This day school in Oxford will introduce the developments that led to numeracy and literacy in Iraq and Iran from the tenth millennium BCE to the third millennium BCE.
Led by two archaeologists conducting research in Iraq and Iran, the workshop will deliver a chronological overview of key developments in human history through archaeological case studies. Over the course of the day, you will explore the archaeological evidence for counting, writing, and the origins of bureaucracy.
The day will begin with an examination of the earliest evidence for counting and how it began in the first farming communities in the Neolithic of Southwest Asia. You will follow how these humble objects developed into complex bureaucratic systems of sealing practices and proto-writing used by the world’s first cities.
In the afternoon, you will learn about early writing in its cultural context and current approaches applied to counting and writing in the ancient world. The day will conclude with a guided visit to the Ancient Middle East gallery in the Ashmolean Museum to view some of the objects you have been introduced to throughout the day, and finish with a discussion reflecting on the presentation of the archaeology in museums.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 BST on 28 May 2025.