ANE8710EN - Elementary Sumerian

Course description

Introduces students to the grammar of Sumerian, a major language for the understanding of Ancient Mesopotamia. Students learn using transliterated Sumerian, as well as using cuneiform signs. Reading exercises focus on actual examples from Sumerian texts, culminating with the translation of royal inscriptions.

How this course benefits students

Students learn Sumerian grammar both in transliteration and in cuneiform. This gives students access to a body of literature with which to better understand Mesopotamian culture, which shares commonalities with Ancient Israel.

Why this course is important

Students develop skills with which to understand Mesopotamian worldview and religion, a tool with which to understand the contextual nature of the Hebrew Bible’s theology.

Credit hours
3 hours
Subject area
Ancient Near East
Educational level
Doctoral
Learning type
Instructional
Prerequisites
None
Upcoming terms
Pending
* Schedule subject to change. Please contact the Registrar's office with schedule questions.
Professor
Dr. Joel Hamme, Senior Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Studies

How this course relates to missional core values

Biblically based

The course teaches students to read Sumerian literature, which shares a common worldview and religious outlook as the Hebrew Bible.

Missionally driven

The study is missionally-driven by its goal to learn Sumerian, an important step for the thorough understanding of a society with which Ancient Israel interacted and held much in common. Crossing cultural divides is essential for participating in the Missio Dei.

Contextually informed

Although an ancient language even in an ancient culture, Sumerian was important religiously for Mesopotamia from the pre Sargonic period to the Hellenistic Period. A knowledge of Sumerian helps missioners to understand the Hebrew Bible in its larger context as it gives them access to numerous cultural and religious texts from that context.

Interculturally focused

Ancient Mesopotamia shared commonalities with Ancient Israel. The larger Mesopotamian cultural sphere included Israel, so it can serve as a model for a better understanding of Israel’s culture.

Practically minded

Students gain the ability to read and translate key texts from the Sumerian monumental inscription corpus and some key literary texts, the Descent of Inanna and the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Experientially transformed

Students are measured by taking exams and quizzes on elements of Sumerian grammar, and translating elementary texts, mainly from Sumerian Royal Inscriptions. Students are measured through the writing of a paper on a cultural or religious aspect from the literary texts explored.