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Cuneiform Written Artifacts and Missing Evidence in the Study of the Ancient Near East
"While spectacular new discoveries can reveal previously unknown aspects of ancient cultures, they also highlight all that has been lost. Successive discoveries, from Babylon to Mari and Ebla, have revealed that Mesopotamian history is not singular, but multiple; each site and period has its own history. Such new evidence must be treated with caution and with an awareness of its incomplete nature and the risks of overinterpretation."
Michel, C. 2026. βCuneiform Written Artifacts and Missing Evidence in the Study of the Ancient Near Eastβ, The Ancient Near East Today 14.4. Accessed at: https://anetoday.org/cuneiform-written-artifacts/.

The cuneiform sources of ancient Mesopotamian history are abundant. They are nevertheless incomplete, having been filtered by ancient processes of preservation and destruction, shaped by chance discoveries and scientific practices.

Mesopotamia is the ancient Greek name (meaning "the land between two rivers," the Tigris and Euphrates) for the region corresponding to modern-day Iraq and parts of Iran, Syria, and Turkey. It is considered...