The Buried Book: The Loss and Rediscovery of the Great Epic of Gilgamesh
By David Damarosch The oldest surviving fragments of the Babylonian epic we now call Gilgamesh date back to the 18th century -- the 18th century before the Christian era, that is, more than 3,700 years ago. Etched in the wedge-shaped letters known as cuneiform on clay tablets, Gilgamesh stands as the earliest classic of world literature. Surprisingly, it is a classic still in the making, for scholars continue to discover and piece together shards -- in Akkadian, Sumerian, Hittite and other ancient languages -- that occasionally add a few more lines to this story of an ancient Middle Eastern king's quest for immortality and his coming to terms with the inevitability of death.
Published Date: 06/03/2006
Format: HardBack
ISBN: 9780805080292
Publisher: Henry Holt And Company
Rating:
price 18 $
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