The project, to be carried out at the NINO Institute, considers notions of ‘the sublime’ and how this appears within Mesopotamian sources. It will take, as a comparison point, the original Greek treatment of the subject and the contemporary understanding of it that has developed over the last few hundred years through translation and study. While Martin West (1995) has already observed some connections between ‘the sublime’ and Near Eastern literature, this project addresses the need for research focusing on the sublime in Near Eastern literature. This investigation into ‘the sublime’ naturally develops from my research on rhetoric in Near Eastern literature.
I earned my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Classics at Ca' Foscari University, Venice and my PhD in Assyriology at La Sapienza University, Rome. During my studies I spent several periods in the UK on research (Cambridge and Oxford). Subsequently, I served as a Visiting Professor of Assyriology, History and Cultures of the ancient Near East at Northeast Normal University (NENU), Changchun, China. Since 2019 I have been a Research Fellow in Semitic Linguistics at North-West University (NWU), Potchefstroom, South Africa. Over the years I have benefited from contracts and research grants, which have allowed me to deepen my research on Ancient Near Eastern Studies.
My research focuses mainly on stylistic-linguistic issues associated with “rhetoric” and ancient Near Eastern literature and I have received awards for innovation and creativity. Years of interest in reception studies resulted in my authoring and performing a 12-hour public reading of the Epic of Gilgameš, an adaptation based on the plays and criticism editions of cuneiform sources. The presentation of the work was central to NENU celebrations of Reading Day in China (for more, read: Mar Shiprim (IAA), and Imagines Project).
My new project follows a fruitful and novel research path on notions of ‘the sublime’. Attending the “Ancient Sublime Across Cultures” international conference (26–28 June 2024) inspired me to explore the topic and I am excited and honored to continue this exploration within this Visiting Research Fellowship as I believe that Leiden University is the ideal place to carry out this research. Working under the supervision of Professor Casper de Jonge, a leading expert in this field, will be of central importance to my being able to interpret the Mesopotamian sources in the most appropriate way possible. Furthermore, I am eager to make a positive contribution to the Institute and to work with everyone on the team. The fantastic resources available, including the chance to receive feedback from such a wide range of experts in the languages and topics involved, will enable me to achieve excellent results.