The King’s Quest for EternityNew edition of ‘Artefact of the Month’ published

18 October 2021

Photo: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

In the new edition of our series 'Artefact of the Month', a king with a penchant for building projects comes up with an innovative idea to literally imprint his name on posterity.

History is full of rulers who sought to increase their fame by constructing impressive buildings. In ancient Mesopotamia, handwritten inscriptions proclaimed to posterity who to thank for a particular structure. But what if a ruler builds so much that his subjects simply cannot keep up with the production of these inscriptions? Naram-Suen sought a solution to this very problem in the third millennium BCE. And he found it. His early printing technique remained in use for 2000 years and ensures that his name remains unforgotten to this day.

Read the full story of Naram-Suen and his innovation here. In every edition of 'Artefact of the Month', an expert in the field shares the unique story behind a particular object in a compelling and approachable fashion. Editorial duties are overseen by Wiebke Beyer and Karin Becker, who greatly welcome ideas for future editions.

'Artefact of the Month' is the successor of 'manuscript of the month', a full archive of which can be accessed here.