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Studies & Degrees in Cuneiform Studies

Cuneiform studies is the study of the languages, texts and cultures of the ancient Near East that were written in cuneiform, the wedge-shaped script pressed into clay tablets. Universities more often call the field Assyriology or Ancient Near Eastern studies; in German it is also known as Altorientalistik or Keilschriftkunde, literally "cuneiform studies". It is a small, research-oriented subject that sits between linguistics, history and archaeology.

The material is very large. The Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI), an international project of Assyriologists and museum curators, dates the earliest cuneiform inscriptions to the beginning of writing, around 3350 BC, and estimates that public and private collections hold more than 500,000 inscribed objects. The script stayed in use for some 3,500 years.

What students learn

Language training is the core. Leiden University names Akkadian, Sumerian and Hittite as the three major languages written in cuneiform, and most programmes teach at least the first two. Students learn the signs, read texts in transliteration and from the original tablets, and study the history, religion, law, literature and science of Mesopotamia and Anatolia. Courses in archaeology and in the handling of museum objects often complete the programme. Leiden, for example, encourages students to work with original clay tablets kept in the city.

Modern languages matter too. The research literature is written mainly in English, German and French, so reading skills in these languages are useful from the first year.

Qualifications and levels

There is rarely a degree with the exact name "cuneiform studies". The subject is taught inside wider programmes, and the structure depends on the country.

  • Bachelor's level. In Germany, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München offers the bachelor's programme "Alter Orient", in which the major has 120 ECTS credits. At Freie Universität Berlin, Ancient Near Eastern studies is a specialisation within the BA in ancient studies, with introductory courses in Akkadian, Hittite and Sumerian every year.
  • Master's level. The MA in Assyriology at Leiden University is a one-year programme taught in English, a specialisation of the MA Classics and Ancient Civilizations; a two-year research master's is also available. In Munich, the master's programme "Altorientalistik" has a major of 120 ECTS credits.
  • Doctorate. Academic and museum careers normally require a PhD, which involves editing or analysing original texts.

The European universities named here are not in our directory; they are mentioned to show how the subject is organised.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists one active school for this subject: the University of Mosul in Iraq, whose territory covers most of ancient Mesopotamia. Its College of Archaeology was established in the 2008-09 academic year and includes a Department of Ancient Iraqi Languages next to the departments of archaeology and of the preservation of antiquities and manuscripts. The college also supervises master's theses based on cuneiform sources. Teaching language and admission rules for foreign students should be checked with the university.

Elsewhere, the subject is found at universities with departments of Assyriology, Ancient Near Eastern studies or Oriental studies. Groups are small: Leiden reports an average of 7 students in its MA. When comparing programmes, look at which languages are taught every year, whether there is access to a tablet collection, and the language of instruction.

Careers

This is a specialist field with few posts. Graduates who stay in it work in university research and teaching, in museums and collections, and on text edition and digital projects such as the CDLI. Leiden University adds publishing, teaching, policy departments of government bodies and cultural tourism as fields where its graduates find work. No official employment statistics exist for the subject on its own, so this page gives none.

Frequently asked questions

Is cuneiform a language?

No. Cuneiform is a writing system. It was used to write several languages, among them Sumerian, Akkadian and Hittite.

Do I need to know ancient languages before I start?

Bachelor's programmes start the languages from the beginning; Freie Universität Berlin, for example, offers introductory courses in Akkadian, Hittite and Sumerian every year. Master's programmes usually expect earlier training, so check the admission requirements of each university.

Which degree should I look for?

Look for Assyriology, Ancient Near Eastern studies or, in German, Altorientalistik. Cuneiform studies is usually a specialisation inside one of these programmes, not a separate degree.