ISAC Lecture with Dr. James Burgin

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures hosts Dr. James Burgin for a talk reexamining the origins of Hittite historical writing and its relationship to Syro-Mesopotamian traditions. Burgin argues that early Anatolian historical texts contain more concentrated narration than contemporary Mesopotamian inscriptions, without evidence of direct textual borrowing—suggesting instead that shared political and cultural contact shaped both traditions. The lecture takes place Wednesday, November 4, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in Breasted Hall. Burgin, a University of Chicago PhD who spent the past decade on research projects in Germany, returned to Chicago in 2025.