hundreds of thousands of preserved clay tablets make these the best documented of ancient cultures. The subject consists of two main parts: partly a philological and linguistic study of Akkadian (Assyrian-Babylonian) and Sumerian cuneiform texts from different periods and of various genres; partly a study of Near Eastern archaeology, ancient history, cultural history and history of religion.

The subject provides historical and linguistic perspectives, partly illuminated by interdisciplinary methods, and can be used as a complementary science in studies of, e.g. other linguistic, historical, and cultural subjects.

The introductory course Ancient Near East: Introduction, provides the same basic knowledge about Near Eastern archaeology, ancient history, cultural history and history of religion as the initial part of Assyriology A. The advanced orientations of Ancient Near East: History, Archaeology and Art, and Religion, broaden and deepen the knowledge.

From 2025 Assyriology will be a separate main field of study for the Bachelor's degree. Courses offered in the autumn semester 2024 are found under Semitic Languages.