The ancient Mesopotamian music (tonal) system was first interpreted as ascending (Kilmer, Duchesne-Guillemin, Wulstan, Gurney, Thiel and myself). Criticism of the "descending interpretation" (Krispijn, West, and, more recently, Gurney). No argument for this is valid (transformation of original heptatonic and nomenclature, primitive scales, ancient Greece a.o.). Musical-anthropological constants and nomenclature, psychology in the interpretation of notated sources, and the construction of harps all speak for the "ascending" interpretation. Question of Guerney´s new reading...
The author presents the hypothesis that increasing reflexivity was a major force behind social and political change in ancient Mesopotamia. As far as individuality, self, and identity are concerned, reflexivity was of foremost importance, therefore, a history of Mesopotamian reflexivity is certainly desirable and promising.
This paper deals with the history of knowledge based on lexical lists dated to the second half of the 2nd millennium B.C.E. It emphasizes the importance of lexical lists as part of the education program in scriber schools. The article is an expanded version of an inaugural lecture delivered in 2004.