Early Observations (17th-18th Centuries):
* European travelers and scholars started bringing back ancient artifacts, including cuneiform tablets, from Mesopotamia.
* Initial attempts at deciphering focused on identifying patterns and potential meanings.
* The polyglot nature of cuneiform (using the same symbols for different languages) posed a significant challenge.
The Breakthrough (19th Century):
* Henry Rawlinson (1835-1846), a British military officer and scholar, made a crucial breakthrough.
* He deciphered a trilingual inscription (written in Old Persian, Akkadian, and Elamite) on the Behistun Rock in Persia.
* He recognized the hieroglyphic-like nature of cuneiform, and by comparing the texts, he could deduce the meanings of many characters.
Further Developments (19th-20th Centuries):
* Other scholars built upon Rawlinson's work, developing dictionaries and translating more texts.
* George Smith (1872) discovered the Epic of Gilgamesh (one of the oldest surviving pieces of literature) on cuneiform tablets.
* Linguistic studies helped decipher different languages written in cuneiform, including Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian.
* Archeological excavations unearthed more tablets, providing further context and understanding of the writing system.
Key Points:
* The key to deciphering cuneiform was the discovery of the Behistun Rock inscription. This inscription, written in three languages, allowed scholars to compare and cross-reference the symbols.
* Cuneiform decoding involved a combination of historical linguistics, archaeology, and paleography.
* The process was gradual and collaborative, with numerous scholars contributing to the understanding of this ancient writing system.
The decoding of cuneiform was a significant achievement, giving us access to the rich history, culture, and literature of ancient Mesopotamia. It serves as a testament to the dedication and ingenuity of scholars throughout history.