Simple Sumerian Language Lessons

Learn to Read Cuneiform and Speak Sumerian with these Bite-Sized Lessons

From Beginner…

Outside of a university education, learning the Sumerian language is difficult, as most of the available resources are written for linguists and Assyriologists. The best book I can find for beginners is Learn to Read Ancient Sumerian, by Joshua Bowen and Megan Lewis.

It’s an absolutely amazing place to start for anyone interested in learning Sumerian. But while it’s a great introduction to the basic Sumerian language concepts, it won’t get you very far into your Sumerian language journey, and for good reason.

The Sumerian language is complex. It evolved over a 4,000-year period, so achieving proficiency requires delving into its intricacies to some degree. But it’s absolutely doable, and you absolutely should embark on the journey!

…to Language Mastery

My original intention in writing out these lessons was to create 30(ish) bite-sized lessons to help people with no foreign-language experience master Sumerian. But in my attempts to be thorough, the lessons ended up being much longer.

So, I decided to repost them as they were originally intended here on substack: as bite-sized lessons for the absolute newbie! I do still plan to post them in their longer format on my website, where I have an accompanying Glossary of Terms and English to Sumerian Dictionary. But everything you need to learn Sumerian will be listed in the upcoming lessons.

I have no idea how many lessons we’re going to end up with, but I promise you, if you read through them and take the time to absorb the information in sequence, you will master the Sumerian language!

Why Learn Sumerian

The ability to read Sumerian puts the power to unlock the secrets of humanity’s ancient past into your hands.

As you probably know, mainstream academics are currently the arbiters of human history. When you can read Sumerian, you no longer have to rely on the word of scholars. And despite what the priests of academia would have you believe; amateurs and the self-taught have been making major discoveries throughout history.

Examples of Amazing Amateurs and Self-Taught ‘Scholars’:

Heinrich Schliemann—a self-taught archeologist—discovered Troy; a city which scholars said didn’t exist.
Clyde Tombaugh—an amateur astronomer—discovered Pluto.
Ignaz Semmelweis—an amateur physician—made breakthrough discoveries in hygiene and infection control (aka handwashing).
Joseph Henry—a self-taught scientist—made invaluable contributions in electromagnetism helped paved the way for modern telecommunications.
And, of course, George Smith—a self-taught Assyriologist—discovered and translated the Flood Tablet from the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Decentralization of information aside, studying any language allows you to connect to a culture on a deeper spiritual level!