Sumerians used advanced ancient technology to engineer bitumen with fibers and minerals, revealing sophisticated material science.

The story of how the first cities rose from southern Mesopotamia has long fascinated scientists and historians. Many explanations point to fertile soil, farming, and trade networks as the engines of ...

The underlying substance is Sumerian bitumen: a naturally occurring petroleum material (often called an asphalt-like “black goo”) long associated with waterproofing and adhesion, and even with ...

Researchers have uncovered a vast and well-preserved network of ancient irrigation canals in the Eridu region of southern Mesopotamia, shedding new light on early farming practices. The research team, ...

Here, we explore six notable civilizations that have collapsed, shedding light on some of the causes behind their demise and ...

More than 5,000 years ago, the world’s oldest known writing system emerged in what is now Iraq, establishing the country as the epicenter of recorded human history. […] ...

Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides receives funding from the Gerda Henkel Foundation. Michael B. Charles does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would ...

The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Civilizations explores the world's earliest cultures, from the farming settlements of Mesopotamia to the Americas and Polynesia, via the birth of Greek city ...

Ancient Mesopotamia produced some of the earliest written accounts of demons and supernatural beings. These creatures were not abstract myths but explanations for disease, storms, and sudden death.