THE FIRST GHOSTS
A hauntingly good examination of ancient Mesopotamia’s belief in all things spooky
Everybody loves a good old-fashioned ghost story. Be it seasonal classics such as Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol or famous chillers such as Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw, or more modern frights like Stephen King’s The Shining, ghosts have obsessed us for generations. But when did this obsession with wandering spirits begin? How long has it been with us? In short, what were the ‘first ghosts?’ This is the question that Dr Irving Finkel seeks to answer in his book of the same name, examining the belief in spirits held by ancient Mesopotamian cultures and comparing them to our own fascination with ghosts.
A respected Assyriologist, Finkel is senior assistant keeper of the British Museum’s cuneiform archives and a specialist in the history of cuneiform. He uses these tablets to build up a picture of the ancient world’s beliefs surrounding ghosts, and it’s a picture that he paints in an engaging and snappy way.
Admittedly, Ancient Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian cultures are not areas of history that this reviewer can claim to have any in-depth knowledge of and we were concerned that it might require some frequent googling. Fortunately, we couldn’t have been more wrong. Finkel provides the reader with the necessary background without being patronising or giving the impression of having overly simplified things. This is a book that can be enjoyed by the academic but which is aimed at the enthusiast, no doubt because so many of us seem to be obsessed with ghosts.
Additionally, Finkel avoids overly long or irrelevant tangents and the book that results is concise, taut and accessible. While the odd diversion can be engaging and informative, in our opinion modern popular history writers can sometimes suffer from a lack of focus. Finkel’s success lies in keeping his subject matter in sharp focus and elegantly breaking down the sections of his discussion to keep it easy to follow.
What is pleasantly surprising about The First Ghosts is Finkel’s openness towards his chosen topic. Ghosts are not always a subject treated with much sympathy by the academic, but Finkel chooses to chart an often forgotten period of humanity’s obsession with the paranormal with a refreshingly sensitive view towards people’s belief in ghosts. He explores why we have always held these beliefs regarding spirits and the afterlife (with many continuing to do so) without ever letting it overshadow the main purpose of his treatise. Despite confronting the fear we all have concerning what happens when life reaches its end, this is not a sombre or depressing book and maintains its vitality throughout.
Given its subject matter, The First Ghosts is a surprisingly light read but one which should not fail to engage any reader. For students of ancient history and lovers of supernatural phenomena alike, this is a fascinating and incredibly well-written work which cannot be recommended highly enough for its excellent insight as well as its accessibility.
“A book for students of ancient history and lovers of supernatural phenomena alike”