ISAC Visiting Lecture Series

Online and In Person

Archival texts from Early and Middle Bronze Age Syro-Mesopotamia (3000-1600 BCE) provide invaluable data to trace the production and distribution of vegetable oils and animal fats used for anointing. Applying oil for skin protection became a basic need after the introduction of sesame oil in the 23rd century BCE. Beyond imported almond oil, the high-end skincare products included scented oils and fats. The reconstruction of its production process has allowed the identification of the earliest perfumery workshops and led to a better idea of the preferred odours in Early Mesopotamia.

Walther Sallaberger (PhD LMU Munich) is Professor of Assyriology at the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Germany. He serves as editor of the Zeitschrift für Assyriologie (since 2001) and as President of the International Association for Assyriology (2018-2026). Much of his research has been dedicated to the early periods of Mesopotamia, to religion, and to Sumerian, including a German textbook on Sumerian (2023). He is participating in the publication of cuneiform texts from Umma (since 2015) and in a research project on oils and fats.

Zoom link will be available on the day

Host or Publisher The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures