Excavating Cuneiform Tablets in Iraq with the Girsu Project | Curator's Corner S8 Ep3

The British Museum is currently excavating at the ancient Sumerian city of Girsu, in Southern Iraq. However, most of the Girsu Project's time has been spent, not so much excavating the ancient city itself, but excavating through the spoil heaps (piles of dirt) left behind by French archaeologist over 80 years ago. Within these great mounds of dirt are countless objects, including cuneiform tablets, that were abandoned, and that are currently at risk of being lost forever due to erosion of those spoil heaps.

The Girsu Project is a joint initiative to save endangered heritage sites led by the British Museum, the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) of Iraq, and the J. Paul Getty Trust.

Photo of Girsu landscape used in thumbnail: Kevin Percival Photography

Find out more about the Girsu Project and the recent discovery of The Lord Palace of the Kings of the ancient Sumerian city Girsu here: https://www.britishmuseum.org/members...

00:49 Introduction to the ancient Sumerian city of Girsu, Tello Iraq
01:09 French excavations at Girsu, Tello Iraq
01:50 British Museum excavations at Girsu, Tello Iraq
02:41 Excavating at Tablet Hill
5:29 Registering cuneiform tablet
07:10 Conservation of a cuneiform tablet
10:40 Before and after cleaning cuneiform tablet
11:02 Photographing cuneiform tablets
12:19 Translating cuneiform tablets
14:50 Sumerian dating system (year names)
16:40 Iraq Museum, Baghdad

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