Mesopotamia

A study on all the social and historical aspects of Mari and Karana, this book provides an account of life in the nineteenth century BCE. Illustrations with photographs and drawings of objects uncovered during excavations provide a lively counterpart to the texts themselves, many of which are quoted in translation.

In this sequel to the author's Nineveh and Its Remains, and containing over 200 illustrations, Layard describes the second expedition he undertook to Nineveh. His words raise questions of cultural imperialism and epistemology central to modern critical debates.

Layard relates fascinating tales of his adventures in Persia and Mesopotamia before the discovery of Nineveh.

Impressions of Ancient Mesopotamia introduces children to ancient Mesopotamian culture through cylinder seals: their production, use, and art. Written for sixth grade readers, this book provides a historical introduction to Mesopotamia, discusses several ancient technologies, introduces Mesopotamian myths, and gives insight into distinctively Mesopotamian cultural characteristics, ideas, and institutions. Over fifty illustrations, a craft, several sidebars, and a section on further investigation complement the text.

As an introduction to the ancient history of Iraq, Goodspeed’s book has stood the test of time. The reader is given a detailed rendition of the history of the Old Babylonian, Assyrian, and Neo-Babylonian Empires. Although out of print for many years, the book is consistently cited as a helpful introduction to the subject.

Rogers, in a series of five lectures, explores the religion of ancient Mesopotamia by initially recounting the discovery of that lost religion. He then studies the gods, cosmologies, and sacred texts of the people of ancient Iraq. His work concludes with an examination of their formative myths and epics.

In this formidable study, Jastrow compares several aspects of the religious life of the Israelites and ancient Babylonias by comparison of their written texts. Among the topics examined are the creation and flood accounts, the concept of the Sabbath, and the ethics of both cultures.

Lau’s study focuses on a set of Babylonian temple texts in the library of Columbia University. These tablets are mostly administrative receipts, giving insight into the revenue and offering accounting in the temple. The texts are presented in transcription, English translation, and with line drawings.

In this formative study of the Babylonian and Assyrian letters, originally published over three articles in Beiträge zur Assyriologie, Delitzsch presents in transliteration and translation, 40 Akkadian letters, along with critical notes and remarks. These letters are addressed to the Queen-Mother and to the King and generally date from the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian periods and contexts. An example of early analysis of the still-young discipline of Assyriology, this study provides insights into the dynamics of royal life in the late Mesopotamian empires.

An early study of the Babylonian kudurru (boundary stone) inscriptions of what is now known as the Kassite Era, this booklet presents a self-contained exploration of two of the markers. Focusing on Kudurru Inscriptions III R. 43 and III R. 41, Belser gives transcriptions and translations of both texts. A detailed commentary follows the presentation of the actual texts, and this is accompanied by notes from the original drawings of the text. Carefully reproduced full text hand-drawn copies are also included.