Analyzing ancient texts on cuneiform, or clay tablets, may seem like an esoteric endeavor. Not so, say the scholars working on the Yale Cuneiform Commentaries Project (CCP). They argue that these are ...

Over 8,000 years ago, early farming communities in northern Mesopotamia were already thinking mathematically—long before numbers were written down. By closely studying Halafian pottery, researchers ...

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.

Researchers from the University of Bologna have unveiled how ancient cylinder seals played a key role in the development of writing in ancient Mesopotamia, marking a significant breakthrough in ...

On a set of broken clay bowls from northern Mesopotamia, delicate flower patterns have turned out to be something far more radical than decoration. New analysis of this ancient art suggests that early ...

Foundation figure in the form of a nail surmounted by the bust of a god (Sumerian, Early Dynastic III period, 2600–2300 BCE), copper alloy (courtesy private collection, via Morgan Library & Museum) ...

One of the most important trade centers of ancient Mesopotamia, the ancient city of Dara in southeastern Turkey, is poised for new greatness as a hub for visitors seeking historical splendor.

For instance, there's some doubt over whether Thomas Edison really came up with the idea of the motion picture camera — or whether he pinched it. There's also a question mark over whether "ignored" ...

The discoveries shed new light on life in ancient Mesopotamia. Examples of the cuneiform tablets found, and an aerial view of Fayadia District, Iraq. Photo: Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and ...

“Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins” features artworks on loan from Musée du Louvre, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bibliothèque nationale de France, and Musée Auguste Grasset – Varzy. (Getty Museum) (The ...

Researchers have unearthed the earliest definitive evidence of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) in ancient Iraq, challenging our understanding of humanity's earliest agricultural practices.