The First Library in the World : Ashurbanipal Explained by Dr. Irving Finkel

Video from Assyrian Times

The First Library in the World : Ashurbanipal Explained by Dr. Irving Finkel

"The world’s first library in Ancient Assyria.

Filmed inside the British Museum, this episode features renowned Assyriologist Irving Finkel, exploring the Library of Ashurbanipal — the earliest known library in human history.

Built in the 7th century BCE in Nineveh, this extraordinary library preserved thousands of clay tablets covering law, science, medicine, astronomy, religion, and literature — including the Epic of Gilgamesh. Without Ashurbanipal’s vision, much of ancient Mesopotamian knowledge would have been lost forever.

King Ashurbanipal, one of the few ancient rulers who could read and write, gathered the knowledge of the known world and created humanity’s first true archive — laying foundations for modern civilisation.

Surrounded by original Assyrian artifacts inside the British Museum, this conversation reveals:

• Why this was the first true library

• How knowledge was collected, organised, and preserved

• What clay tablets reveal about ancient life

• Why Assyria’s contribution is often overlooked

• How this library still shapes our understanding of history today

This episode is part of Assyrian Times, a global platform dedicated to preserving and sharing Assyrian history with the world.' from the video introduction

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