Decipherment

Rawlinson's publication of the Persian inscription in 1846 and 1847 marked a decisive stage, but there was still no moment when one man could reasonably declare that cuneiform had been solved.

Decipherment advanced through partial readings, arguments, corrections, and discoveries made by scholars working in several countries.

By the time the Nineveh tablets were arriving in large quantities, the script could be attacked seriously, although many of its habits remained troublesome.

The fragments excavated from Assyrian palaces therefore appeared at almost exactly the moment when European scholarship had acquired enough knowledge to begin forcing them to speak.

It is fascinating to see how writing systems evolve, and the guided tour supplement is only 4 euros and 50 cents, which I would recommend if you want the context.

I spent two hours there just wandering through the history of Decipherment.

It is a small museum, intimate, not overwhelming.

From the museum, I walked down towards the Seal River.