Ancient languages of the Near East
From royal inscriptions and legal documents to literature, religion, and everyday records, these courses provide direct access to the written sources of societies that laid the foundations for later cultures and traditions. Whether you are beginning or developing your knowledge, these languages open a unique window onto these ancient peoples and cultures.
5 courses available
- Akkadian 1: module 1
This year-long course is an introduction to Akkadian, the oldest attested Semitic language, in which were written the epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Atrahasis.
Keeley Street
Sat 3 Oct 2026Vaughan PilikianFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 
Languages of the ancient Near East part 1: Sumerian, Akkadian, EgyptianThis unique and wide-ranging course provides a broad introduction to the three major languages of the Ancient Near East, which together traverse a vast history of four millennia. In them were written some of the great landmarks of world literature, such as the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh, the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Sumerian Descent of Inanna.Keeley Street
Sat 3 Oct 2026Vaughan PilikianFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00- Sumerian level 2: module 1
Continue to learn Sumerian, the oldest attested language on earth. A good reason to learn Sumerian is to gain access to a large body of little-known, very ancient and truly fascinating literature. including the Descent of Inanna, in which the goddess of love (later known as Ishtar) attempts to take control of the underworld, and the earliest fragments of the stories surrounding the epic hero Bilgames (called Gilgamesh by the Assyrians).
Keeley Street
Sat 3 Oct 2026Vaughan PilikianFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Languages of the Ancient Near East part 2This unique and wide-ranging course provides a broad introduction to the three major languages of the Ancient Near East, which together traverse a vast history of four millennia. In them were written some of the great landmarks of world literature, such as the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh, the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Sumerian Descent of Inanna.
Keeley Street
Sat 23 Jan 2027Vaughan PilikianFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Sumerian level 2: module 2
Continue to learn Sumerian, the oldest attested language on earth. A good reason to learn Sumerian is to gain access to a large body of little-known, very ancient and truly fascinating literature. including the Descent of Inanna, in which the goddess of love (later known as Ishtar) attempts to take control of the underworld, and the earliest fragments of the stories surrounding the epic hero Bilgames (called Gilgamesh by the Assyrians).
Keeley Street
Sat 23 Jan 2027Vaughan PilikianFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00
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