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Mesopotamian Life

Welcome to our exploration of Mesopotamian life, where we delve into the intricacies and daily experiences of the people who inhabited the ancient land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

In this section of our website, we invite you to step into the world of Mesopotamian life, where each article unveils a different facet of the ancient society. From social structures and family life to economy, art, and education, we uncover the tapestry of daily existence that shaped the lives of Mesopotamians.

Eve tempted by the serpent in a paradise illustrated according to the texts of the Bible. An image showing good and evil in one scene.
3 March, 2024 - 21:54 Natalia Klimczak

Lilith: Ancient Demon, Dark Deity or Sensual Goddess?

Lilith, an ancient mythological figure and one of the oldest known female spirits in the world, has embodied various roles across cultures. In some sources she has been described as a demon, while in...
Sumerian priestess. Source: Oleksandr / Adobe Stock.
4 October, 2023 - 18:50 Joanna Gillan

Sumerian King Iddin-Dagan Copulated with a Priestess in a Public Annual Ritual

In the annals of history, we have witnessed a myriad of unique, and at times, bizarre traditions that have defined civilizations and their leaders. One such tradition that stands tall in its peculiar...
Aerial view of the structure at Tel Shimron supporting the passageway to the corbelled vault. Credit: Eyecon. Source: Eyecon
23 August, 2023 - 22:55 Nathan Falde

Israel's Tel Shimron Excavations Reveal Ancient Architectural Marvel Dating to 1,800 BC

Archaeologists participating in the ongoing Tel Shimron excavations in the Jezreel Valley of northern Israel recently unearthed the first section of an arched, vaulted passageway with steps that they...
Illustration of city in Mesopotamia.
25 August, 2018 - 21:14 dhwty

The Great City of Uruk Became Sumerian Powerhouse of Technology, Architecture and Culture

Home to Gilgamesh, Uruk was the major force of urbanization and state formation during the 4th millennium BC. In Epic of Gilgamesh , the king is said to have built the city’s monumental walls. There...
Cuneiform tablet containing details about infertility. Credit: Istanbul Archaeology Museum
10 November, 2017 - 19:00 aprilholloway

4,000-Year-Old Assyrian Tablet Makes First Known Infertility Diagnosis and Recommends Slave Surrogate

A 4,000-year-old Assyrian tablet discovered in central Kayseri province, Turkey, is an ancient marriage contract with the first known diagnosis of infertility. The clay record says that the wife...
Mesopotamian god
26 March, 2019 - 12:53 dhwty

Utu - Shamash: Mesopotamian God of the Sun, Justice and the Underworld

Utu was a solar deity and god of justice in the ancient Mesopotamian pantheon, and also served as a judge in the Underworld. Whilst Utu was the god’s name in Sumerian, he was known in Akkadian as...
Standard of Ur, 26th century BC, "War" panel.
17 June, 2016 - 15:53 Cam Rea

The Sumerian Military: Professionals of Weaponry and Warfare

Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, lies a land once known as Mesopotamia. It was here that humanity found suitable land to rip open and seed. Once the seeds took root, civilization was born...
Mesopotamian relief of Assyrian warriors. Credit: kmiragaya / Adobe Stock
14 January, 2021 - 23:08 Sarah P Young

Ancient Mesopotamia and the Rise of Civilization

In ancient times, Mesopotamia, meaning ‘land between two rivers’, was a vast region that lay between the Tigris and Euphrates river systems, and it is where civilization emerged over 7,000 years ago...
Darius the Great receiving greetings and gifts from governors and ambassadors. Relief from Persepolis, Iran
22 March, 2015 - 23:51 Mahbod Khanbolouki

Nowruz - The Persian New Year and The Spring Equinox

Nowruz, known as the Persian new year, is one of the most ancient celebrations in history and has been celebrated for around 4000 years in what is now Iran and in the extended cultural area known as...
Ereshkigal.
5 May, 2018 - 18:58 dhwty

Ereshkigal: The Mighty Mesopotamian Goddess of the Underworld

“Namtar made his voice heard and spake, addressed his words to Ereshkigal, "Send me to Anu your father, and let me arrest the god! Let me take him to you, that he may kiss you again!" - Excerpt from...
Babylonian clay tablet shows Pythagorean Triples were used 3,700 years ago. Source: University of New South Wales
5 August, 2021 - 22:50 Nathan Falde

Mathematician Finds Pythagorean Triples On Ancient Babylonian Tablet

A University of New South Wales, Sydney mathematician has discovered the oldest example of applied geometry ever recorded, the university’s newsroom reports . The tablet illustrates the use of...
Disease in ancient Mesopotamia
23 February, 2014 - 22:25 johnblack

Unravelling the mystery of disease in ancient Mesopotamia

Despite intensive research over many decades on one of the most famous kingdoms of the ancient world , scientists still know little about the diseases which plagued the people of Mesopotamia. An...
Oneiromancy, dream divination, was very important in ancient Mesopotamia
17 March, 2020 - 18:40 dhwty

Oneiromancy: Dream Predictions in Ancient Mesopotamia

Oneiromancy is a form of divination in which dreams are interpreted in order to predict the future. This form of divination was practiced in many parts of the world, including the ancient...
Ancient demon. Credit: pixelleo / Adobe Stock
22 December, 2019 - 23:00 Ed Whelan

Mesopotamian ‘Demon of Epilepsy’ Discovered on 2700-Year-Old Tablet

A researcher studying an ancient Assyrian cuneiform tablet has found an image of a demon. The demon was believed to have been the cause of epilepsy. The tablet was used to treat health conditions,...
Ancient cheesemaking (Jacques Ribieff / Adobe Stock)
29 August, 2022 - 17:16 MartiniF

Gods, Goats And Cheesemakers In Ancient Times

During a trip to France, cheesy pasta dishes were served to America’s President Thomas Jefferson. Enthralled by the dish, the president went on to have both the pasta and Parmesan cheese imported to...
Drugs in Ancient Cultures: A History of Drug Use and Effects
9 June, 2016 - 00:44 Liza Knox

Drugs in Ancient Cultures: A History of Drug Use and Effects

The battle against drugs and drug usage rages on today and for good reason. However, with the near constant limelight that the ‘drug war’ receives today, it can seem like the most common drugs have...
The tomb with 8 human sacrifices at the entrance and 2 skeletal remains within.
2 July, 2018 - 19:01 ashley cowie

A Matter of Honor? Evidence of Brutal Child Sacrifice Surfaces in Ancient Mesopotamia

The 5,000-year-old bodies of a 12-year-old a boy and girl surrounded by “hundreds of bronze spearheads and eight human sacrifices” were unearthed at Basur Höyük in southeastern Turkey (Mesopotamia,)...
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...
The Clay Tablet that reveals the Babylonians were using calculus to track the path of Jupiter.
28 January, 2016 - 21:53 aprilholloway

Clay Tablet Reveals Ancient Babylonians Used Calculus to Track Jupiter 1,500 Years before Europeans

A new analysis of a set of ancient clay tablets has revealed that ancient astronomers of Babylonia used advanced geometrical methods to calculate the position of Jupiter – a conceptual leap that was...
Ancient Greek prostitute. ‘Phryne’ by Jose Frappa (Public Domain)
3 December, 2022 - 17:59 Robbie Mitchell

Prostitution, One of History’s Oldest Professions!

Prostitution is often described as the world’s oldest profession. Although this isn’t true – hunters, farmers, and shepherds predate prostitution – the sale of sex traces back to time immemorial. The...
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...
Anahita and Ishtar: Connections to the Planet Venus
5 December, 2016 - 03:47 Caleb Strom

Anahita and Ishtar: Connections to the Planet Venus

Anahita was a goddess associated with water, fertility, wisdom, warfare, and eventually the planet Venus. During the Achaemenid dynasty in Persia, she became incorporated into the Zoroastrian...
Medieval stargazers. People have been fascinated by the stars and their possible influence over our lives, long before and after the time of Babylonian astrology.
7 October, 2018 - 17:20 Sarah Roberts

Babylonian Astrology: How Mesopotamian Priests Influenced Your Horoscope

Mankind has always looked up to the sky and wondered at its beauty and secrets. Human beings are also incredibly good at spotting patterns, so it is no wonder that we noticed the changing appearance...
Babylonian clay model showing a nude couple on a couch engaged in sex and kissing. Date: 1800 BC. Source: © The Trustees of the British Museum/ CC BY-NC-SA
18 May, 2023 - 19:00 Gary Manners

Humans Were Kissing in Mesopotamia As Early As 4,500 Years Ago

Humanity's love affair with kissing goes way back, but just how far? Recent research has revealed that the art of smooching was already in full swing a staggering 4,500 years ago in Mesopotamia, and...

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