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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'Classic' Hymn Deciphered From Ancient Babylonian Library
At its peak some 3,000 years ago, the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon was the largest metropolis on Earth. Renowned for their literacy, the city's residents left behind stacks of cuneiform tablets in the Sippar Library. While many of the ancient records remain, their fractured nature requires a painstaking effort in solving the world's hardest jigsaw puzzle. Assyriologists Anmar Fadhil, from the University of Baghdad, and Enrique Jiménez, from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, have now found a 250-line hymn in praise of the ancient city by comparing text scattered across numerous fragments on tablets. "It's a fascinating hymn that describes Babylon in all its majesty and gives insights into the lives of its inhabitants," Jiménez explains. Related: "It was written by a Babylonian who wanted to praise his city. The author describes the buildings in the city, but also how the waters of the Euphrates bring the spring and green the fields. This is all the more spectacular as surviving Mesopotamian literature is sparing in its descriptions of natural phenomena." The hymn also reveals details about Babylonian women, of whom little else is known. "The passage has great importance for understanding the roles played by the various classes of priestesses: ugbakkātu, nadâtu, and qašdātu," Fadhil and Jiménez write. "The priestesses are particularly virtuous but, in contrast to the active role of men in protecting the helpless, the main virtue praised in women is devotion and discretion." By digitizing Babylon's cuneiform text fragments, the team traced copies of the hymn across 20 tablets from the 7th to 2nd or 1st centuries BCE; a process that, according to Jiménez, previously would have taken decades. This process even allowed them to piece together parts of the hymn that were missing from the first tablet. "Using our AI-supported platform, we managed to identify 30 other manuscripts that belong to the rediscovered hymn," he says. "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." With the same hymn being found on so many clay tablets, the researchers think the hymn may be a 'classic', one students may have even committed to memory as part of their education. Read a translated excerpt of the hymn below: "The Euphrates is her river – established by wise lord Nudimmud – It quenches the lea, saturates the canebrake, Disgorges its waters into lagoon and sea, Its fields burgeon with herbs and flowers, Its meadows, in brilliant bloom, sprout barley, From which, gathered, sheaves are stacked, Herds and flocks lie on verdant pastures, Wealth and splendor – what befit mankind – Are bestowed, multiplied, and regally granted." The research is published in Iraq. Related News Ancient Neanderthal 'Fat Factory' Reveals How Advanced They Really Were US Teen Drivers Admit to Looking at Their Phones For 21% of Every Trip Oldest Egyptian DNA Reveals Secrets of Elite Potter From Pyramid Era Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Reconstructed a Babylonian Hymn Lost for Over 1,000 Years
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: A Babylonian hymn lost for over a thousand years was rediscovered. Experts pieced together the hymn using an AI model to decipher hundreds of cuneiform tablets in a Baghdad library. The library's tablets were only preserved in fragments, requiring the difficult process of stitching the individual fragments together. Legend has it that Noah tucked away Babylonian cuneiform writings on clay tablets before the great flood over 4,000 years ago. Researchers just discovered a tablet writing in the same style, a hymn written in honor of Babylon that was lost a millennium ago. They were able to decipher it with a little help from AI. In a study published in the journal Iraq, a team of researchers from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) and the University of Baghdad scoured the Sippar Library's collection of hundreds of fragments of cuneiform tablets to rediscover the hymn to Babylon. '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,' Enrique Jiménez, professor of Ancient Near Eastern Literature at LMU's Institute of Assyriology, said in a translated statement. 'Thanks to these additional texts, the scholars were able to completely decipher the hymn of praise on the clay tablet, parts of which were missing.' Founded in Mesopotamia around 2,000 B.C., Babylon was, at one time, the largest city in the world. The metropolis was a cultural hub, and its intellectuals produced plenty of writing, much of which were done on clay tablets. Jiménez is working on a project to digitize all cuneiform text fragments discovered worldwide and then used AI to decipher which pieces belonged together. Finding so many copies of an original hymn showed that it was a popular text in its time. 'The hymn was copied by children at school,' Jiménez said. 'It's unusual that such a popular text in its day was unknown to us before now. It's a fascinating hymn that describes Babylon in all its majesty and gives insights into the lives of its inhabitants, male and female.' The study authors said that the hymn includes unparalleled descriptions of the healing powers of Marduk (the patron deity of Babylon), the splendor of Babylon, the the Euphrates River in the spring, and the generosity of the Babylonians. '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,' the study authors wrote. The 250-line song is believed to be from the early days of the first millennium. 'It was written by a Babylonian who wanted to praise his city,' Jiménez said. 'The author describes the buildings in the city, but also how the waters of the Euphrates bring the spring and green the fields. This is all the more spectacular as surviving Mesopotamian literature is sparing in its descriptions of natural phenomena.' The song includes details about the life of women in Babylon, including roles as priestesses and the tasks they performed. There are no other known texts describing this information. Jiménez said that the hymns also provide insight into an urban society shown being respectful to foreigners. According to the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the following lines are from the newly discovered hymn describing the river Euphrates, where the historic Babylon was at the time, now at UNESCO World Heritage Site about 52 miles from the current Iraq capital of Baghdad. The translated lines: The Euphrates is her river—established by wise lord Nudimmud— It quenches the lea, saturates the canebrake, Disgorges its waters into lagoon and sea, Its fields burgeon with herbs and flowers, Its meadows, in brilliant bloom, sprout barley, From which, gathered, sheaves are stacked, Herds and flocks lie on verdant pastures, Wealth and splendor—what befit mankind— Are bestowed, multiplied, and regally granted You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
1,000 year old Babylonian hymn celebrating ancient city revived using AI
A long-lost Babylonian hymn, missing for more than a millennium, has been largely reconstructed thanks to artificial intelligence. Dating back to the early first millennium BCE (c. 1000 BCE), the 250-line hymn praises the ancient city of Babylon. It describes its monumental buildings, fertile fields sustained by the Euphrates River, and the role of celibate priestesses in society. The text was pieced together from over 30 fragmented clay tablets spread across several museums and collections. The reconstruction was made possible through a collaborative effort between researchers at the University of Baghdad and Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, who published their findings in the journal Iraq. The project utilised an AI-powered platform that digitises fragments of cuneiform – the script used by ancient civilisations, including Mesopotamia and Persia – and cross-references them to identify matching passages. '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,' said study co-author and Assyriologist Enrique Jiménez. The hymn itself is focused on Babylon's grandeur; most significantly, it celebrates the city's majestic architecture, emphasising how canals and fields thrived alongside bustling urban structures. Notably, it highlights the cultural importance of women serving as priestesses as well as Babylon's welcoming attitude towards foreigners, offering a rare glimpse into the structure of Babylon's social and cultural society. One striking feature is how widely the hymn was known at the time. Dozens of copies were found among what appeared to be school texts. 'The hymn was copied by children at school,' Jiménez noted, suggesting that this hymn was memorised by and taught to students. Despite its length, some sections of the hymn remain missing or damaged, particularly towards the end. About one-third of the original text is still fragmented, indicating growing opportunities for AI-assisted reconstruction and discovery of damaged or lost ancient texts. A passage from the larger hymn is transcribed below: The Euphrates is her river—established by wise lord Nudimmud— It quenches the lea, saturates the canebrake, Disgorges its waters into lagoon and sea, Its fields burgeon with herbs and flowers, Its meadows, in brilliant bloom, sprout barley, From which, gathered, sheaves are stacked, Herds and flocks lie on verdant pastures, Wealth and splendor—what befit mankind— Are bestowed, multiplied, and regally granted. (This article has been curated by Arfan Jeelany, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
The Irish Sun
02-07-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
AI deciphers hymn on 4,000-year-old clay tablet to unlock mystery of ancient city of Babylon
AN ANCIENT hymn lost for 4,000 years on a Babylonian tablet has finally been deciphered using artificial intelligence (AI). Advances in technology made the discovery possible in a fraction of the time, according to a new Advertisement 5 Babylonian texts were composed in cuneiform, the oldest form of writing, on clay tablets Credit: Anmar A. Fadhil and Enrique Jiménez 5 Researchers believe children would have studied the hymn, which is comprised of 250 lines of text, at school Credit: Anmar A. Fadhil and Enrique Jiménez 5 Roughly 100 lines of the hymn's ending are still missing or mutilated, according to the study Credit: Anmar A. Fadhil and Enrique Jiménez Without AI, it would have taken decades to decode. The text, inscribed on an ancient tablet, is from Babylon, Mesopotamia - once the largest city in the world in 2000 BCE. Babylonian texts were composed in cuneiform, the oldest form of writing, on clay tablets. But they have only survived in fragments, meaning their messages are hard to decipher. Advertisement After digitising a selection of ancient texts, researchers at the University of Baghdad and Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich, uncovered an ancient hymn they believe Babylon residents would have sung. "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," said Enrique Jiménez, professor of Ancient Near Eastern Literatures at LMU's Institute of Assyriology. Although parts of these texts were missing, scholars were still able to completely decipher the hymn of praise. "It's a fascinating hymn that describes Babylon in all its majesty and gives insights into the lives of its inhabitants, male and female," added Jiménez. Advertisement Most read in Science Exclusive Researchers believe children would have studied the hymn, which is comprised of 250 lines of text, at school. Numerous copies of the hymn have been found inscribed on clay tablets from the era. "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," said Jiménez. "It was written by a Babylonian who wanted to praise his city. Advertisement "The author describes the buildings in the city, but also how the waters of the Euphrates bring the spring and green the fields. "This is all the more spectacular as surviving Mesopotamian literature is sparing in its descriptions of natural phenomena." Excerpt from the ancient hymn Here are some lines from the newly discovered hymn of praise: "The Euphrates is her river - established by wise lord Nudimmud - "It quenches the lea, saturates the canebrake, "Disgorges its waters into lagoon and sea, "Its fields burgeon with herbs and flowers, "Its meadows, in brilliant bloom, sprout barley, "From which, gathered, sheaves are stacked, "Herds and flocks lie on verdant pastures, "Wealth and splendour - what befit mankind - "Are bestowed, multiplied, and regally granted." The ruins of the ancient city of Babylon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are located some 85 km south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. Beyond the city and its pastures, the hymn also reveals new details about the lives of women in Babylon. Advertisement Women had roles as priestesses, which were described as being particularly virtuous. They were praised in the hymn for their devotion and discretion. Priestesses were famously celibate, and were among the professions established to to keep the population's birth rate under control. Their "partners", mentioned in the hymn, are understood to be the gods they are devoted to. Advertisement The hymn also offers insights into the melding of different cultures in the early urban society. For example, the inhabitants are described as being respectful to foreigners. Read more on the Irish Sun While researchers have uncovered unprecedented detail about ancient Babylon, there are more secrets to uncover. Roughly 100 lines of the hymn's ending are still missing or mutilated, according to the study, so it is difficult to decipher what they might have contained. Advertisement 5 Beyond the city and its pastures, the hymn also reveals new details about the lives of women in Babylon Credit: Anmar A. Fadhil and Enrique Jiménez 5 The ruins of the ancient city of Babylon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are located some 85 km south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
AI deciphers hymn on 4,000-year-old clay tablet to unlock mystery of ancient city of Babylon
Beyond the city and its pastures, the hymn also reveals new details about the lives of women in Babylon BIBLICAL BREAKTHROUGH AI deciphers hymn on 4,000-year-old clay tablet to unlock mystery of ancient city of Babylon Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN ANCIENT hymn lost for 4,000 years on a Babylonian tablet has finally been deciphered using artificial intelligence (AI). Advances in technology made the discovery possible in a fraction of the time, according to a new study. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Babylonian texts were composed in cuneiform, the oldest form of writing, on clay tablets Credit: Anmar A. Fadhil and Enrique Jiménez 5 Researchers believe children would have studied the hymn, which is comprised of 250 lines of text, at school Credit: Anmar A. Fadhil and Enrique Jiménez 5 Roughly 100 lines of the hymn's ending are still missing or mutilated, according to the study Credit: Anmar A. Fadhil and Enrique Jiménez Without AI, it would have taken decades to decode. The text, inscribed on an ancient tablet, is from Babylon, Mesopotamia - once the largest city in the world in 2000 BCE. Babylonian texts were composed in cuneiform, the oldest form of writing, on clay tablets. But they have only survived in fragments, meaning their messages are hard to decipher. After digitising a selection of ancient texts, researchers at the University of Baghdad and Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich, uncovered an ancient hymn they believe Babylon residents would have sung. "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," said Enrique Jiménez, professor of Ancient Near Eastern Literatures at LMU's Institute of Assyriology. Although parts of these texts were missing, scholars were still able to completely decipher the hymn of praise. "It's a fascinating hymn that describes Babylon in all its majesty and gives insights into the lives of its inhabitants, male and female," added Jiménez. Researchers believe children would have studied the hymn, which is comprised of 250 lines of text, at school. Numerous copies of the hymn have been found inscribed on clay tablets from the era. "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," said Jiménez. "It was written by a Babylonian who wanted to praise his city. "The author describes the buildings in the city, but also how the waters of the Euphrates bring the spring and green the fields. "This is all the more spectacular as surviving Mesopotamian literature is sparing in its descriptions of natural phenomena." Excerpt from the ancient hymn Here are some lines from the newly discovered hymn of praise: "The Euphrates is her river - established by wise lord Nudimmud - "It quenches the lea, saturates the canebrake, "Disgorges its waters into lagoon and sea, "Its fields burgeon with herbs and flowers, "Its meadows, in brilliant bloom, sprout barley, "From which, gathered, sheaves are stacked, "Herds and flocks lie on verdant pastures, "Wealth and splendour - what befit mankind - "Are bestowed, multiplied, and regally granted." The ruins of the ancient city of Babylon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are located some 85 km south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. Beyond the city and its pastures, the hymn also reveals new details about the lives of women in Babylon. Women had roles as priestesses, which were described as being particularly virtuous. They were praised in the hymn for their devotion and discretion. Priestesses were famously celibate, and were among the professions established to to keep the population's birth rate under control. Their "partners", mentioned in the hymn, are understood to be the gods they are devoted to. The hymn also offers insights into the melding of different cultures in the early urban society. For example, the inhabitants are described as being respectful to foreigners. While researchers have uncovered unprecedented detail about ancient Babylon, there are more secrets to uncover. Roughly 100 lines of the hymn's ending are still missing or mutilated, according to the study, so it is difficult to decipher what they might have contained. 5 Beyond the city and its pastures, the hymn also reveals new details about the lives of women in Babylon Credit: Anmar A. Fadhil and Enrique Jiménez
