The ancient Sumerians invented cuneiform, shown here on a clay tablet documenting barley rations issued monthly to adults and children. The language may have died out as a result of a 200-year drought ...

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 ...

Once the heart of Sumerian civilization, the Great Ziggurat of Ur rose above the Mesopotamian plains 4,000 years ago. Built to honor the moon god Nanna, this stepped temple stood as both a place of ...

To reopen Wednesday after a yearlong closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Getty Villa has at last unveiled “Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins.” The show, originally scheduled to open in March 2020 ...

About 4,500 years ago, an image of the Sumerian storm god Ningirsu was engraved on a silver vessel now on view in the Getty Villa Museum exhibition “Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins.” ...

2K announced today that Gilgamesh, the hero of the oldest work of literature (the epic that’s named after him), is the in-game leader for Sumeria in Civilization VI. That turn-based strategy game is ...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. SAN FRANCISCO — A 200-year-long drought 4,200 years ago may have killed off the ancient Sumerian ...

SAN FRANCISCO — A 200-year-long drought 4,200 years ago may have killed off the ancient Sumerian language, one geologist says. Because no written accounts explicitly mention drought as the reason for ...

A 200-year-long drought 4,200 years ago may have killed off the ancient Sumerian language, one geologist says. Because no written accounts explicitly mention drought as the reason for the Sumerian ...