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Mesopotamian Figures

Welcome to our captivating exploration of Mesopotamian figures, where we shine a light on the remarkable individuals who left an indelible mark on the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia, often referred to as the "Cradle of Civilization," was home to a rich tapestry of cultures, city-states, and empires that flourished between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

In this section of our website, we invite you to delve into the lives and legacies of the influential figures who shaped the course of Mesopotamian history. From legendary rulers and wise scribes to accomplished priests and revered goddesses, these individuals embody the spirit and diversity of this ancient land.

Inscription on one of the basalt rocks depicting the Babylonian king Nabonidus holding a scepter in his hand. Source: Saudi Heritage Commission
22 July, 2021 - 23:05 Nathan Falde

Archaeologists Find Inscribed Stone Honoring Babylonian King Nabonidus

Archaeologists from the Saudi Heritage Commission discovered a remarkable ancient artifact while exploring a fertile archaeological site in northwestern Saudi Arabia, the Commission has announced ...
Assyrian king. Source: dani3315 / Adobe Stock.
28 June, 2023 - 20:53 Robbie Mitchell

Ashurbanipal: The Most Powerful Man on Earth (Video)

Ashurbanipal, the last formidable king of Assyria , stood as the epitome of power and dominance in the ancient world. With his empire extending from Egypt to Persia, he reigned as the most powerful...
The National Museum of Iraq. Many of the pieces discovered at the ruins of Ur, arranged and labelled by Ennigaldi-Nanna, can be found here. Source: Jdx / CC BY-SA 4.0.
3 June, 2019 - 01:38 ancient-origins

Hidden Women of History: Ennigaldi-Nanna, Curator of the World’s First Museum

“It belongs in a museum.” With these words, Indiana Jones , the world’s best-known fictional archaeologist , articulated an association between archaeologists, antiquities , and museums that has a...
The Man who Assyria Feared: Demon Gallu and King of the Universe
31 December, 2016 - 02:21 Cam Rea

The Man who Assyria Feared: Demon Gallu and King of the Universe

In 660 BCE, mighty Assyria was about to be shaken. A Scythian named Dugdammi united many nomadic tribes into a confederation. This nomadic confederation pushed at the borders of Assyria which so...
Res Gestae Sargonis: Sargon The Great King Of Akkad
20 June, 2022 - 22:31 Willem McLoud

Res Gestae Sargonis: Sargon The Great King Of Akkad

The Akkadian Empire, founded by Sargon the Great, was the very first empire the world had seen, established in ancient Mesopotamia in about 2370 BC. This empire was remembered as having been...
Enthroned Sumerian king of Ur, with attendants. Standard of Ur, (c. 2600 BC) (Michel wal /CC BY-SA 3.0)
8 April, 2020 - 23:35 Willem McLoud

The Coveted Title of King of Kish in Ancient Sumer

According to ancient Mesopotamian tradition, Etana, founder of the first dynasty of Kish, was the very first ruler ever to have ruled as king. Not only did the kings of Kish stand tall in the history...
Standard of Ur mosaic, 26th century BC.
19 February, 2019 - 01:55 ancient-origins

Both a Princess and a Priestess, What Did the First Known Author Have to Share with the World?

Louise Pryke / The Conversation The world’s first known author is widely considered to be Enheduanna, a woman who lived in the 23rd century BC in ancient Mesopotamia (approximately 2285 – 2250 BC)...
pper part of a gypsum statue of a Sumerian woman. The hands are folds in worship.
13 May, 2018 - 22:32 dhwty

Nammu: A Forgotten Tale of the Sumerian Mother of Gods

Nammu was the primeval Sumerian mother goddess who gave birth to the gods and created humanity. Despite her extremely important role, much of her story is wrapped in mystery. Some information can be...
The Nephilim Tradition From Ancient Sumer
3 June, 2020 - 18:46 Willem McLoud

The Nephilim Tradition From Ancient Sumer

The oldest literary tradition about great heroic kings claiming to have been scions of the gods dates back to the Sumerian King List in which the First Dynasty of Uruk is described as having been...
The Legend of Lugalbanda, The First Sumerian Shaman
19 October, 2020 - 18:53 Willem McLoud

The Legend of Lugalbanda, The First Sumerian Shaman

According to the Sumerian King List , Lugalbanda was one of the kings who belonged to the First Dynasty of Uruk in Sumer in ancient Mesopotamia. What is particularly striking about Lugalbanda is the...
The Secret Strategic Plans of Darius the Great
16 August, 2018 - 19:14 nickospoulianos

The Secret Strategic Plans of Darius the Great

To the north of the Persian Empire, around both sides of Caucasus Mountain, various Scythian (Palaeo-Slavian / Staroslavianskje) tribes lived. They were nomadic, i.e. not yet permanently settled in...
The Nurturing Goddess Ninsun: Worshipped by Ancient Mesopotamians and the Mother of Gilgamesh
12 March, 2016 - 03:34 dhwty

The Nurturing Goddess Ninsun: Worshipped by Ancient Mesopotamians and the Mother of Gilgamesh

Ninsun is a female figure found in Sumerian mythology. She is a goddess whose parents are the deities Anu (the sky god) and Uras (a goddess of the earth). As a goddess, Ninsun was worshipped by the...
Royal Bonds: How the Mother, Wife, and Daughter of Darius III Became Family of Alexander the Great
27 December, 2016 - 14:40 Natalia Klimczak

Royal Bonds: How the Mother, Wife, and Daughter of Darius III Became Family of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great abruptly ended the reign of Darius III, and with it he saw the demise of the Achaemenid kings. However, while conquering new lands Alexander gained not only territory, but also...
Hammurabi (standing) receiving his royal insignia from the deity Shamash. Source: Hammurabi/CC BY 3.0
29 June, 2023 - 14:52 dhwty

Hammurabi and his God Given Code of Laws

“At that time, the gods Anu and Enlil, for the enhancement of the well-being of the people, named me by my name: Hammurabi, the pious prince, who venerates the gods, to make justice prevail in the...
Roman bathhouse. Source: 4K_Heaven / Adobe Stock.
28 April, 2023 - 17:00 Robbie Mitchell

Keeping it Clean: A Look at Ancient Hygiene Practices (Video)

From the Sumerians and Egyptians to the Victorians and beyond, humans have been striving to keep their surroundings clean since they first settled down and built permanent homes. Before civilization...
Ancient Babylon. Source: Rick / Adobe Stock.
25 March, 2023 - 00:00 Robbie Mitchell

15 of History’s Most Advanced Ancient Civilizations (Video)

Over the course of our species' relatively short existence, a myriad of awe-inspiring civilizations have risen to great heights, only to crumble into the annals of history. From the Ancient Egyptians...
Mesoamerican warrior. Source: Art Gallery / Adobe Stock.
14 March, 2023 - 16:00 Joanna Gillan

Voices of Ancestors: Listen to the Sound of 14 Ancient Languages (Video)

Language is a powerful tool that allows us to communicate with one another across time and space. Through language , we are able to share our stories, our ideas, and our cultures with others. In this...
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...
The long-lost remains of a Sumerian palace and temple in the ancient city of Girsu on the southern plains of Iraq. Source: British Museum.
20 February, 2023 - 14:00 Nathan Falde

4,500-Year-Old Sumerian Palace Uncovered in Iraqi Desert

Reaching the culmination of a search that has been going on for the past several years, a team of archaeologists affiliated with the British Museum has finally unearthed the long-lost remains of a...
Image of Osiris (Adobe Stock) and bust of Sargon (CC BY-SA 2.0) (Deriv)
28 November, 2022 - 13:21 Willem McLoud

Was The Historical Egyptian Osiris Perhaps Sargon Of Akkad?

In many respects the narrative of the Egyptian god, Osiris, seems to be all too human. Is it possible that his origin goes back to a real historical king? Could the historical Osiris have been none...
Life size bronze portrait head believed to be of Sargon, restored (Public Domain)
8 August, 2022 - 20:47 Willem McLoud

King Sargon Of Akkad As The Second-Coming Dumuzi

Sargon the Great of Akkad (fl. c. 2370-2314) is one of the greatest heroes of ancient Mesopotamian history , the one who founded the Akkadian Empire (c. 2370-2190), the very first world empire. The...
Weld-Blundell Prism, a clay cuneiform inscribed with the Sumerian Kings List. Source: Public domain
30 July, 2022 - 02:00 Joanna Gillan

The Sumerian King List Reveals the Origin of Mesopotamian Kingship

Out of the many incredible artifacts that have been recovered from sites in Iraq where flourishing Sumerian cities once stood, few have been more intriguing than the Sumerian King List. An ancient...
The ruins of the Enlil temple, or the Ekur, in Nippur, which was once the most important pilgrimage destination in Mesopotamia. The brick structure on top was constructed by American archaeologists around 1900. Source: David Stanley /CC BY 2.0
23 April, 2022 - 23:14 Lex Leigh

Nippur: The Great Mesopotamian Holy City That Gave Early Ideas Of God

The ancient city of Nippur is one of the most interesting holy cities in the Middle East. Now only known as a dilapidated, prehistoric town, Nippur was once recognized as an essential religious...
Planet X
18 February, 2022 - 00:48 Christos Djonis

Planet X – Is there Scientific Evidence?

In 1976, in his book “The 12th Planet”, the late author Zecharia Sitchin (1920-2010) introduced the controversial hypothesis that modern humans did not evolve naturally, but instead they were...

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