Mesopotamian History
By Ancient History Encyclopedia www.ancient.eu | A selection of Ancient History Encyclopedia's most popular articles and definitions covering ancient Mesopotamia.
Third Gender Figures in the Ancient Near East
In the ancient Near East, there was a social standard by which men were ideally expected to behave. In the 21st century CE, expectations still exist, …
GenderCuneiform Lexical Lists
Lexical lists are compilations of cuneiform signs and word readings written on clay tablets throughout Mesopotamia. From the late 4th millennium BCE …
Ancient HistoryAssyrian Lion-Hunting at the British Museum
Whoever was privileged to gain access to the North Palace of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal at Nineveh, could consider himself part of something …
MuseumsMari
Mari was a city-state located near the west bank of the Euphrates River in Northern Mesopotamia (now eastern Syria) during the Early Bronze Age and …
HistoryMesopotamian Effects on Israel During the Iron Age
The Iron Age in the traditional Ancient Near Eastern chronology ranges from somewhere around 1200 BCE to 333 BCE. It begins from the era when it was …
ArchaeologyCylinder Seals in Ancient Mesopotamia - Their History and Significance
Among the most interesting and revealing artifacts discovered from ancient Mesopotamia are the objects known as cylinder seals. These fairly small …
Ancient HistoryCylinder Seal
Cylinder Seals were impression stamps used by the people of ancient Mesopotamia. Known as kishib in Sumerian and kunukku in Akkadian, the seals were …
Ancient HistorySumerian Language
The Sumerian language was spoken in southern Mesopotamia during the 3rd millennium BCE. It is an isolate language meaning we know of no other …
LinguisticsAmarna Letters
The Amarna Letters are a body of 14th century BCE correspondence exchanged between the rulers of the Ancient Near East and Egypt. They are perhaps …
New Discovery: Unearthing a Neo-Assyrian Grave in Erbil, Iraq
An archaeologist friend of mine once told me: "Less than 5% of the Mesopotamian history has been found, and wherever you dig, anywhere in the land of …
Ancient HistoryNew Discovery: Clay Tablet & Cylinder Seal from Tell Kunara, Iraq
On Thursday, October 1, I decided to pay Mr. Kamal Rashid, director of the General Directorate of Antiquities in Sulaymaniyah (GDAS), a short visit. …
ArchaeologyThe Newly Discovered Tablet V of the Epic of Gilgamesh
I was taking photos in the main hall of the Sulaymaniyah Museum and came across a display case containing a small clay tablet. The description beside …
TabletsAssessing the Destruction at Hatra
In March this year reports swept through the global media that ISIS had used bulldozers to level the ancient city of Hatra. ISIS has already …
Ancient HistoryThe Secret History of Iddi-Sin's Stela
<b>Osama Shukir Mohammed Amin sets out on a detective journey to discover the mysterious history of Iddi-Sin’s stela in Iraqi Kurdistan. Going back into</b> …
Iraqi KurdistanVisiting the Paikuli Tower Built by the Sasanian King Narseh
While I was photographing two large blocks at the main hall of the Sulaymaniyah Museum, I read that these blocks were part of the Sassanian tower of …
Ancient HistoryThe Nimrud Ivories: Their Discovery and History
In 1845 CE, the archaeologist Austen Henry Layard began excavations at the ruins of the city of Nimrud in the region which is northern Iraq in the …
Ancient HistoryVisit our Online Shop!
We’ve set up an online shop! It’s that time of the year when greeting cards are in order. If you’re tired of sending reindeer or Santa cards, our …
Ancient HistoryThe Bakr Awa Archaeological Site
I was chatting with my friend Mr. Hashim Hama Abdullah, Director of the Sulaimaniya Museum, about archaeological excavations in Iraqi Kurdistan. By …
ArchaeologyMeet the Queen of the Night!
Room 56 of the British Museum; Mesopotamia: A large display case houses the “Queen of the Night Relief.” It is one of the masterpieces of the British …
British MuseumPersis
Persis (in Greek, derivated from Persian <i>pars</i>) is the ancient name of the approximate area of modern Fars in Central Iran, as well as a state of the …
Visiting the Ancient City of Borsippa – Ancient History et cetera
Borsippa lies about 11 miles southwest of the ancient city of Babylon. It is a Sumero-Akkadian city and was built on either side of river Euphrates. …
Ancient HistoryTruths Wrapped in Fiction: Mesopotamian Naru Literature
Originality in literary compositions in the ancient world did not carry the same weight and value as it does in the present day. In recent centuries, …
BooksThe Legend of Sargon of Akkad
Sargon of Akkad (also known as Sargon of Agade and Sargon the Great, reigned 2334 to 2279 BCE), the founder of the Akkadian Empire, was a man keenly …
HistoryMesopotamian Naru Literature
Mesopotamian Naru Literature was a literary genre, first appearing around the 2nd millennium BCE, which featured a famous person (usually a king) …
LiteratureThe World's Oldest Love Poem
In the 19th century CE, archaeologists descended on the region of Mesopotamia seeking physical evidence which would corroborate the biblical …
ArchaeologyThe Curse of Agade: Naram-Sin's Battle with the Gods
<i>The Curse of Agade</i> is a story dated to the Ur III Period of Mesopotamia (2047-1750 BCE) though thought to be somewhat older in origin. It tells the …
Naram-Sin
Naram-Sin (reigned 2261-2224 BCE) was the last great king of the Akkadian Empire and grandson of Sargon the Great (reigned 2334-2279 BCE) who founded …
HistoryKalhu
Kalhu (also known as Caleh, Calah, and Nimrud, in modern-day northern Iraq) was a city in ancient Mesopotamia that became the capital of the Assyrian …
ArchaeologySennacherib
Sennacherib (reigned 705-681 BCE) was the second king of the Sargonid Dynasty of Assyria (founded by his father Sargon II). He is one of the most …
History