"The Epic of Gilgamesh" is an ancient tale that tells the story of a king, Gilgamesh, and his friend, Enkidu, as they embark on a journey of

The Anunnaki were a group of deities from the ancient Mesopotamian culture that played a role in Sumerian mythology. The term Anunnaki...

Enlil was a significant deity in the Sumerian pantheon, known as the god of the air and the storm. He was one of the oldest deities in...

Enki was a significant deity in the Sumerian pantheon, known as the god of water, wisdom, and creation. He was one of the oldest deities...

"The Lord of the Earth" As we've discussed in a previous section, Enki is the god of water and earth. He was known as Lord of the Earth,...

Ur-Nammu 2060 BC, king of the ancient city of Ur, sometimes called Zur-Nammu or Ur-Engur. He founded a new Sumerian dynasty, the third...

Samsu-iluna (Amorite: Shamshu; c. 1750–1712 BC) was the seventh king of the founding Amorite dynasty of Babylon, ruling from 1750 BC to...

The art produced by the Urartu civilization, which flourished in ancient Armenia, eastern Turkey, and northwestern Iran from the 9th to...

The origins of urban settlements have generally been attributed to the riverine societies of southern Mesopotamia (in what is now...

The Sumerian civilization emerged upon the flood plain of the lower reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers about 4000 B.C. The social...

How and where did the great Sumerian civilization come from? Many scientists have been and are still struggling to solve the mystery of...

Libation Vase of the God Ningishzida Neo-Sumerian era, around 2120 BC. The inscription reads: “To the god Ningiszida, his god...

Nergal (also known as Erra and Irra) is the Mesopotamian god of death, war, and destruction. He began as a regional, probably...

Cuneiform is a system of writing first developed by the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia c. 3500-3000 BCE. It is considered the most...

Female worshipper torso with tufted dress and braided hairstyle, Khafajah, Sin Temple IX, Early Dynastic period, 2650-2550 BC, gypsum,...

Statue of Gudea Period:Neo-SumerianDate:ca. 2090 B.C.Geography:Mesopotamia, probably from Girsu (modern Tello)Culture:Neo-SumerianMedium:...

Cuneiform inscriptions on a head of a clay stand. Early Dynastic Period, 2800-2300 BCE. From Southern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq. (The...

Known as Utu to the Sumerians, and Shamash to the Assyrians and Babylonians, the sun was one of the most important gods of Mesopotamia...