Mesopotamia - Sumeria

Mesopotamia is widely considered to be the cradle of civilization in the West, dating back to at least 6,000 BC. The Mesopotamian civilizations had a major influence in the spread of knowledge throughout the world, including in the fields of mathematics, art, astronomy, medicine, technology, philosophy and many more.

Administrative tablet showing the early development of cuneiform writing
The ancient Sumerian City of Ur
A Babylonian dream manual inscribed on clay in cuneiform
The Lion of Babylon
Sumerian God
The Dying Lion – one of the most famous of the gypsum wall reliefs in Ashurbanipal’s palace at Nineveh
King of Babylon performing an act of worship before Shamash, the Sun-god
The Legend of Etana
Sumerian Statue
Baked clay plaque showing a mushushu dragon
Ur from above
An Assyrian winged bull, also known as a shedu
The Cylinder of Adda
Serpentine cylinder seal showing gods
A reptile statue holding a baby found in the graves of the Ubaid people (4000 BC)
Lexical list of harp strings, 23 types of musical instruments - earliest record of music and instruments in history
An Assyrian carnelian cylinder seal depicting a Worshipper on the left and a god on the right
Votive Statues, from the Temple of Abu, Tell Asmar
Ancient Mesopotamia Map
Tell Asmar "Standing man" votive
Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria, from Nimrud
Sumerian male figure