The decipherment of ancient scripts, such as Linear Elamite, has long been a quest for connection with the past. François Desset’s groundbreaking work in deciphering Linear Elamite was propelled by examining mysterious silver vessels in a private London collection with Linear Elamite inscriptions. This led to the identification of a phonographic writing system, consisting of signs representing phonemes, a unique feature compared to logogrammatic writing systems like cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphs. Desset’s decipherment revealed royal prayers dedicated to the god Napirisha, providing a glimpse into ancient Elamite rituals and beliefs. Despite challenges in understanding the Elamite language, Desset’s work offers a new perspective on this ancient civilization.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v47/n04/tom-stevenson/beyond-mesopotamia