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| yna@yna.co.kr 2022-07-22 11:35:41
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- HIgunu (barley) grain 200ℓ, malt 300ℓ, grain 251ℓ… It belongs to the brewer "Kusim."
Sometime around 3100-2900 B.C. The temple in charge of the administration of Uruk used to lend malt and barley to brewers, and recorded the quantity.
A clay tablet measuring 6.85 cm in width and 4.5 cm in height was like a book where they organized their economic activities.
As time passed and unique characters appeared, small clay tablets were used in various ways as it served as a learning plate or prescription for learning multiplication, and also functioned as a legal document containing the secrets of family history.
A place was prepared to illuminate the Mesopotamian civilization, which made a great mark in the history of human civilization.
The National Museum of Korea announced on Thursday that it has recently established the "Mesopotamian Gallery" within its Permanent Exhibition Hall on the 3rd floor and is presenting an exhibition entitled "Mesopotamia: Great Cultural Innovations, Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art" for about one year and a half, from July 22, 2022 to January 28, 2024.
A place has been made to focus on the Mesopotamian civilization, which made a great mark in the history of human civilization.
This is the first time for a permanent exhibition dealing with cultural heritage of Mesopotamia to be held in Korea.
As a national museum, it is even more meaningful as it is the first special exhibition on the theme of Mesopotamian civilization.
This exhibition, co-planned with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States, presents a total of 66 pieces, including cuneiform tablets, seals, religious items, and portraits that allows one to admire the splendid history of Mesopotamian civilization.
"Mesopotamia," which means between two rivers, was a huge, successful civilization along the Tigris and Euphrates river, but is still unfamiliar to a lot of people.
The exhibition is largely divided into three sections, namely "Cultural Innovation," "Art and Identity," and "The Age of Empires."
The first part of the exhibition, "Cultural Innovation" begins with the birth of cities. Decorated as if it were stacked with white bricks, this part presents thirteen clay cuneiform tablets, seals and many more, and shows the ups and downs of the Mesopotamian civilization.
"If I had to use the word 'first' only twice to describe the Mesopotamian civilization, I would use it for 'city' and 'letter'," said Yang Hee-chung, curator at the National Museum of Korea, as she recommended paying attention to the lives of ancient people who left various records.
The content of the clay tablet, which appears to have been made around 547 BC, shows a part of their daily life as it is.
A relic excavated from the capital city of Babylon, shows a dialogue document concerning succession and inheritance.
A small cylindrical seal (painting) with a height of only 2 to 3 centimeters is also worth noting.
The seals, which were all different according to the era and region, were engraved by tolling them on a clay tablet. It is said that it was a hard job considering the small size and the reversed shape of the carving.
It is believed that the seal was used as a necklace by threading it as a necklace or to attach clothes with a clothespin.
The "Statue of 'Gudea" (reigned 2150-2125 BC) shows how art revealed individual identity at the time. Gudea, who sits with her hands on her chest, stands out with her chubby eyes and big, round head.
"If one looks at the figure of King Gudea made of black stone, his right muscle is strong and his right shoulder is exposed. This means that he has the abilities to become King," explained Yang.
One will also be able to see the relics of the two empires, which left their names with powerful leadership, wars of conquest, and vigorous artistic activity.
"Ishtar," a representative brick building of the "Neo-Babylonian period" dating from 626 to 539 B.C, and the "Panel with striding lion," shows off its grand skills.
The museum has also prepared attractions to help visitors understand Mesopotamian civilization more easily.
In the video introducing the exhibition, you can explain how people wore seals at the time, and hear the story of Mesopotamian civilization from the perspective of Kim Benzel, an Associate Curator in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art at Th Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The 4m high Media Cube uses images of land, rivers, and cuneiform characters that symbolize Mesopotamia, and leads visitors to a scene from thousands of years ago.
Cooperating with the Korean Association for Ancient Near Eastern Studies, various places and names were written as close as possible to the original pronunciation of Akkadian, the most common official language in Mesopotamia.
"Through the Mesopotamian cultural heritage, one will able to see the cultural innovation and skills of the Mesopotamian civilization, which was a big step in the history of mankind. This is not only difficult to see in Korea, but in other countries as well," said an official from the museum.
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Haemin Kim.)
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