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Mesopotamian Places

Welcome to our exploration of Mesopotamian places, where we journey through the ancient landscapes and delve into the significance of the remarkable locations that shaped the rich history and cultural tapestry of Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia, known as the "Land Between the Rivers," was home to a multitude of cities, sanctuaries, and architectural marvels that played pivotal roles in the development of civilization.

In this section of our website, we invite you to embark on a tour of Mesopotamian places, where each location holds a unique story waiting to be discovered. From bustling city-states to sacred temples and grand palaces, we will uncover the secrets and marvels hidden within these ancient sites.

Explore the renowned city of Babylon, once the epicenter of Mesopotamian civilization and a symbol of power and splendor. Discover the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and delve into the historical and cultural significance of this magnificent city.

Visit the ancient city of Ur, the birthplace of Abraham according to biblical accounts. Learn about its impressive ziggurat, a towering structure that served as a religious center and a testament to the architectural prowess of the Mesopotamians.

Step into the city of Uruk, one of the earliest urban centers in history and a key hub of trade and culture. Uncover the mysteries of the White Temple and the legendary hero Gilgamesh, who ruled over Uruk.

Marvel at the grandeur of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Discover its imposing city walls, the vast palaces of Assyrian kings, and the Library of Nineveh, a treasure trove of ancient knowledge.

Journey to the ancient city of Nippur, a religious center with temples dedicated to various deities. Explore the significance of the temple complex of Enlil, the chief god of the Mesopotamian pantheon.

Through informative articles, vivid imagery, and historical insights, our website aims to bring these Mesopotamian places to life, unraveling their stories and showcasing their architectural brilliance and cultural importance. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a student of ancient civilizations, or simply fascinated by the wonders of Mesopotamia, this section will serve as your gateway to a captivating world.

Digital reconstruction of Northwest Palace, Nimrud. Source: YouTube Screenshot / The Met.
10 October, 2023 - 16:57 Robbie Mitchell

Digital Reconstruction of the Northwest Palace, Nimrud, Assyria (Video)

In 2014, the Metropolitan Museum of Art unveiled a captivating digital reconstruction of the Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal II in Nimrud, Assyria (near modern Mosul in northern Iraq). This...
The Hanging Gardens of the Chaldean Dynasty of Mesopotamia. Source: Sarry/Adobe Stock
15 September, 2023 - 14:55 Aleksa Vučković

The Chaldean Dynasty and the Rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire

Empires are formed and fall, dynasties rise to prominence and crumble in poverty and ruin, ethnicities disappear from the fate of the Earth - these are the inevitable aspects of the histories of...
Votive stele of Gudea, ruler of Lagash, to the temple of Ningirsu. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul. Source: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP (Glasg)/CC BY-SA 4.0)
4 September, 2023 - 22:52 Aleksa Vučković

The Rule of Ensi Gudea and the Golden Age of Lagash

Ancient Mesopotamia, called by many the “cradle of civilization”, is in many ways enigmatic and mysterious. There is plenty about it that we are still to uncover, as it reaches so far back in time...
Representational image of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Source: Creative Digital Art / Adobe Stock
20 August, 2023 - 19:00 Joanna Gillan

Searching for the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The real location of the elusive Hanging Gardens of Babylon has eluded researchers for centuries. It is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World whose location is still unknown, yet...
Top image: A photo of Assur. Inset: Head most likely of Sargon of Akkad.
28 August, 2018 - 09:41 dhwty

Both Religion and Royalty Reigned in the Assyrian City of Assur

Known today also as Qal’at Sherqat, the ancient Assyrian city of Assur is located in the Saladin Governorate of modern day Iraq, about 280 km (174 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad. This city was...
The tower of Babel
6 March, 2019 - 22:41 dhwty

The Legendary Tower of Babel: What Does it Mean?

One of the many fantastic stories in the Book of Genesis is the Tower of Babel, a tall construction made in Babylonia after the Deluge. The gist of the story is: All human beings used to speak the...
Illustration of an ancient city in Mesopotamia.
12 May, 2018 - 18:58 Ed Whelan

Hoard of Ancient Tablets Found in Iraq Reveal Location of Lost Royal City of Mardama

In an exciting discovery, archaeologists have found the location of the lost royal city of Mardama. The ancient Hurrian city had laid buried for millennia until archaeologists unearthed the remains...
Ruins of ancient Persepolis, Iran, with the columns of the Apadana Hall on the right. Source: pawopa3336 / Adobe Stock.
29 September, 2019 - 02:03 Aleksa Vučković

Apadana – The Everlasting Hall of the Achaemenids

Throughout countless centuries, across all kinds of different epochs, the great hypostyle hall of Apadana has been an impressive source of wonder and inspiration for all manner of folk. This once...
Virtual recreation by Charles Chipiez. A panoramic view of the gardens and outside of the Palace of Darius I of Persia in Persepolis.
24 November, 2017 - 23:03 Riley Winters

An Empire in Death: The Extensive Remains of Persepolis

Once the stunning capital of the Persian Empire (also known as the Achaemenid Empire), Persepolis was lost to the world for almost nineteen hundred years, buried in the dirt of southwestern Iran...
Naqsh-e Rustam
13 September, 2020 - 11:04 dhwty

Naqsh-e Rustam: Ancient Tombs of Powerful Persian Kings

Naqsh-e Rustam is one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring ancient sites of the Achaemenid Empire, consisting of the colossal tombs of Persian kings dating back to the first millennium BC. It...
A view of the Bibi-Khanum Mosque, Samarkand.
15 February, 2016 - 14:53 dhwty

Samarkand: An Ancient Link Between East and West

Samarkand, also spelled as Samarqand, is a city located in modern day Uzbekistan, or the historical Central Asian region of Transoxiana. The city’s location in the Zerafshan River Valley provided it...
Objects in the "Apadana" reliefs at Persepolis: armlets, bowls, and amphorae with griffin handles are given as tribute.
10 January, 2017 - 21:51 Theodoros Karasavvas

2,400-Year-Old Tomb in Iraq Holds 6 Skeletons and Bronze Goods – But It Was NOT Wealthy

A tomb in northern Iraq held a pile of skeletons of at least six people, including those who lived 2,400 years ago. Apart from the human remains, valuable objects where discovered in the tomb as well...
The ancient city of Susa in Iran
11 July, 2015 - 04:09 Robin Whitlock

The ancient city of Susa in Iran is a worldwide treasure

The Biblical city of Shushan, now the modern Iranian city of Shush, has been added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage List along with six...
Pasargadae Tomb in Shiraz, Iran.
20 April, 2017 - 13:59 dhwty

Was the Magnificent Monumental Tomb of Pasargadae Really Built for Cyrus the Great?

The tomb of Cyrus the Great is the name given to a monument located in the ancient Persian city of Pasargadae. This city was founded by Cyrus, and served as the capital of the Achaemenid Empire until...
Ancient monuments in Hasankeyf
23 February, 2014 - 01:19 aprilholloway

The 12,000-year-old ancient Mesopotamian town of Hasankeyf set to submerged by new dam

Hasankeyf, Turkey, is one of the oldest ancient sites in the world with evidence of human settlement. Dating back 12,000 years, it has been home to virtually every major Mesopotamian civilisation,...
Ritual site - cultic platform found under the war god’s temple. Source: British Museum.
30 March, 2020 - 22:56 Ed Whelan

Ritual Site Dedicated to Mesopotamian War God Discovered in Iraq

Archaeologists working in Iraq have made an intriguing discovery. They have found a sacred area that was dedicated to a Mesopotamian war god. The site is up to 5,000 years-old and is in one of the...
Secret underground tunnels of ancient Mesopotamian cult - Ani ruins
27 August, 2014 - 01:00 aprilholloway

Secret underground tunnels of ancient Mesopotamian cult under Ani ruins

For the first time in history, the academic world is paying attention to the spectacular underground world of Ani, a 5,000-year-old Armenian city located on the Turkish-Armenian border. Hurriyet...
Hand-colored engraving of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (19th Century)
17 August, 2015 - 01:01 Riley Winters

The Magnificent Constructions of King Nebuchadnezzar II

Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II remains known as the leader of one of the most powerful ancient empires to have preceded that of the Athenians in Greek's Classical period. However, aside from...
The ruins of Yamchun Fortress near Pamir, on the border of Afghanistan, where one can still see remains of the ancient classical culture of Bactria. Source: Jonny / Adobe Stock
2 October, 2021 - 14:43 Aleksa Vučković

Bactria - The Bountiful, Sought-after Region of Ancient History

Bactria was one of the more important historic regions of the ancient and classical world. A central point of more than one defining political event, Bactria experienced thousands of years of...
A panoramic view of the gardens and outside of the Palace of Darius I of Persia in Persepolis.
30 November, 2015 - 04:11 dhwty

The Spectacular Monumental Architecture of the Achaemenid Empire

The Achaemenid Empire is traditionally believed to have been founded by Cyrus the Great during the middle of the 6 th century B.C. In 559 B.C., Cyrus became the king of Persis, and 9 years later,...
2,500-year-old city of Persepolis in Iran
17 November, 2014 - 22:21 aprilholloway

Excavations uncover large ancient gate in 2,500-year-old city of Persepolis in Iran

Excavations at Persepolis, a magnificent palace complex in Iran founded by Darius the Great around 518 BC, have uncovered a great ancient gate in Tale-Ajori, within the Firouzi Complex. Even older...
Assyrian soldiers carry beheaded heads of their prisoners as depicted on a wall in the South-West Palace at Nineveh, during the “First” Fall of Neneveh. Source: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin / CC BY-SA 4.0
10 August, 2020 - 18:34 ashley cowie

August 10 612 BC: Nineveh, the Largest City in the World, Fell

On this day, 2,632 years ago, the ancient metropolis of Nineveh fell. “ ABC 3 ” is a historiographical text from ancient Babylonia which records August 10th 612 BC as the date of this dramatic...
Winged human-headed bull, lamassu or shedu, the Lost City of Dur-Sharrukin.
7 March, 2019 - 14:02 dhwty

The Lost City of Dur-Sharrukin – The Capital That Never Was

Dur-Sharrukin is an ancient Assyrian city that was founded towards the end of the 8 th century BC. The city was established by Sargon II to serve as his new capital. Nevertheless, Sargon died before...
Sumerian Ziggurat. Source: Michael Rosskothen / Adobe Stock
12 March, 2023 - 19:52 Joanna Gillan

View the Majesty of a Sumerian Ziggurat in 3D Virtual Tour (Video)

A Sumerian ziggurat was a towering, stepped structures built in ancient Mesopotamia over 4,000 years ago. They were constructed by the Sumerians , who were one of the earliest civilizations in human...

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