Professor Afram Issa letures at the Syriac General Directorate of Culture and Arts regarding Mesopotamia Civilization

The Syriac General Directorate of Culture and Arts hospitalized on Thursday of June the 10th Professor Afram Issa in a lecture entitled (specifications of the Mesopotamia Civilization) at the Hall of the Syriac Heritage Museum in Ankawa. Mr. Saadi Al-Malih the General Director of the Syriac General Directorate of Culture and Arts began his speech valuing their continuation with other directorates activities and then he introduced Professor Afram Issa who arrived from France as a guest saying we have taking the opportunity of Mr. Issa being in his origin country for the second time to present to us this valuable lecture which he had chosen an important subject for it (The Civilization of Mesopotamia).

In his turn professor Issa thanked the efforts of the Directorate General Specially that related to translation and publishing his book (Epic of Tigris and Euphrates) into Syriac mentioning that it was his first book that was translated into Syriac and how it would be welcomed among educated people in France because of their love to the Syriac language. About the contents of the lecture Mr. Issa said: the civilization of the Rafidian Valley needs no explanation. As any other civilization based on seven bases that begins with civilization which without there is no culture and a state and its laws, then trades such as farming, commerce and others until we come to writing, trade and industry and finally the geographic site. This site which considered of the specifications of the country between the two rivers as being a civilization that grew and flourished between the Tigris and the Euphrates.

As for the specifications of the Rafidain valley civilization he indicated that it is the innovative civilization since its beginning and growing up. It has invented writing the first human revolution, industry of china and glass and it was a creative element in the field of science and mathematics.

The Mesopotamian man was able to discover some of the branches of the universe like the stars and connect them with daily life as knowing the seasons. The Mesopotamian man was the first to divide time into day and night, then into hours, minutes and seconds. He was also interested in music, art, singing, sculpture and painting till he approached law. The Hammurabi law which is written on the obelisk is a witness of that interest. He was also interested in heritage and nature. The library of Ashur Panibal contained more than fifty thousand clay tablets.

He explained that there is privacy the culture of Mesopotamia was distinguished by and was not found in other cultures and that was its openness to the peoples and nations surrounding it such as Hethies, Kishies and Medies, to the contrary of other civilizations in the area which were closed. It exported writing, knowledge and exported their languages and gods and it didn’t despise any religion. Because of that richness the area witnessed many occupations through its civilized history.

Finally, the audience participated in several valuable interpositions through which they enriched the lecture with their questions which were answered by Professor Issa in details and broad heart.

It is worth mentioning that Mr.Efram Issa was born in 1944. He studied in his village then moved to Mosul to study at Dominican’s Seminars. He travelled to France in 1974 where he completed his study at Niece University specialized in philosophy and ancient civilizations. He obtained his Ph.D. there in 1980 and obtained another degree in philosophy. He had lectured since 1995 in several French Universities and today he works as a chief editor of the middle East Department at La Martan Publishing House.

He wrote many books in French:

– The Aroma of Childhood. A literary book that tells beautiful stories and events in Sanat village north of Zako.

– Times in Mesopotania.

– Mesopotamia the paradise of the old times.

– Syriac Translators and philosophers.

– Epic of Tigris and Euphrates.

– Syriac History writers.

– History of the Country between the Two rivers.

– Crusades as told by Syriac history writers and others. Some of them were translated into Arabic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.syriacculture.org/en/EnAkhbarDetails.php?recordID=154