We are gathered here to remember and re-imagine.
4000 years ago these plans were neatly pressed into the wet clay tablet of a Sumerian architect.
You are invited to build upon this ancient project in your own way and at your own pace.
Some potential inspiration from The Epic of Gilgamesh:
| Let me go free, Gilgamesh, and I will be your servant, you shall be my lord; all the trees of the forest that I tended on the mountain shall be yours. I will cut them down and build you a palace. | O man of Shurrupak, son of Ubara-Tutu; tear down your house and build a boat, abandon possessions and look for life, despise worldly goods and save your soul alive. Tear down your house, I say, and build a boat. | |
| There is no permanence. Do we build a house to stand forever, do we seal a contract to hold for all time? Do brothers divide an inheritance to keep forever, does the flood-time of rivers endure? | ||
| Come, woman, and take me to that holy temple, to the house of Anu and of Ishtar, and to the place where Gilgamesh lords it over the people. | When you enter our house in the fragrance of cedar-wood, threshold and throne will kiss your feet. Kings, rulers, and princes will bow down before you; they shall bring you tribute from the mountains and the plain. | |
| He put out his foot and prevented Gilgamesh from entering the house, so they grappled, holding each other like bulls. | ||
| Urshanabi, climb up on to the wall of Umk, inspect its foundation terrace, and examine well the brickwork; see if it is not of burnt bricks; and did not the seven wise men lay these foundations? | Ninsun went into her room, she put on a dress becoming to her body, she put on jewels to make her breast beautiful, she placed a tiara on her head and her skirts swept the ground. | |
| May you not be able to make a household; and not be able to love a child of your own. |