This is the fourth and final installment in the Etched in Stone blog series. In it, we delve into the remarkable discoveries that followed the decoding of cuneiform script. Topics include the invention of timekeeping and the 24-hour day, advancements in sailing, labor organization, written correspondence, women’s rights, religious beliefs and parables, ancient cuisine, early customer complaints, and much more.
Aldini’s Italian manual on fire safety was published in 1833. It offered detailed instructions, diagrams, and practical strategies for surviving and preventing fires. Yet two years before its publication, an Armenian version of the same manual was printed by the Mekhitarists, an Armenian Catholic monastic order, in Venice.
On May 8, experience the vibrant intercultural tapestry of Jewish and Islamic musical traditions from Spain and North Africa. From the eighth century onward, Southern Spain—known as al-Andalus—became a vibrant crossroads of faith and culture. Jews, Muslims, and Christians cultivated rich traditions in the arts, sciences, and music under the rule of Muslim caliphs.
On September 5, 2024, the African & Middle Eastern Division hosted a captivating lecture by Dr. Mohamad Hajji Mukhtar, a distinguished professor from Savannah University. The event titled “The Rise and Expansion of Islam in Somalia”, provided a journey into a lesser-known chapter of Islamic history.
