Ancient world dictionary finished — after 90 years

There are so many here that discuss the Sumerian and Mesopotamian cultures from our distant past that II find it relevant to post these amazing new disclosures of the very beginning's of writing as we know it.
For the most part and with out the ability to actually get my hands on such a collection of translation's , it does turn out that there are various translations for one word expressions and depictions.
Though it seems as if the ancient worlds societal descriptions and every day life weren't much different from our world today, they are a fascinating and wonderful addition to how we view the world as we see things today.

Decades passed. The team grew. Scholars arrived from Vienna, Paris, Copenhagen, Jerusalem, Berlin, Helsinki, Baghdad and London, joining others from the U.S. and Canada. One generation gave way to the next, one century faded into the next. Some signed on early in their careers; they were still toiling away at retirement. The work was slow, sometimes frustrating and decidedly low-tech: Typewriters. Mimeograph machines. And index cards. Eventually, nearly 2 million of them.

Ancient World Dictionary Finished

I suppose we now see what has been and what has not been discovered or disclosed here. It is as if the Vatican archives have been upped by lets say 5K years.

A very interesting story indeed...

"The Assyrian Dictionary gives us the key into the world's first urban civilization," he says. "Virtually everything that we take for granted ... has its origins in Mesopotamia, whether it's the origins of cities, of state societies, the invention of the wheel, the way we measure time, and most important the invention of writing.

reply to post by Allred5923


Much more fascinating reading in the article here: news.yahoo.com... card_the90_year_dictionary_project

When I get done reading a lot more of the final findings, I will comment more later.
This stuff is very intriguing to say the least...
Peace
MD

reply to post by metaldave


Should have identified that the source was right there MD. "Sorry." (Link was posted with thread at "Ancient World Dictionary Completed")
But, "Yes" it is quite amazing that the Sumerian Cuneiform texts have been justly deciphered thus far. I was a bit disappointed in the deciphers acknowledgements of how they really weren't willing to go further with translations, but with most of the job being done thus far, it shouldn't be such a feat as the beginning of this all.
There have been many things that have been discovered and translated over the years, but the finding of the Rosetta stone and the continual investigation of the lost written languages should hold the clues one needs to surmise such implicated details of the past Ancient Civilizations lives, well being and over all demises.
I too am excited about this event, it has many more functional avenues now as far as the novice and home bodied researcher's go for such ancient world beliefs and societal beginning's.
Thanks for your input!!