From Newsgroup: sci.lang


https://www.popsci.com/science/missing-babylon-text-ai/

A team of ancient literature experts have
deciphered a Mesopotamain text that was missing
for over 1,000 years. Etched on clay tablets,
the Hymn to Babylon describes the ancient
megacity in “all of its majesty,” and gives
new insights into the everyday lives of those
who resided there. The text is detailed in a
study published in the journal Iraq.
...
In the Electronic Babylonian Library Platform,
study co-author and Assyriologist Enrique Jiménez
is digitizing all of the cuneiform text fragments
that have been discovered around the world. With
the help of artificial intelligence (AI), he is
piecing together fragments that belong together.

“Using our AI-supported platform, we managed to
identify 30 other manuscripts that belong to the
rediscovered hymn – a process that would formerly
have taken decades,” Jiménez said in a statement.

With these additional texts, the team was able to
completely decipher this ancient hymn of praise.
In it, they found some new insights into Babylonian
urban society and believe that the Hymn to Babylon
was very widespread.

“The hymn was copied by children at school. It’s
unusual that such a popular text in its day was
unknown to us before now,” Jiménez said. The song
of triumph–or paean–likely dates back to the start
of the first millennium before Christ and is made
up of 250 lines.
...


https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/iraq/article/literary-texts-from-the-sippar-library-v-a-hymn-in-praise-of-babylon-and-the-babylonians/B477D54E6554CA35718880339B3736CD

LITERARY TEXTS FROM THE SIPPAR LIBRARY V: A
HYMN IN PRAISE OF BABYLON AND THE BABYLONIANS

Abstract
The article presents a previously unknown hymn
in praise of Marduk, the Esagil, Babylon and
the Babylonians. It contains unparalleled
descriptions of the healing powers of Marduk,
the splendor of Babylon, the spring borne by
the Euphrates to the city’s fields and the
generosity of the Babylonians themselves. The
text survives in 20 manuscripts, from the 7th
to the 2nd/1st centuries BCE, and it can be
shown that it was a fixture in the school
curriculum of the time. The author of this
highly accomplished piece immortalized his
devotion to his city, gods, and people in words
that resonated until the final decades of
cuneiform culture.


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From Newsgroup: sci.lang

On 05/07/2025 05:42, Tilde wrote:

https://www.popsci.com/science/missing-babylon-text-ai/

A team of ancient literature experts have
deciphered a Mesopotamain text that was missing
for over 1,000 years. Etched on clay tablets,

If AI leads to the assumption that cuneform is somehow "etched", then I suspect its translation is as trustworthy as the average election manifesto.
--
Sam Plusnet
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From Newsgroup: sci.lang

On 2025-07-06 17:59:52 +0000, Sam Plusnet said:

On 05/07/2025 05:42, Tilde wrote:

https://www.popsci.com/science/missing-babylon-text-ai/

A team of ancient literature experts have
deciphered a Mesopotamain text that was missing
for over 1,000 years. Etched on clay tablets,

If AI leads to the assumption that cuneform is somehow "etched", then I suspect its translation is as trustworthy as the average election
manifesto.

Enrique JimΘnez seems to know how cuneiform tablers were produced, so
it is probably Laura Baisas (the author of the aricle in Popular
Science) that is confused. But is the problem that she doesn't know how cuneiform tablers were made, or she doesn't know what "etched" means?
(Maybe both?)
--
Athel -- French and British, living in Marseilles for 38 years; mainly
in England until 1987.

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From Newsgroup: sci.lang

Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:

On 2025-07-06 17:59:52 +0000, Sam Plusnet said:

On 05/07/2025 05:42, Tilde wrote:

https://www.popsci.com/science/missing-babylon-text-ai/

A team of ancient literature experts have
deciphered a Mesopotamain text that was missing
for over 1,000 years. Etched on clay tablets,

If AI leads to the assumption that cuneform is somehow "etched", then
I suspect its translation is as trustworthy as the average election
manifesto.

Enrique Jim|-nez seems to know how cuneiform tablers were produced, so it
is probably Laura Baisas (the author of the aricle in Popular Science)
that is confused. But is the problem that she doesn't know how cuneiform tablers were made, or she doesn't know what "etched" means? (Maybe both?)

That's why I provided the journal link


https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/iraq/article/literary-texts-from-the-sippar-library-v-a-hymn-in-praise-of-babylon-and-the-babylonians/B477D54E6554CA35718880339B3736CD

LITERARY TEXTS FROM THE SIPPAR LIBRARY V: A
HYMN IN PRAISE OF BABYLON AND THE BABYLONIANS

The popular press article is just a quick light
heads up. Those interested can look at the journal
(which has translated bits). Don't rely solely on
the popsci article.

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From Newsgroup: sci.lang


Tilde <invalide@invalid.invalid> posted:

https://www.popsci.com/science/missing-babylon-text-ai/

A team of ancient literature experts have
deciphered a Mesopotamain text that was missing
for over 1,000 years. Etched on clay tablets,
the Hymn to Babylon describes the ancient
megacity in rCLall of its majesty,rCY and gives
new insights into the everyday lives of those
who resided there. The text is detailed in a
study published in the journal Iraq.
...
In the Electronic Babylonian Library Platform,
study co-author and Assyriologist Enrique Jim|-nez
is digitizing all of the cuneiform text fragments
that have been discovered around the world. With
the help of artificial intelligence (AI), he is
piecing together fragments that belong together.

rCLUsing our AI-supported platform, we managed to
identify 30 other manuscripts that belong to the
rediscovered hymn rCo a process that would formerly
have taken decades,rCY Jim|-nez said in a statement.

With these additional texts, the team was able to
completely decipher this ancient hymn of praise.
In it, they found some new insights into Babylonian
urban society and believe that the Hymn to Babylon
was very widespread.

rCLThe hymn was copied by children at school. ItrCOs
unusual that such a popular text in its day was
unknown to us before now,rCY Jim|-nez said. The song
of triumphrCoor paeanrColikely dates back to the start
of the first millennium before Christ and is made
up of 250 lines.
...

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/iraq/article/literary-texts-from-the-sippar-library-v-a-hymn-in-praise-of-babylon-and-the-babylonians/B477D54E6554CA35718880339B3736CD

LITERARY TEXTS FROM THE SIPPAR LIBRARY V: A
HYMN IN PRAISE OF BABYLON AND THE BABYLONIANS

Abstract
The article presents a previously unknown hymn
in praise of Marduk, the Esagil, Babylon and
the Babylonians. It contains unparalleled
descriptions of the healing powers of Marduk,
the splendor of Babylon, the spring borne by
the Euphrates to the cityrCOs fields and the
generosity of the Babylonians themselves. The
text survives in 20 manuscripts, from the 7th
to the 2nd/1st centuries BCE, and it can be
shown that it was a fixture in the school
curriculum of the time. The author of this
highly accomplished piece immortalized his
devotion to his city, gods, and people in words
that resonated until the final decades of
cuneiform culture.

_________________________

A team of ancient literature experts have
deciphered a Mesopotamain text that was missing
for over 1,000 years. Etched on clay tablets,

The verb [Etch] seems ok to me.



I was (much more) puzzled by [text that was missing for over 1,000 years.]


30 fragments were known, but it was not known that they fit together
to form one text?

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