The Sumerians are often credited with founding the world’s first civilization—but where did they come from? Their language, culture, and innovations shaped Mesopotamia, yet their origins remain ...

The story of how the first cities rose from southern Mesopotamia has long fascinated scientists and historians. Many explanations point to fertile soil, farming, and trade networks as the engines of ...

Today, trans people face politicization of their lives and vilification from politicians, media and parts of broader society.

Gender-ambiguous people in ancient Mesopotamia were powerful and important members of society more than four millennia ago.

On the bitter plains of modern Iraq there remain large piles of baked bricks covered with much sand. They have sat there in silent witness to a lost religion for 4,000 years. Only in the 19th century ...

The Great Ziggurat of Ur dedicated to the Moon god. Ziggurats were massive structure typical for Mesopotamia. Sumerians believed that the gods lived in the temple at the top of the ziggurats. Woods ...

Catalog of an exhibition held at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa, Malibu, from March 18-July 27, 2020. Translated and adapted from L'histoire commence en Mésopotamie, which was published ...