Illustrations from the Gilgamesh Epic on the Gold Beaker from Hasanlu

A complete gold beaker was excavated at Hasanlu in Iran, southwest of Lake Urmia, in 1958. It weighs about 946 grams. It was decorated with 13 motifs at first thought to be a random mixture of items, some of them Hurrian, as examined in later years. Since then, new pieces of text from the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh and related stories have come to light which allow identification with themes shown on the beaker, all connected with Gilgamesh. Several different languages are involved.

Members of the Cluster are invited to the reserved AWRC lunch table in Hall starting at 12.30 to meet Stephanie. Stephanie’s talk in the Levett Room at 1:15 will be catered with cake and tea/coffee (all welcome).