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3,500-year-old Babylonian tablet may contain oldest known image of a ghost

A tablet made in ancient Babylon around 1500 BC. This may be the first known depiction of a ghost, a leading expert on ancient Middle Eastern inscriptions claims in a new book. The clay tablet is part of an exorcism manual kept in the collections of the British Museum, Dalya Alberge reports for the Observer. Irving Finkel, curator of the Middle East at the Museum of London and author of the forthcoming book The First Ghosts: The Oldest Heritage, said the image on the plaque is only visible when viewed from a distance. above and below the lights. The museum acquired this artifact in the 19th century, but it has never been displayed. “You would probably never think about it, because the area where the drawings are located doesn't appear to have any writing on it,” Finkel told the Observer.As Patrick Pester reports for Live Science, at least half of them are missing. But the item still contains carefully detailed instructions for removing the pesky ghosts.