Ancient Assyrians Alive!
Dr Bhaskar Dasgupta
I nearly fell out of my chair when I stumbled over a tiny piece of news about the fact that August 7th has been declared as the Memorial Day for Assyrian Martyrs. Assyrians? Surely somebody is pulling my leg or its April fool’s day. Assyrians as a people died out millennia ago, and for a press release coming out commemorating August 7th as Martyr’s day for them sounded a total joke to me. After I had managed to drag my carcass up from the floor, collected my jaw and settle down my oculars, I went digging into this strange and interesting news-story which I thought I would share with you dear readers. Here is what I found out.
There are approximately 1.8 million Assyrians scattered around the globe, but mainly in Iraq, USA and Syria. Previously inhabiting a swathe of territory ranging from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and bits of the Caucuses, genocide and ethnic cleansing meant that a lot of them have emigrated to other countries. The link to the ancient Assyrians seems to be a bit weak and not very clear, but I suppose it is very difficult to establish it either way, even with DNA testing. What is interesting is that these modern day Assyrians have a different culture, language and religion to their Iraqi, Kurdish, Iranian and Syrian neighbours.
The language spoken by the Assyrians is Aramaic. If one is a movie goer or follows the tinsel-town news, one would know that Mel Gibson recently made a film about Jesus and used Aramaic in this film. Historians posit that the language of Jesus and the early Christians was Aramaic. Of course, any language would change over the course of couple of millennia, but it is apparently still heavily related to its roots of ancient Aramaic. The current day language borrows from Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac and Akkadian languages. The religion which they follow is Christianity, and they follow the Chaldean Church of Babylon in Iraq, the Assyrian Church or Chaldean or Assyro-Chaldean Church in Syria, and Church of the East in Iran. There seems to be some confusion but the Syrian Orthodox Church who also consider themselves as Assyrians or Arameans. Be that as it may, these are minor details. There has been much to’ing and fro’ing between the Roman Catholic Church of Rome with some elements of the Church of the East becoming catholic, while others have maintained their own unique church, liturgy and theological aspects.
An interesting aside, the Assyrians literally believe in one passage in the Bible which says, “In that day there shall be a way from Egypt to the Assyrians, and the Assyrian shall enter into Egypt, and the Egyptian to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians shall serve the Assyrian. In that day shall Israel be the third to the Egyptian and the Assyrian: a blessing in the midst of the land, Which the Lord of hosts hath blessed, saying: "Blessed be my people of Egypt, and the work of my hands to the Assyrian: but Israel is my inheritance." (Isaiah 19:23-25).” This has been repeated in many Assyrian websites and mailing lists, it is an article of faith for them. Egypt is their promised land, and between Egypt and Israel, the Assyrians will be the lord and masters. Now the situation in the Middle East is difficult and convoluted enough to attempt to understand without bringing in more complexity like this.
Imagine me writing an alternative history of the region, or a fantasy tract. And then we have these Assyrians coming over the hills (or is that the Golan Heights?) and sweeping the Israeli’s and Egyptian border pickets and armies away, the respective armies melting away, and a new Assyrian state is born in this region. Many have created a state in this area comprising of Israel major and Egypt in the past, such as the Romans, Ottomans, etc. but this one should be good and interesting. It will really set the local politics alight. I wonder what will happen to the various other ‘promised land theories’? Actually, here’s a theological quandary for you, if the God of the Christians, Jews and Muslims is the same, how did he manage to promise the same few kilometres of land to so many different people? And for crying out loud, out of the billions and gazillions of kilometres in the universe and on this earth, why in the name of all that’s holy (no pun intended) did he have to pick those few concentrated kilometres?
But while these Assyrians, at least in this essay, have been portrayed as a single ethnic group, the reality was different in the last century. Even though they share the culture, history, language and religion, they had been fragmented to a large degree over language dialects, religious differences, historical backgrounds, etc., but recently with the rise of internet communications, and use of English as a common external language it is bringing this community together again. What is very impressive is that they have managed to keep an ancient language, Aramaic alive and in common use for such a long time. Think back on other ancient languages such as Latin and Sanskrit, which are unfortunately no longer in common usage.
This group of people have a rather interestingly and well documented history of being persecuted. A website I found notes the first persecution way back to 107 A.D. when the Parthian king Xosroes murdered the second bishop of Arbela (modern Arbil). In 448 A.D., King Yasdegerd II lead the Persians to knock off more than hundred thousand Assyrians in and around Kirkuk in modern day Northern Iraq or Kurdistan. And so on and so forth, being persecuted by the Jews, Muslims, Parthians, Mongols, Kurds, you name it. Between Iran, Iraq and Syria, the Kurds seems to have really got it in for them. And these Assyrians were also part of the group of Maronite Christians in current Lebanon and participated in the civil war which sadly seems to be picking up steam again. But these chaps have really suffered, so much so that they were called as the Martyr’s Church by Pope John Paul II, because no other church has been the unfortunate recipient of concentrated martyrdom, persecution and massacres just for belonging to this religion/church.
This church seems to have grown and it pops up in the most amazing of places. The South Indian church is linked to the Assyrians, where it is known as the Chaldean Syrian Church. Kerala, the southern state, has had long trading links with the Middle East and this is where it’s believed (on very little factual basis mind you) that the Apostle Thomas landed and converted many locals to Christianity. The Portuguese tried to convert these people to Catholicism, but didn’t really manage to do so, but guess what? There seems to be a right royal theological war going on between Catholicism and Syrian Christians in India, with the equivalent of a SWAT team being sent by Antiochene Church in Jerusalem in 1665 to help fight off these pesky Catholics. This church is also present in USA, Australia and New Zealand and in some smaller numbers in Russia and other countries.
When I started to research this and talking to my sister about it, it was almost like being an internet Indiana Jones. Fascinating to dig around and discuss this little nugget of information. But for these Assyrians, life is not that easy. They are dissipated across a vast landscape, persecuted by and in the states in the Middle East where they live, difficult language and communication problems. It will indeed be a shame for this amazing cultural and religious group to die out, but they will have to make extraordinary efforts to create a self identity and grow into a confident part of the greater comity of nations. The Assyrians should take the words of Irena Klepfisz, a famous Jewish poetess and writer to heart. Irena said about her people and language: “Yiddish acted as the cement that bound the Jewish community together on a socialist foundation. What language we spoke was critical. It reflected our identity, our loyalty, our distinctness not only from the gentile environment, but from other Jews as well. The use of Yiddish was an expression not only of love of a language, but of pride in ourselves as a people; it was an acknowledgment of a historical and cultural yerushe, heritage, a link to generations of Jews who came before and to the political activists of Eastern Europe. Above all it was the symbol of resistance to assimilation, an insistence on remaining who we were.”
All this to be taken with a grain of piquant salt!
Ancient Assyrians Alive!
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Gabriel Gabriel
July 29, 2007
06:41 AM
Dr. Bhaskar Dasgupta,‎
I'm a true blue Assyrian and living in Australia. Thank you very much for your article ‎about Ancient Assyrians Alive!. I enjoyed reading it and it was very interesting the way ‎you find out, that Assyrians still exist to these days.
Yes indeed we still do exist and alive and ‎hopefully one day we'll have our country ASSYRIA back like all the other Nations and live in ‎peace with the rest of the World.‎
I wish you all the best in your mission for future articles about the Assyrians if you do ‎intend to write more about us Assyrians.‎
Regards
Gabriel Gabriel
bd
July 29, 2007
07:50 AM
Dear Gabriel
thank you very much for your kind note. And yes, it was indeed quite fascinating to read and research about the Assyrians! :)
cheers
bd
temporal
URL
July 29, 2007
10:44 AM
beady:
Actually, here's a theological quandary for you, if the God of the Christians, Jews and Muslims is the same, how did he manage to promise the same few kilometres of land to so many different people?
:)
you must have heard about the jewish perplexity? why did Moses wander for forty years and decided to settle on the real estate that has no oil?
btw...since god is within us... by last count there were over six billion of them gods:)
Deepa Krishnan
URL
July 29, 2007
12:06 PM
Nice article. Now if only I could figure out at the end of all this, who the Assyrians actually were!
Alen Barsin
July 29, 2007
12:25 PM
Greetings from Chicago Doc,
I guess you've been asleep for the past 2500 years not to have heard of Ashurians/Assyrians:), but I forgive you, it actually comes as a shock to many people who aren't familliar with the history of the near east.
Dr. D. We DO still EXIST, just like the Italians, Greeks, Persians......
The reason WHY many people DON'T know about us is because since the fall of ASSYRIA and BABYLON in 612/500 BC, we've suffered MANY genocides and FORCED ASSIMILATIONS by the invaders, and the Ashurians/Assyrians that miraculously DID survive all these centuries of ETHNIC CLEANSING (in every sense of the word) lost their once great numbers.
With every new occupiers of MAT ASHUR (ASSYRIA) came the system of DE-ASSYRIANIZING the existing indigenous population. The Mongols (11th Century AD) tried to Mongolize us, but when they couldn't, they simply started Massacaring the population before they finally left ASSYRIA for ANATOLIA (Turkey).
The ARABS, with the coming of Islam around 630 AD until today, have been trying to Arabize us in our own natural land (Iraq) since their invasion.
Today, it's the Arabs from Central and South Iraq, and Kurds from the north, ALL FOREIGNERS!, that are STILL trying to Arabize and now, (With America's BLESSING for a "Kurdistan") Kurdify us.
I should mention that we're more than the 1.8 million worldwide, we're really around 4 million, but only divided by church sects, which are Nestorian, Syrian, and Chaldean. We are definately divided, but many of us truely understand that as an ethnicity, we're one, and our REAL name IS ASHURIAN. Assyrian is the Greek corruption of the original name.
We take our name after ASHUR, which simply meant THE ONE WHO CREATES, GOD in other words, so by being ASHURAIEH, we are GOD -LIKE, not to be taken in a negative way. It just meant that the worshipers of ASHUR were Obediant ONLY to ASHUR, and that he was the Supreme GOD.
Many of our kings had the title ASHUR in their names, in honor and belief of the Supreme GOD of MAT ASHUR (LAND OF ASHUR/ASSYRIA/ASHURLAND).
This name, Ashur, along with Sargon, Nimrud, Gilgamesh, Ankidu, BurSin, RumSin and NaRamSin are STILL VERY COMMON names for Ashurians today, this is one of the ways we've been able to maintain our ancient identity untill today. Not an easy task to do when you're the minority in your OWN native land, and you're being hunted down!
We are suffering a worse plight today than ever before, because now, we have a select few Traitor Ashurians trying to deny our own heritage and distorting the truth about our people! It is very sad because we've had and have ENOUGH enemies doing this to us, and now they're being helped by some of our own!
I'll say this in closing however, if there's one Attribute this nation of ASHUR is VERY WELL KNOWN FOR, it's our RESILIENCE! WE WILL SURVIVE EVEN THROUGH THIS HELL!
Push B'Sheina (Stay in Peace),
Alen Barsin
Aaman
URL
July 29, 2007
12:35 PM
While I know India had Assyrian rulers for a while, I wonder if the 'Asuras' are related etymologically to the Assyrians. I believe they were a stereotype/stand-in for the aboriginals in the 'Aryan' battle myths, but I could be wrong.
dutch assyrian
URL
July 29, 2007
12:58 PM
another assyrian over here!!
im from holland and we have 15.000 assyrians living over here.
if you need or want more information about assyrians, search the internet and you will find.
people often refer assyrians only as christians and beacause of that nobody knows our nationality. ASSYRIAN
bd
July 29, 2007
01:02 PM
T
i used to have the same quandary but it got very quickly resolved. The God is not the same God at all. The Jews arent sure who he is, the christians have his son as an additional divinity while the muslims have a totally different God. Plus I have a good solution to all this mess, I can offer up Ganesh to all of them, Yahweh, Allah and God/Christ seem to have mucked it up right royally all over the place, all the time. I mean, so we fire him/the 3, and then replace him with new management! :)
bd
July 29, 2007
01:04 PM
Dont know what's happening to the comments, but can one of the kind editors please delete some of the superfluous ones please?
Deepa, well, i am very pleasantly surprised myself, my only regret is that i dont or haven't managed to speak to anybody 1-2-1 to know more about the genocide and history of this ancient Christian minority.
bd
July 29, 2007
01:08 PM
Aaman #6, here's an email which I got. No comments :))
Bhaskarji,
When you are in the topic of Assyrians and Aramaic, let me go a little
backwards towards Hindu Mythology describing these areas.
Sage Kashyapa was the originator of Asura-s, the Gothra or Y-Chromosomes still
mentioned among the population belonging to Kashyapa Gothra. It appears he was
controlling the Asura population in the Iraq/ Iran region known as Assyria
earlier, perhaps spread westwards too, and a part of the population in India
south of Narmada/ Saraswathi Rivers.
Then comes the land of Gandhaari or Gandharva-s, belonging to present
Afghanistan/ Baluchistan region and there was no marriage customs among
Gandharva-s and reproduction was a natural process among couples desiring each
other and "Gaandharva Vivaha" was the term applied even to Shakuntala and
Dushyanta when they had met in the forest and Shakuntala conceived.
Thirdly, Indra and Deva-s were the occupants of the Kashmir down to the
Gangetic plains with their knowledge of Veda-s and highly advanced civilisation.
Asura-s had also spread to India in the Western parts in Gujarat down to
South. Bhagavatham describes the fight between Deva-s and Asura-s on the banks
of Saraswathi and later on either side of Narmada during Vamana Avatar.
Mahabali the Asura King was a very strong ruler having won all wars. (Asura-s
are supposed to be physically stronger than Deva-s and their help was requested
by Deva-s for "Palazhimadhanam" or Churning of the milk ocean, Deva-s on one
side and Asura-s on other). This is a separate story.
Sage Sukracharya, the Supreme Guru/Acharya of Asura-s was leading the "Yaga"
conducted to celebrate the victory of Mahabali on all forces, on the banks of
Narmada, when Vamana appeared asking for three steps of land for him to be
buried on his death and Mahabali agrees but warned by Sukracharya, who by his
inner powers, recognised Mahavishnu in the incarnation of Vamana- small Brahmin
Boy- in front of them. The rest is story how Mahabali was given Moksha and would
be born as the next Manu of Human Generations.
Assyrians are really the Asura population and it is said the Kurds are ethnic
Asura-s Assyrians having their own Aramaic language and continuing some of the
ancient traditions of the Assyrians, and Jesus too was a part of Assyrian blood-
perhaps Mary belonged to Assyrians and Joseph to the Essenes/ Nazarenes in
ethnicity.
These are interesting topics with great potential for research by one who
knows Sanskrit, Brahmi and ancients scripts like pali..etc.
bd
July 29, 2007
01:10 PM
Dear Alen and Dutch, thank you for your comments. Yes, it was quite an interesting time, one lives and learns about these nooks and crannies of human history. But to me, it was particularly poignant, that the Assyrians, heirs to a proud tradition, have been treated as such!
tragic!
see the referenced book! same with the kurds
Alen Barsin
July 29, 2007
01:19 PM
I don't think that the Ashurians ever ruled India, but I'm sure we traded, because along with being the world's first Civilization and Empire, the ancient Ashurians ALWAYS were great traders.
I know the Persians ruled India in their short-lived Empire, right after the fall of ASSYRIA. They did however ABSORB and Protect the ASHURIAN way of life by worshipping the same Gods, although re-naming them. To the Persians, Ashur became known as Ahura Mazda, but looked pretty much the same in appearance as the original Ashurian Symbol.
They even applied the term SHAH for their rulers, a term barrowed from the Ashurian SHARU. They still use this term today.
They also applied very simmiliar art methods, as the Ashurians have for millenia before.
For the most part, Ashurians lived well under Persian Rule, but it's aslo worth noting that the Ashurians who weren't happy with their age-old enemies as their rulers, sided with the Greeks during the Greco-Persian Wars. Many Ashurians ended up killing each other during these wars.
The Irony is that this was repeated again during the IRAN-IRAQ WAR. On both sides, Ashurians were sent to the front lines. There are some Ashurians I know that attest to this, as they were in the war, one of them is my own relative.
B'Shiena (In Peace)
Alen Barsin
Alen Barsin
July 29, 2007
01:43 PM
Hello Dutch Ashurian,
And to the Doc. and everybody here,
I'm pleased to have stumbled on DR. D's Article about The Assyrians, and I like this site. I usually post on these Ashurian sites: speakassyria.com and bethsuryoyo.com
These are great forums to gain more knowledge on all things Ashurian, for those who are interested.
As far as the ASURAS, I should mention that the Armenians call us ASORI, and so do the Persians. Arabs call us ASHUREE'EN, and Greeks call us SYRIANOS. We call ourselves: ASHURAIE, SURAIE, ATURAIE, ATHURAIE, TURAIE, ARAMAIE, SURYOYE and OTHOROYE.
I know, WHAT THE F%$K?! But it's true, it all depends on where EXACTLY you're from. But ALL these names are derived from ASHUR, and this is the most ancient and original of all the names we have. I should note that in modern day Syria, the ancient Ashurians called themselves ASURIAU, today we'd say ASURAIE, you can easily see the resemblance.
It is interesting though the simmilarities of our name with the Hindu Legends of the Asuras. Very interesting! I'll be back later guys.
B'Sheina (In Peace)
Alen Barsin
Nasrani Syrian Christians
URL
July 30, 2007
06:06 PM
Glad to see this article.It might be interesting for you to know that 60 % of Syrian Chrisitans still celebrate the Holy Qurbana of Addai and Mari.Till 1961 their liturgy language was Syriac.Today once in a while Syriac Qurbana is celbrated in all churches.
vivian shabilla
August 1, 2007
01:02 AM
WE ARE ALIVE AND WE ARE NOW CELEBRATING THE 74TH ANNUAL ASSYRIAN AMERICAN NATIONAL FEDRATION CONVENTION IN AMERICA'S FINEST CITY IN SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA U.S.A. AUGUST 30 TO SEPTEMBER 3 ,FOR MORE INFO LOG ON TO WWW.AANF.ORG YOURS TRULY THE LOCAL CHAIRWOMAN FOR THE CONVENTION
Ruvy in Jerusalem
August 1, 2007
08:18 AM
I found this article most interesting, along with the commenters and their comments. I went to the Speak Assyrian site and found an alphabet there, an alphabet which I presume is used for the spoken Aramaic used by Assyrians. I tried to learn more about this alphabet (my sons have some knowledge of Aramaic) but could find no further information...
Any thoughts as to where to go?
Emil Soleyman
URL
August 1, 2007
01:49 PM
To Ruvy:
Please direct your browser to http://www.assyrianlanguage.com and you will be rewarded with a plethora of information regarding the Assyrian language
Ruvy in Jerusalem
August 1, 2007
06:51 PM
Emil,
I went to the web-site you suggested and have seen the immense similarities between Hebrew and Aramaic. This has been most interesting. Many of our religious works are written in Aramaic so we also learn it - though the form we learn is influenced by Hebrew.
Thank you very much!!
Sanharib
August 2, 2007
09:37 AM
Shlama'lokhen, I'm from Germany and I'm Assyrian too.
Thank you so much for this Article Doctor Dasgupta.
Yes we are still alive. Another proof is that we have the most Assyrians worldwide in MOSUL (Ancient Ninive = CAPITAL OF ANCIENT ASSYRIA)
Look at the map:
http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/6185/unbenanntvq4uk2.jpg
Pushen Pshena
Sanharib
bd
August 2, 2007
01:10 PM
Sanharib
thank you for your kind comments and I will definitey check out the website! much appeciated
sincerely
bd
Ruvy in Jerusalem
August 3, 2007
06:01 AM
Shalóm 'Aléikhem!
I just wanted to mention once more how immensely impressed I am by the website put together explaining Assyrian Aramaic. I never studied Aramaic myself, only Hebrew, but from my knowledge as a Hebrew speaker, and from certain prayers in the Jewish liturgy that are in Aramaic, I've been able to decipher much of Assyrian Aramaic that I see. It is indeed a pleasure to see a sister language to Hebrew.
The question that I toss out to anyone capable of giving an answer is this: to what degree is Aramaic a spoken language that one uses, say to make a grocery list to buy food, and to what degree is it a liturgical language, the knowledge of which is essential for religious purposes of study and prayer?
Hebrew has moved from being only a liturgical language to one that one writes up grocery lists or receiving bank statements in. It has remained the liturgical language of my people, but it is now the language of the land, a living tongue in the mouths of little children.
B'vrakhá,
Reuvén
Alen Barsin
August 4, 2007
02:33 PM
Dear Ruvi,
I'm glad to see you're interested in the Ashurian/Aramaic language, but you stated that Ashurian/Aramaic is a "Sister" language of Hebrew. That is Incorrect, it's really the OTHER way around, YOUR script was barrowed from the Aramaic, because it was the Arameans (Highlanders, in Ashurian) who took the original Sumerian Script that consisted of over 600 letters/symbols, and brought them down to 22.
This was a Major accomplishment, and was adopted, and later enforced, by the Ruling Ashurian Empire, thus replacing the ancient Ashurian/Akkadian/Sumerian Cuneifrom writing.
Because civillization began in (MAT-ASHUR), Land of Ashur, all neighboring lands and kingdoms were civillized in the Ashurian way of life, be it Linguistic, Academic and Cultural.
Note: The language we speak today, is a fusion of Akkadian & Aramean, with some noteable Sumerian influence, but by all means Ashurian.
Push B'Sheina, (Stay in peace)
Alen Barsin
Ruvy in Jerusalem
August 4, 2007
08:15 PM
Alen,
Shavúa Tov (have a good week),
There are enough problems with Semitic word roots to give anyone pause when he wishes to argue who is first and what language was originally spoken by our Semitic ancestors three or four millennia ago. Because I am not a bona fide linguistics scholar with a doctorate in Semitic languages, I generally tend to keep my mouth shut as opposed to making assertions, and I continue that policy here.
I'll make a few observations though, ones which do not seek to establish seniority for any of the Semitic languages. I'm not looking for arguments here.
First of all, Avraham, the first Hebrew, was probably a Sumerian prince. At the very least, he was from the upper classes of Sumerian society. The skills one sees in the stories related to us in the Torah - a man who can be a diplomat, a military leader capable of commanding a very fast cavalry force, as well as a spiritual leader, indicate a man of refined education. The name of his wife, Sarah (princess), and of his sister-in-law, Milka (queen), give further hints to his high born status.
Did he use the 22 letter script of the Ashurim or that of the ancient Sumer "black haired ones"? I have no idea, and could not even begin to guess. The only thing I can state with certainty is that the Torah uses a 22 letter script and is written in Hebrew.
The Semitic alphabet that seems to reflect the structure of the Semitic roots best is neither the Aramaic alphabet found at Welcome to the Assyrian Language, or the Hebrew one I learned as a child. The Arabic alphabet, the youngest of the bunch, appears to retain the appropriate number of sounds - about 33.
For example; ancient Hebrew distinguished between an 'áyin and a gháyin, something which the modern Assyrian alphabet continues to do in modifying the letter 'áyin. This has been lost in modern Hebrew. But in Arabic, there are two separate letters, 'áyin and gháyin. Similarly, ancient Hebrew had a dálet and a dhálet, something which one sees in Assyrian Aramaic in the one letter dalath and how it is modified, but which we see again in Arabic in two separate letters.
This is not to suggest that either Hebrew or Aramaic speakers ought to abandon their own ancestral alphabets - it merely suggests that we give the Arabs their due in having improved upon our respective alphabets.
In addition, we see that in modern Hebrew, the vav has moved away from its original 'w' sound that is yet found in Aramaic, and that the "th" sound used with the letter taf, maintained in Aramaic and lost in modern Hebrew, indicates that Hebrew has evolved further from the original Semitic tongue than has Aramaic, at least so far as pronunciation goes.
The geologic record indicates that the Sumer preceded both the Ashurim (Hebrew for Assyrians) or the Ivri'im (Hebrew for Hebrews), and that the Rabbinic calendar we use today is a modified version of ancient Sumer lunar-solar calendar adapted by the Babylonians.
My own suspicion is that Avraham used this Sumer calendar originally, but that it was supplanted by a solar calendar (called by some, the Calendar of Jubilees) which seems to be referred to in the Torah in describing mo'adím - holidays and festivals. This Calendar of Jubilees was slowly abandoned by Jews after the Babylonian exile, but hints of its continued vestigial use appear in the Christian scriptures.
Nevertheless, when one looks at history through the lenses of the Rabbinic calendar, it appears that one gains the most sense of meaning - at least for us as Jews.
As I pointed out earlier, there are enough problems with the Semitic word roots to cast considerable doubt on whose tongue is the prior or the latter one to have developed. And this is an argument in which I am not prepared to engage.
But there remains a great deal we can learn from each other while agreeing to disagree. Let there only be peace and amity between us.
B'vrakhá (in blessing),
Reuvén
Aaman
URL
August 5, 2007
01:05 AM
Ruvy, perhaps you could intiate an article/discussion on the role of Semitic languages in history - culture, society, etc. are driven more by language (its understanding and miunderstanding) than many other factors, IMHO
Alen Barsin
August 6, 2007
05:22 AM
Dear Ruvy,
First of all, Ashurians are NOT "Semetic", and neither is our language. It is impossible for Ashurians to either be Semites or speak a "Semetic" language. I'll tell you why:
If we're to believe in this Mythological person ("Shem") of the Old Testament, which I, and many Ashurians and Non-Ashurians do not, then we must consider his age and how it corresponds with the ancient Ashurians. If you research "Shem's" birthday, you'll find that he was born between, 2300-2400 BC., if he ever existed!
We, as Ashurians, have a history of over 6700 years. In our (Ashurian) calendar, the year is 6757. It doesn't take a genious to figure out the 2500+ years of PRE-SEMITIC EXISTENCE on this earth and in Ashurland (MAT ASHUR). Now, were those ancient Ashurians, who predate "Shem" by over 2500 years, "Semetic" also, is that possible, or did they all miraculously just drop dead when "Shem" was born?
Now I know you're going to mention "The Flood". Here's the reality Ruvy, and don't take this personal, Jews ALWAYS try to Hebrewfy things to suit their interests! It was no differen't in ancient times either, and I'm sure this was their natural reaction to the suffering they encountered under differen't nations.
Everyone, with half a brain, knows now that the stories of the Bible's Old testament were copied from Ashurian & Sumerian originals, which are older by over 1500+years. The one with the flood, was originaly the story of UTNAPISHTIM, research the name for yourself. The story of Baby Moses found flowing in a basket on a river?, try SARGON OF AKKAD. Abrahim coming frum UR?, where's the evidence? Why didn't the Sumerians/Ashurians/Babylonians record these famous people, they recorded everything else!
Through Archaeology, all these Ashurian stories have been proven by deciphering the ancient Cuneiform writings, where's the hard evidence of Noah, Moses, Abrahim and Shem? All we have is a book that retells stories of OTHER people in a Hebrewfied way, with Hebrew names.
Regarding the seniority of languages or writing, do you even doubt that Civilization itself began in Southern Ashurland/Sumer? It only makes sense that language, or the spread of a Civilized language, and writing would originate there as well, and later spread to other kingdoms, that's why you have simmilarites to Ashurian in other languages.
We don't have to be Scholars or Linguisitc experts to know this, just visit the British Museum, or Chicago's Oriental Museum, or just read some books by Sir Austen Henry Layard.
I know that Scholars use this "Semetic" term to categorize some languages into a family. The term itself was invented by Ludwig Schlözer, in 1781, and people just would rather accept it than to challenge it, just to avoid re-writing the history books and Encyclopedias. I should mention that the term "Afro Asiatic" is also used interchangebly with "Semetic" nowadays.
Once again Ruvy, no offense intended, but Jews ONLY do things that benefit them first, even if it means distorting other people's history, like they're doing now in Iraq (Ashurland) to the Ashurians.
They are responsible for what's about to be "kurdistan" in Ashur's Land. Your people are telling the kurds that you are related to Jews, and that's why it's dangerous for Ashurians to stay in Ashur's Land but safe for jews to move in and buy real estate. If you don't believe me, then you might believe your own people at this jewish website which has a story about the Jewish-Kurdish connection, posted in 2003:
www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/20133/edition_id/410/format/html/displaystory.html
It's not your people I despise my friend, it's your Nation's Political agenda!
B'Shiena (In Peace)
Alen Barsin
Ruvy in Jerusalem
August 6, 2007
02:02 PM
Dear Alen,
"Because I am not a bona fide linguistics scholar with a doctorate in Semitic languages, I generally tend to keep my mouth shut as opposed to making assertions, and I continue that policy here.
I'll make a few observations though, ones which do not seek to establish seniority for any of the Semitic languages. I'm not looking for arguments here."
I guess no good deed goes unpunished, does it?
I have no arguments with you, Alen. You have arguments with me... And I am not enough of a scholar in the field - either linguistics or paleo-archaeology - to pursue arguing with you intelligently.
But I will point out a few things that I do know as a Jew who knows about his religion better than you do, or than you think you do.
As far as the Kabbala and our Sages are concerned, the universe is about 15 billion years old - a conclusion reached long before cosmologists figured that out (there are a number of rabbis who have influence all out of proportion to their understanding who reject this, but their influence will grow - and in the terrible times ahead, their influence will disappear altogether).
In addition, the essential claim of the Kabbala is G-d created th universe using the Torah. This means that the Torah predates the universe and that it is something quite other than what it appears to be on the surface.
There is conflicting archaelogical evidence as for the actual date of the Flood mentioned in the Torah. Some evidence places it has having taken place 13,000 years ago. Some evidence has it having taken place a lot later in time. Im addition, it is distinctly possible that more than one massive flood afflicted this part of the world, and that the one described in the Torah took place several generations before Avrahám lived.
Apparently there is archaeological evidence establishing the existence of Avrahám - a stone mentioning "Uvrumu v'TeraHu" Avraham v'TeraH.
There are remains of an ancient Ark on Ararat, but the Turks are forbidding access to it - apparently, Moslem tradition dictates that the Ark landed on a mountain other than Ararat...
It is no surprise that there are stories similar to the Torah all over the Middle East - do note that I did not say "myths" or "legends" - if one looks at the Torah as a key tying the stories together, one can come up with a coherent picture of what occurred here in the mists of the past.
As to the historic existence of "Shem," I strongly suspect that this is mirrored in the other Flood stories, and in others that are seemingly unrelated, talking about the castration of a god.
But I'd have to do more research to nail that down.
B'vrakhá,
Reuven
Ruvy in Jerusalem
August 6, 2007
03:14 PM
Dear Alen,
I will of course read your reference to what is going on in Mesopotamia. But please try to remember that I do not necessarily agree with what the idiots in the "government" in Jerusalem do. In fact, most of them are traitors to whom morality and honesty are complete strangers.
B'vrakhá,
Reuven
Alen Barsin
August 7, 2007
03:52 AM
Shlama Ruvi,
I have no argument with YOU personally, I already clarified that in my previous post at the end. I have no doubt that in every Race/Ethnicity, there are Losers and there are Decent people.
The reality is that politics and media, atleast in America, is controlled and dominated by Jews! These Jews have their own agenda, and one of those agendas is the indirect or direct domination of control in Ashurland (Iraq). You may ask why? Well, what other reason besides the rich Oil Fields?
I'm sure they have other reasons for being there, but Oil seems to be the most obvious at this time. How can they access this oil you might say?, that's where the kurds come in!
In Democracy, Majority Rules right? Guess who's the "Majority" in North Ashurland (Iraq)?, you guessed it, kurds! This is why America is dividing the country into three sects: Arab Suni, Arab Shia, and "kurdistan"! Where do the Indeginous Ashurians fit in?
Simple, WE DON'T! And this is how they want it! Ashurians, Armenians and Greeks suffered the 20th Century's FIRST Holocaust during WWI, does anybody in America know this? NO!
It's not in America's interest, or for that matter, Jews and kurds!
The kurds and turks were responsible for the deaths of over 750,000 Ashurians, 1.4 Million Armenians and 300,000 Greeks in Anatolia (Turkey) from the years 1914-1918, and America is making a "kurdistan" for our Butchers, with Coaching and Investings of Jews! This is the reality my friend! While my people are fleeing Ashurland to save their lives and their childrens', Jews are moving in and purchasing those lands for Dirt-Cheap!
Since we Ousted Saddam (2003), over 400,000 Ashurians have fled their natural homeland, while America watched! And they're still fleeing, while America watches, and Jews scoop up our lands! What's wrong with this picture?
Look what the Jews have done to Lebanon, they've turned a once beautiful place into Rubble! Talk about Killing a fly with a Cannon! Sure, there's a serious Terrorist problem we have in the world today, but you gotta admit, as Christians and Jews, we've only given them more reason to carry on!
Honestly, I feel we're Extreemly near the end of days for humanity, because things are getting worse faster than you and I can type! If the God we know exists, he exists only in Heaven, because the Devil is the True God down here!
As for "Semetic" this and "Hemetic" that, it's all a silly fairytale to me, but you believe what you want my friend. I'll tell you this much, the name ADAMU was found in the Ancient Ashurian Kings List: www.aina.org/aol/kinglist
In my personal belief, we are all ONE RACE, ADAMITES, with many different cultures and languages. Just imagine if we ALL felt this way.
All I want is to see my people living safely in their own Father's Land, just like every other nation! I guess I'm asking for too much!
B'Sheina Ou' Khaduta (Peace and happiness),
Alen Barsin
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