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The Legend of Ea-Nasir: how a Babylonian businessman became an internet meme

30 January 2023, 5:00 pm–6:00 pm

Survey and photogrammetry image (Image courtesy of Archaeology South-East)

The fourth research seminar in the UCL Institute of Archaeology & Archaeology South-East thematic series on UK Archaeology in 2023 will be given by Gabriel Moshenska on 30 January.

This event is free.

Event Information

Open to

All

Availability

Yes

Cost

Free

Organiser

Prof Andrew Gardner and Louise Rayner

Location

612
Institute of Archaeology
31-34 Gordon Square
London
WC1H 0PY

The Term II thematic seminar series will be concerned with UK Archaeology in 2023. These will be hybrid events, with in-person attendance in Room 612 of the UCL Institute of Archaeology as well as a livestream (and recording) via MSTeams.

Abstract

The Complaint Tablet to Ea-Naṣir was discovered at Ur in the 1920s, and has become known as the world’s oldest customer complaint. In 2015 the Complaint Tablet became a meme, based on popular viral posts on Reddit and tumblr and a surge of international news coverage. Today the Complaint Tablet meme is a hugely popular ‘in-joke’ on tumblr, intermixed with references to popular culture, current affairs, and creative responses including merchandise and fanfic. My analysis of the meme is based on scholarship in memes, fanfic, and the contemporary reception of the ancient near east. 

UCL Institute of Archaeology & Archaeology South-East Research Seminars Programme | Term II, 2022-23

Mondays, 5pm 

[13 February: UCL Reading Week - no seminar]

Series organisers: Andrew Gardner (andrew.gardner@ucl.ac.uk) and Louise Rayner (louise.rayner@ucl.ac.uk).

Non UCL-IoA/ASE participants should contact Jo Dullaghan (j.dullaghan@ucl.ac.uk) to be added to our events list to receive the MSTeams links.