Fake antiquity, portion of sun-dried tablet with inscription in cuneiform writing : Sapper E K Burke, 1 Australian Wireless Signal Squadron, AIF

Fragment of clay with a rounded face bearing part of an inscription in cuneiform. The uppermost section shows more wear than the lower section. With it is a handwritten note that reads: 'Portion of sun-baked tablet / inscribed in / Cuneiform writing / Babylonia / purchased in Baghdad'.

This piece of tablet with cuneiform writing was purchased by 20555 Sapper Eric Keast Burke in Baghdad while he was serving in Mesopotamia during the First World War.

Burke was born on 16 January 1896 at Christchurch in New Zealand, moving to Sydney with his family in 1904. He served with the Militia in the University Scouts for two years, before serving with the Signal Corps for a year. He was studying at the University of Sydney when he enlisted in the AIF on 19 February 1917. In August he was promoted to lance corporal and after training in Australia, embarked with the Light Motor Set Wireless Troop on 19 December 1917, aboard HMAT Ulysses. In January 1918 his rank reverted to sapper, the day before he disembarked at Suez.

On 12 February Burke embarked from Egypt, arriving in Bombay, India two weeks later. He then embarked for Basra, arriving there on 8 March. Burke joined 'D' Troop, ANZAC Wireless Squadron at Baghdad 28 March 1918. He served with the squadron from 1918 to 1919, which operated in Baghdad, in parts of Persia and on the Kurdistan frontier On 5 November 1919 Burke embarked for Bombay, arriving there on 11 November. He left India for Australia on 1 December, reaching Sydney on 27 December. A month later he was discharged from the AIF. After the war, Burke edited the unit history, 'With Horse and Morse in Mesopotamia'.

On 23 March 1942 Burke enlisted in the Citizens Military Force. He was allocated the service number N303849 and served as a captain in the Volunteer Defence Corps until he was discharged on 8 September 1945. Burke died at Concord Repatriation General Hospital on 31 March 1974.

Burke's time in Mesopotamia led to his interest in archaeology and architecture. He collected small fragments from ancient buildings and would have purchased this piece of tablet as a historic curio. However, like many before him, he had in fact bought a fake. Fake tablets had been made and sold in Mesopotamia since the early nineteenth century, when the area had been 'discovered' by the West, leading to an influx of archaeologists, together with wealthy tourists wanting to take home 'genuine' souvenirs of their visits.