The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded three grants to Princeton University researchers and a major university project, totaling more than $800,000 in funding for a diverse range of humanities projects. The grants will support the study of ancient cultures, the use of digital tools in education, and the ongoing scholarly publication of the papers of a founding father.
Decoding ancient Babylonian literature
Johannes Haubold, a classics professor, received a $300,000 grant for his project, “Library of Babylonian Literature.” The funding will allow him and his collaborators to prepare six volumes of ten ancient Babylonian texts for publication. These texts, which date from as early as 2000 B.C.E., offer insight into the culture of ancient Babylonia, a civilization located in modern-day Iraq.
Haubold noted that these texts explore themes that are “surprisingly relevant” today, such as the meaning of being human and the shared experience of suffering. Each volume will include the original Babylonian text, a translation, and interpretive essays, making them accessible to a contemporary audience.
Bringing digital tools to ancient studies
Leigh Anne Lieberman, a digital project specialist in the Department of Art and Archaeology, was awarded $209,645 for a series of workshops. The project, “Teaching Ancient in a Digital Age,” will provide training for faculty and graduate students on using digital methods and resources to study ancient texts and materials. The workshops, which will be held both virtually and in person, aim to expand digital and data literacy among educators in the field of ancient Mediterranean studies.
Lieberman hopes the training will help educators develop lesson plans that incorporate new digital tools while also encouraging them to reflect on the challenges and risks posed by these technologies.
Continuing the legacy of the Jefferson Papers
The Papers of Thomas Jefferson project at Princeton University received a $300,000 grant to continue publishing the presidential papers of Thomas Jefferson. This is the fourth NEH grant the project has received since 2018. Since 1950, the project has been creating a definitive scholarly edition of Jefferson’s correspondence and papers, publishing both his letters and those he received.
According to James McClure, the project’s director, the NEH funding allows the team to maintain a “highest scholarly standards” while continuing to publish the volumes on an “expeditious schedule.” The grant will support the completion of Volumes 51 through 53, which cover documents from 1806 and 1807, and the beginning of editorial work on later volumes.
