Irving Finkel on Cuneiform and Flood Myths | Lex Fridman

Irving Finkel joins Lex Fridman to talk about ancient languages, cuneiform tablets and the stories they preserve. Their conversation ranges across Mesopotamian civilisation and flood traditions, with Finkel explaining why the details of a damaged piece of clay can matter so much.

Original video: Deciphering Secrets of Ancient Civilizations, Noah's Ark, and Flood Myths | Lex Fridman Podcast #487 — Lex Fridman · 2:05:13 · YouTube upload: 2025-12-12. Video and preview image belong to the original creator.

Why watch this video?

This is a chance to hear a specialist discuss the craft of reading the past. A shared motif between ancient stories can illuminate transmission and cultural relationships without proving that every story records the same historical event. The original episode includes an extensive chapter list and transcript for readers who want to return to particular passages.

Continue exploring: Megalithic Sites Map: 10,000+ Records Around the World.