77 RE-ENVISIONING INFORMATION: THE MAPS WE MAKE OF ANCIENT ASSYRIAN P ALACES ANN SHAFER STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK — FIT, NEW YORK At first glance, Assyrian archaeology and the fast-paced field of information design might seem strange bedfellows, but the goal of this paper is to suggest how the two might be more compatible— and in dialogue, more productive—than we think. As a case in point, the present study re-introduces Edward Tufte’s ground- breaking book Envisioning Information (Fig. 1). 1 Published over two decades ago, it remains a cult classic among practitioners of architecture and design, modelling bold and innovative information design solutions. In essence, the book celebrates our ability to escape from the limitations of “flatland”, or two-dimensional representation, and contains fascinating displays of high- dimensional complex data. The various maps, charts, scientific diagrams, statistical graphs and tables, guidebooks, courtroom exhibits, and timetables continue to inspire good design solutions, not only within the field of information design, but also in architecture and other related fields. Despite the continued wide- ranging influence of this book over time, however, the past-looking discipline of archaeology, including the conservative field of ancient Near Eastern studies, seems untouched by the book’s legacy of alternative thinking. As a means to engage this volume’s provocative question “How do we want the past to be?” this paper 1 Tufte, Envisioning Information.