Clay writing tablet from Mesopotamia

Mesopotamian Archaeology
RAMM’s collection of archaeology from Mesopotamia is small but contains some fascinating objects. These include a marble inscription from the royal site at Nineveh, the world’s earliest form of writing is preserved on our cuneiform tablets, and cylinder seals show images of gods and mythical scenes.
Corkill collection
The museum’s Mesopotamian collection is largely based on the collection of one man, Dr Norman Lace Corkill. He worked as a doctor in Iraq, the Sudan and Saudi Arabia. While in Iraq he met the famous archaeologist Max Mallowan and his wife Agatha Christie, and this meeting developed his interest in archaeology. Dr Corkill gave his collection of Sumerian and Sudanese antiquities to RAMM in 1961.
Explore and research
You can see wonderful objects from this collection in the museum’s Ancient Worlds gallery.
Why not explore this collection online? Delve into Ancient Mesopotamia on our Collections Explorer website.
Are you interested in using our collections for research? We welcome research by students, local history or community groups, and interested individuals. Please contact us if you have an enquiry about this collection, or to make an appointment to visit objects and archives in store.