Irving Finkel | The Ark Before Noah: A Great Adventure

Going by the comments people dont even know who Dr Finkle is? Dr Finkle is the leading professor of Assyriology and can read Assyrian, Babylonian and Sumerian as well as speak all three languages and is also Currently the Head curator at the British museum. Dr Finkle is also famous for finding the worlds oldest Game called the Royal game of UR as well as finding the cuneiform Rules. He also translates cuneiform Ghost story's and dairies and all can be watched on YouTube!

Whether you have enjoyed this or not you might find my book The Ark Before Noah interesting... Irving Finkel

As an Iraqi, I am glad to see my country being mentioned for once for its historical value.

Thank God for YouTube. Can you imagine this lecture would only be available to a handful of people in that room! That would be a real shame. It's absolutely delightful, in content and delivery! ❤❤❤❤

This is the kind of man who if given a billion dollars, wouldn’t retire. “I finally have enough money to research everything I want to” he’d spend every last penny on discovery and spreading that knowledge

Irving Finkel is totally a Wizard from Unseen University in Discworld. Right down to the muttered jokes. Wonderful and educational. Much thanks.

As an Iraqi, I appreciate it when historians and archaeologists mention Iraq by name, because in the west the name “Iraq” is only mentioned in relationship to wars, terrorism, dictatorship, and human rights violations. If mentioned in documentaries for its historical value then it is called Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, Assyria, Mesopotamia, or the Cradle of Civilization, which is a huge disservice to Iraq and Iraqis, since many people think these places are mythical or disputed like Atlantis. Historians don't do that with Egypt (e.g. Kemet), China (e.g. Zhongguo) or Greece (e.g. Hellas), they call them by their modern names. Many events in Genesis happened in Iraq (e.g. Garden of Eden and the Tower of Babel), until Abraham “set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan” (Genesis 11:31). And when Abraham wanted his son Isaac to get married, he sent his servant to his relatives in Iraq to find a wife for Isaac. Later Biblical events also happened in Iraq (e.g. Book of Daniel). The Babylonian Talmud was written by Iraqi Jews in Iraq. And even the Lord Jesus Christ spoke Aramaic, the language of the ancient Iraqis and modern-day Chaldeans and Assyrians.

What a phenomenal and glorious example of British humour and scholarship. Thank you.

I think the most astounding skill Irving happens to possess as an unparallelled historian and communicator is one I daresay most of his colleagues don't happen to share - supreme comedic sense and timing.

That is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard: I picked up the cuneiform tablet and proceeded to read it.

I have no idea how I found this lecture, but without a doubt, this is the best lecture I've ever heard in my life!!! I was sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time, though there was a time or two when I thought I just might fall out of my seat because I was laughing so hard--- laughing because of Irving Finkel's sense of humor and his comedic delivery. And I'm STILL chuckling over those goats! LOL

I love this man's humor. This is one part comedy & three parts history. I'd love to take one of his courses. I bet he makes it so fun.

'In the editing process, they miss out certain words. Like NOT.' Comedy gold. I am turning into a total Irving Finkel fanboy.

I declare Irving Finkel an International Treasure...someone get this man a gold chain immediately!

Excellent tone, volume, pace, body gestures, confidence, humility , humor, word choice, and directions for looking at the visuals. The clear historical orientation, design principles, lecture delivery, and encouragement to keep learning after the lecture. Thanks very much, Dr. Finkel. GB

Finkel is the gold standard for combining superlative scholarship and sheer entertainment.

Let me say this. I have studied and researched things for well over a quarter of a century. This guy is phenomenal. He’s entertaining and one of the most effective lecturers I’ve yet come across.

Irving Finkel is an international treasure. His particular gift to us is to make the ancients just as human as we are and thus just as relatable as our next-door neighbors. It has the dual effect of humbling the ancients and elevating us. He should live until 120 and never stop writing, teaching, researching and discovering.

This guy is s legend, if school teachers were like him more kids would enjoy learning. He's like a stand-up lecturer he's got a way of educating you while making you laugh not realising how much of lesson you've just been privileged to be part of. Need to find more of his lectures/work known of his name through other great minds like his just never clicked on a video until now idk I've been missing out 😂

Irving is a incredible being, I appreciate him.