From Ugarit to Berlin: A Syrian’s Journey of Rediscovering Writing at the Pergamon

“When I was a kid, I explored the ancient ruins of Ugarit in Syria, where the first alphabet was born. I was full of wonder and joy, jumping over the stones that witnessed the dawn of writing. Little did I know that years later, my fingers would be jumping over a keyboard, tapping the keys that carry the legacy of writing, after visiting the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, where the Ugaritic script is displayed. This experience made me reflect on the connections and contrasts between the past and the present, the physical and the digital, the collective memory and the personal experience, the national identity and the lost spirit…”

 This summer, I visited Berlin, the capital of Germany and one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in Europe. A city of contrasts: modern and ancient, diverse and unified, vibrant and peaceful. But nothing captivated me more than the Pergamon Museum, where I discovered the treasures of my heritage and the dilemma of my identity.

I decided to follow the advice of my Berliner’s friends and visit the Pergamon Museum,one of the most famous and impressive museums in the world,before it closes its gates for renovation for 14 years, starting from November 2023, as part of the Master Plan Museumsinsel, a project to modernize and restore the museums on the Museum Island in Berlin. As many of the artifacts will be moved or changed, and some of them might not be accessible to the public for a long time, so I was fortunate to see them in their original setting and to appreciate their beauty and significance. This made my experience more significant and memorable, as I witnessed a part of history that will soon be transformed.

The Pergamon Museum is named after the ancient city of Pergamon, central Turkey nowadays, which was a major cultural and intellectual center in the Hellenistic period. The museum houses the reconstructed Pergamon Altar, a monumental structure considered one of the masterpieces of Hellenistic art that was dedicated to Zeus and Athena.

The Pergamon houses three collections: the Antikensammlung, the Vorderasiatisches Museum and the Museum für Islamische Kunst. These collections display ancient artifacts from Syria, Greece, Rome, Babylon, Persia, Egypt and other civilizations that shaped the history and culture of humanity. The museum also features a 360°-panorama of the ancient city of Pergamon by Yadegar Asisi, a contemporary artist who recreates historical scenes with stunning realism.

I was eager to see the famous Ishtar Gate, the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate from Miletus, and the Mshatta Facade from Jordan. These are not just ordinary gates, but entrances to history, a collective remembrance and humanity experiences; revealing stories and secrets of ancient civilizations that influenced our world and our identity.

As I entered the museum, I was amazed by the scale and splendor of the Pergamon Altar, which dominates the main hall. I felt like I was transported to another time and place, where I could witness the glory and power of ancient civilizations. I marveled at the intricate details and expressions of the sculptures, which conveyed a sense of drama and emotion.

As a Syrian, I was especially interested in the Vorderasiatisches Museum, which is the German nomination for  “Museum of the Front Asian”, an old-fashioned term for the Near East or Western Asia. The Vorderasiatischesis aninspiring museum that showcases the artifacts and treasures of the ancient Near East, and exhibits objects from Mesopotamia, Syria and Anatolia.

One of the most overwhelming moments of my visit was when I entered the Vorderasiatisches through the Ishtar Gate, which was like stepping into another world. The gate is a monumental entrance to the city of Babylon, decorated with glazed bricks depicting lions, bulls and dragons. The gate was built by King Nebuchadnezzar II in the 6th century BC and was excavated by German archaeologists in the early 20th century.

I was impressed by how organized and meticulous the Babylonians were in their construction and design, paying attention to every detail to create a masterpiece that still astonishes us today.The gates’ bricks were numbered to keep track of their positions on the gate; which made the gate reconstruction in the museum easier for the archaeologists, who used the original bricks and followed their original numbering system.

I was awestruck by the size and beauty of the gate, which towered over me and dazzled me with its blue color and intricate designs, having a surge of pride and admiration for my ancestors, who created such a magnificent and majestic monument. I suddenly had a sense of wonder and curiosity, as I imagined how it must have looked like in its original location, surrounded by the walls and buildings of Babylon.

I looked around and saw the faces of other visitors, who were also staring at the gate with astonishment and awe. I wondered what they were thinking and feeling, as they witnessed this exceptional artifact from my homeland. If they knew about its history and significance, or if they were just admiring its aesthetic appeal. I was there in the middle of a great civilization and in the middle of nowhere, trying to make connections with the people around me, trying to figure out who I am.

I was surrounded by so many relics from Syria, such as statues, reliefs, seals, jewelry and pottery, as if trapped in a history tube, as Alice was trapped in wonderland. I was amazed by the wonders around me, yet not really belonging, feeling conflicting emotions about my identity. I saw the cuneiform tablets from Mari, a powerful city-state that flourished in the 3rd millennium BC along the Euphrates River. Mari was known for its sophisticated art and architecture, as well as its extensive archives of cuneiform tablets that reveal much about the politics, economy, religion and society of that time.

I have always been fascinated by the history and culture of my homeland, Syria, where the invention of writing took place thousands of years ago. As a child, I visited Ugarit, an ancient city on the Mediterranean coast, where the first alphabetic cuneiform script was discovered in 1928. I jumped over the ruins with all the enthusiasm of a vivid child discovering life, unaware that I was standing on the birthplace of a revolutionary system of communication that would change the world.

The Ugaritic script consisted of 30 cuneiform characters that represented consonants and vowels, unlike the earlier cuneiform scripts that were used for languages such as Sumerian, Akkadian and Hurrian. The Ugaritic script was adapted from the Mesopotamian cuneiform technique, but it was also influenced by the linear North Semitic alphabet, which gave rise to the Phoenician, Hebrew, Greek and Latin alphabets.

The Ugaritic alphabet system was not only one of the earliest, but also one of the most elaborated and well documented of the process of inventing writing. The Ugaritic scribes left behind many clues about how they developed and used their writing system, such as the abecedaries, the bilingual texts, the glossaries and the grammatical treatises. They also wrote about various topics, such as mythology, literature, religion, law, administration and diplomacy. The Ugaritic alphabet system was a monumental achievement that enabled the expression and transmission of complex ideas and information. Without it, I could not now write these words, nor could you read them.

As I moved from one exhibit to another, I realized how much writing has evolved over time and space, from clay tablets to keyboards, from physical to digital. I also realized how writing has shaped our history and identity, as well as our connection with other cultures and civilizations. Writing is not only a tool for recording information, but also a symbol of expression and creativity. Writing is a gift that we inherited from our ancestors and that we should cherish and preserve for future generations.

Visiting the Vorderasiatisches Museum in Berlin was an emotional journey for me. It was a chance to see the artifacts and treasures of the ancient civilizations that I belong to, but also a reminder of the tragic fate of my homeland, Syria.

A mix of pride and sadness filled me as I walked through the museum. Pride for being a descendant of those great cultures that contributed so much to human knowledge and culture. Sadness for seeing these artifacts not in their original place, but in a foreign country that took them away from their homeland. A connection to my roots and my heritage was felt, but also frustration and helplessness that nothing could be done to change this situation.

On my way out, undergoing those conflicting emotions, I wondered how many Syrians today are aware of their ancient history and culture, or have access to these artifacts or even to their replicas? How many Syrians today care about their heritage or even about their present?

I left the museum with a heavy heart but also with a hopeful spirit. I wanted to share my experience and my feelings with others. I wanted to raise awareness and appreciation for the rich and diverse history and culture of Syria. I wanted to inspire others to learn more and to do more for their country.

Syria is more than war and violence, more than pain and suffering, more than politics and religion. Syria is civilization and culture, beauty and diversity, history and future. Syria is me and me is Syria.

Lama Alhassanieh