This book explores what life was really like for everyday people in ancient Sumer. Using primary sources and information from archeological discoveries, it uncovers some fascinating insights and explodes some myths. Supported by timelines, maps, and references to important events and people, children will really feel they are on a time-traveling journey when reading this book.

The ancient world of Mesopotamia (from Sumer to the subsequent division into Babylonia and Assyria) vividly comes alive in this portrayal of the time period from 3100 BCE to the fall of Assyria (612 BCE) and Babylon (539 BCE). Readers will discover fascinating details about the lives of these people taken from the ancients' own descriptions. Beautifully illustrated, this easy-to-use reference contains a timeline and a historical overview to aid student research.

Described by the editor as unpretentious roamings on the odd little byways of the history of ancient Mesopotamia, these 15 articles were originally published in the French journal L'Histoire and are designed to serve as an introductory sampling of the historical research on the lost civilization. Chapters explore cuisine, sexuality, women's rights, architecture, magic and medicine, myth, legend, and other aspects of Mesopotamian life. Originally published as Initiation a l'Orient ancien . Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The ancient world of Mesopotamia (from Sumer to the subsequent division into Babylonia and Assyria) vividly comes alive in this portrayal of the time period from 3100 BCE to the fall of Assyria (612 BCE) and Babylon (539 BCE). Readers will discover fascinating details about the lives of these people taken from the ancients' own descriptions. Beautifully illustrated, this easy-to-use reference contains a timeline and a historical overview to aid student research. Annotation. This account brings the ancient world of Mesopotamia to life with details taken from primary texts such as economic records, scientific and mathematical texts, legal documents, official and personal correspondence, and magic and religious texts, drawing on the most recent discoveries of new excavation sites and artifacts. The focus is on historical Mesopotamia from 3100 BCE to the fall of Assyria (612 BCE) and Babylon (539 BCE). A glossary is included, plus b & w photos of artifacts. The author teaches at Yale University and has written other books on Mesopotamia. This is a paperbound reprint of a 1998 book published by Greenwood Press.

The Sumerians, the pragmatic and gifted people who preceded the Semites in the land first known as Sumer and later as Babylonia, created what was probably the first high civilization in the history of man, spanning the fifth to the second millenniums B.C. This book is an unparalleled compendium of what is known about them. Professor Kramer communicates his enthusiasm for his subject as he outlines the history of the Sumerian civilization and describes their cities, religion, literature, education, scientific achievements, social structure, and psychology. Finally, he considers the legacy of Sumer to the ancient and modern world. "There are few scholars in the world qualified to write such a book, and certainly Kramer is one of them. . . . One of the most valuable features of this book is the quantity of texts and fragments which are published for the first time in a form available to the general reader. For the layman the book provides a readable and up-to-date introduction to a most fascinating culture. For the specialist it presents a synthesis with which he may not agree but from which he will nonetheless derive stimulation."—American Journal of Archaeology "An uncontested authority on the civilization of Sumer, Professor Kramer writes with grace and urbanity."—Library Journal

In between the fertile banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in what was called the cradle of civilization, the first known civilization on earth evolved. Life in Ancient Mesopotamia describes the lives of ancient Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, and explores the gifts they brought to the world, including the wheel, plow, and sailboat. Great lawmakers such as Hammurabi, the architectural beauty of ziggurats and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, along with the invention of cuneiform writing are also featured.

"Readers of this interactive eBook will enjoy learning about the everyday lives of ancient Mesopotamians through engaging text, rich illustrations, and interactive features, such as timelines, quizzes, primary sources, videos, and more. They will learn about the overreaching class structure as well as the organization of the homes. The informative text with professionally read audio informs readers about everything from the clothes they wore, to the jewelry they adorned themselves with, and to the ways they wore their hair. Readers can expect an enjoyable read that provides them with much insight into these ancient lives"--Provided by the publisher.