'Oldest ghost drawing' found in British Museum
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An ancient Babylonian drawing of a ghost thought to be 3,500 years old has been found in the British Museum.
The artwork, pictured on a clay slate, shows a lonely ghost looking for a friend to keep him company, so he can finally be put to rest.
It was discovered in the British Museum's archives and was overlooked for many years.
But the tablet is finally getting some recognition now that its meaning has been understood.
An example of cuneiform on a clay tablet, a commonly used text in Mesopotamia
The name comes from the Greek word which means 'between two rivers'. Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Middle East. It would have covered land across Iraq, Syria and Turkey.
Mesopotamia was a hugely influential part of world during its existence. We know a lot about its history because of detailed artefacts that were left behind and documents written in a text called 'cuneiform'.
Dr Irving Finkel, curator of the Middle Eastern department at the museum, said the tablet was incorrectly interpreted and ignored since it was first acquired in the 19th century.
After studying the tablet, he believes it would have been used as a guide to help send a ghost away.
In a video for the British Museum, Dr Finkel commented: "Everybody in Mesopotamia, as far as I understand it, believed in ghosts."
He said people were "rather sympathetic" towards the ghosts, because they thought that they were unhappy and needed looking after.
The ancient ruins of Babylon, a city in Mesopotamia, which were discovered in Iraq
In this particular image, the ghost has returned to Earth because he is lonely.
The drawing suggests that a companion is found for him, to help bring him peace, with further detailed instructions written on the back of the tablet.
Dr Finkel has long been fascinated by magic and the spirit world.
His own chess set was featured in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and served as inspiration for the enchanted chess figures at the end of the film.
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