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Brick of Amar-Suen
This is an inscribed sun-dried brick used in temple construction. It was commissioned by the Sumerian king Amar-Suen (reigned c. 2094-2038 BCE) of the Third Dynasty of Ur. Translation of the inscription: Amar-Suen, the one called by (the...
Article
Mesopotamia: The Rise of the Cities - Personal Identity, Safety, and Civilization in the Near East
Once upon a time, in the land known as Sumer, the people built a temple to their god, who had conquered the forces of chaos and brought order to the world. They built this temple at a place called Eridu, which, as scholar Gwendolyn Leick...
Article
Festivals in Ancient Mesopotamia - Courting the Goodwill of the Gods
Festivals in ancient Mesopotamia honored the patron deity of a city-state or the primary god of the city that controlled a region or empire. The earliest, the Akitu festival, was first observed in Sumer in the Early Dynastic period (circa...
Article
The Marduk Prophecy
The Marduk Prophecy is an Assyrian document dating to between 713-612 BCE found in a building known as The House of the Exorcist adjacent to a temple in the city of Ashur. It relates the travels of the statue of the Babylonian god Marduk...
Article
Matter of Aratta
The Matter of Aratta is the modern-day title for a collection of four poems – Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta, Enmerkar and En-suhgir-ana, Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave, and Lugalbanda and the Anzud Bird – concerning the rivalry between...
Interview
Game Interview: Old World by Mohawk Games
In this article, we interview the creators of Old World, the new upcoming game by Mohawk Games. We are here with Leyla Johnson, the head writer of the game and CEO, and Soren Johnson, who is the creative director. Jan (Ancient History Encyclopedia...
Image Gallery
A Gallery of the City of Babylon
The city of Babylon was once the most famous cultural and religious center of the ancient world and, in fact, was understood as the center of the world according to an ancient map. It did not acquire its reputation as a “city of sin” until...
Collection
Mesopotamia: Government & Religion
The polytheistic religion of ancient Mesopotamia was instrumental in shaping its government and held great significance in the lives of its people. Mesopotamian religion revolved around the belief that humans were created to work alongside...
Video
The History of Egypt - Pyramids
Dr. Neiman explains the origins and progression of the pyramid structure. Further, he describes the pyramids at Giza in detail, including their building structure and importance.
Video
The Tower of Babel with British Museum curator Irving Finkel
See various depictions of the Tower of Babel through the ages. With British Museum curator Irving Finkel
http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_this_site/audio_and_video/exhibitions_-_archive/babylon_-_video_archive/towers_of_babel_video.aspx