Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, was the site of the world's first stable civilizations, including Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria. As people settled permanently along the Fertile Crescent, they built irrigation systems to bring water to crops and constructed levees as protection against the flooding rivers. For the first time, humans had some control over the natural world around them, providing them with the stability and time needed to develop governments, religion, and legendary heroes such as Gilgamesh.
Modern-day archaeological discoveries in the Near East continue to illuminate our understanding of the ancient world, including the many contributions made by the people of Mesopotamia to literature, art, government, and urban life The Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia describes the culture, history, and people of this land, as well as their struggle for survival and happiness, from about 3500 to 500 BCE. Mesopotamia was the home of a succession of glorious civilizations--Sumeria, Babylonia, and Assyria--which flourished together for more than three millennia.
The recent reopening of Iraq’s National Museum attracted worldwide attention, underscoring the country’s dual image as both the cradle of civilization and a contemporary geopolitical battleground. A sweeping account of the rich history that has played out between these chronological poles, From Mesopotamia to Iraq looks back through 10,000 years of the region’s deeply significant yet increasingly overshadowed past.
Living in Ancient Mesopotamia covers the period from 4000 BCE (Sumer) and 1000 to 500 BCE (Assyria and Babylonia). It examines the day-to-day lives of ancient Mesopotamians, from kings and priests to slaves. The structures of the family and government are explained, as well as the effects on Mesopotamian law of several rulers. Particular attention is paid to the contribution of Sumerian culture, including the plow, the pottery wheel, copper and bronze smithing, writing, and mathematics. With timelines, maps, detailed photography, and full-color illustrations, Living in Ancient Mesopotamia is an engaging reference for teenagers and young adults that brings the ancient world to life.
