Cybernetica Mesopotamica

A Balzan Foundation Research Project

III. The goals

Overview

Giorgio Buccellati – December 2022

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A two-pronged approach

The project aims (1) to present certain sets of data, many of which are as yet unpublished, and (2) to develop a reflection about digital method. The title of the project reflects this duality and I will address each side of the issue respectively in the section Cybernetica as it pertains to methods, and in the section Mesopotamica as it pertains to data.

Cybernetica. – Conceptually, we aim to clarify this two-pronged approach and to show its wider relevance for the humanities and the social sciences.

Mesopotamica. – Operationally, our aim is to complete a number of websites in the system, in addition to using a number of other established channels of scholarly communication. I will list here the details of how implementation will take place in the form of digital and other publications, the details of which will be given in Section IV. WORK IN PROGRESS and section V. RESULTS.

Non-digital. – While the thrust of our project is in the digital area, our aim is also to pursue a number of other venues in publishing the results of the project’s work.

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A comprehensive list of individual projects by author

The project is an intensively collaborative project. Listed here are all the individual projects, by author’s last name, from all five domains.

The link after the author’s name leads to the pertinent domain within the Goals section, while the title of the project leads to the pertinent website. The entries at the end, with a dash in lieu of an author’s name, are still unassigned.

For the section on Printed Venues I only include books and omit the articles.

Marco De Pietri is the editorial coordinator of all the projects within the system.


  1. A. Ahmad and L. Crescioli (sites), A6: the kitchen area of the service quarter AK

  2. F. Buccellati (sites), A16 (2nd edition)
  3. F. Buccellati (sites), AP: the Palace area as a whole
  4. F. Buccellati (ed.) (printed), Terqa Cloves and Paleobotany, Scarabs and Beads, Plaques and Figurines
  5. F. Buccellati (ed.) (printed), Collectanea Urkeshiana 1. Conservation and Site Presentation

  6. G. Buccellati (this introductory website), Cybernetica Mesopotamica, Part One
  7. G. Buccellati (sites), Conservation
  8. G. Buccellati (sites), Grammar
  9. G. Buccellati (sites), Mozan sitewide
  10. G. Buccellati (theory), Digital discourse
  11. G. Buccellati (bibliography), Four Banks
  12. G. Buccellati (bibliography), Mesopotamian literature
  13. G. Buccellati (printed), Digital Discourse. A View from the Field
  14. G. Buccellati (printed), Urkesh beyond Urkesh. Conservation and Cultural Heritage
  15. G. Buccellati and M. Stancavage (printed), Cornerstone and Necromancy

  16. S. Comelli (sites), Metal artifacts

  17. L. Crescioli (sites), A20: eastern sector
  18. L. Crescioli (sites), J1: the central portion of the revetment wall
  19. L. Crescioli (sites), J2: the monumental access area
  20. L. Crescioli (printed) Pottery Kilns from the Khabur Period

  21. M. De Pietri(sites), conversion of UGR books to MID standards
  22. M. De Pietri, editor: R. Hauser (sites), Animal figurines
  23. M. De Pietri (this introductory website), Cybernetica Mesopotamica, Part Two
  24. M. De Pietri (sites), S6: a path to the Palace area
  25. M. De Pietri (bibliography), Mesopotamian politics

  26. B. Forni (sites), Rewrite of JD and VWX programs
  27. B. Forni (sites), Sitewide tabulations and database program
  28. B. Forni (sites), urkesh.org
  29. B. Forni (sites), Roster and lexicon updating program
  30. B. Forni (sites), Website on Python program documentation

  31. J. L. Hayes (bibliography), Akkadian grammatical studies
  32. J. L. Hayes and T.-L. Tanaka (texts), Old Babylonian royal letters: morphemic analysis
  33. J. L. Hayes and T.-L. Tanaka (texts), Old Babylonian letters: graphemic analysis

  34. M. Kelly-Buccellati (sites), Ceramics
  35. M. Kelly-Buccellati (seals), Glyptics
  36. M. Kelly-Buccellati (bibliography), Mesopotamian art
  37. M. Kelly-Buccellati (printed), Urkesh Ceramics
  38. M. Kelly-Buccellati (printed), Urkesh Glyptics

  39. A. Kharobi (sites), Physical anthropology
  40. A. Kharobi ((printed), Physical anthropology

  41. J. Lynch (bibliography), Mesopotamian religion

  42. Y. Mahmoud (sites), Human figurines
  43. Y. Mahmoud (sites), J4: the Western end of the Plaza
  44. Y. Mahmoud (printed), Human figurines

  45. L. Recht (sites), ceramic sections in unit books (currently A15)
  46. L. Recht (seals), the ED III corpus
  47. L. Recht (bibliography), Critique of Archaeological Reason, second edition

  48. M. Stancavage (sites), A12: the necromantic shaft (ābi)

  49. J. L. Walker (sites), A9: service courtyard north of the service quarter AK
  50. J. L. Walker (sites), A14: sacral area
  51. J. L. Walker (sites), A15: reception area
  52. J. L. Walker (sites), J3: the LC3 levels
  53. J. L. Walker (sites), J5: the NW Mittani period access area
  54. J. L. Walker (sites), OH2: the field of Saleh al-Abrash

  55. – (sites), A7: the (presumed) entrance to the service quarter
  56. – (sites), A10: the kitchen area of the service quarter AK
  57. – (sites), A11: the service rooms of the courtyard
  58. – (sites), J7: the Eastern edge of the Plaza
  59. – (texts), Ebla personal names

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Timeline

A timeline for completion of the various tasks within the project will be found below in Section IV.

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