Equipped with copies of this inscription, Rawlinson was in an enviable position to tackle decipherment of cuneiform. This was no ordinary inscription, but was written in three languages and three cuneiform scripts, like an enormous Rosetta Stone. Only Rawlinson had the physical and intellectual skills, courage, self-motivation and opportunity to make the perilous ascent and copy the monument. The key to understanding the many cuneiform scripts and languages was an immense inscription high on a sheer rock face at Bisitun (or Behistun) in the mountains of western Iran, carved on the orders of King Darius the Great of Persia over 2,000 years ago. A gifted linguist, fascinated by history and exploration, Rawlinson became obsessed with cuneiform, the world’s earliest writing. During this time he survived the dangers of disease and warfare, including the disastrous First Anglo-Afghan War. The book concentrates on the entertaining story of Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, a fearless soldier, sportsman and imperial adventurer of the first rank, who spent twenty-five years in the service of the East India Company. As such, it is an essential read for anyone wanting to understand the historical background of this region in the early- to mid-nineteenth century. Empires of the Plain is is a highly topical book, because it is set in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and India.
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