Art of the Ancient Near East

The cradle of civilization, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates River, got its name from what it gave humanity ... the beginning of the concept of civilization. Evidence of a division of labor, laws, organized religion, permanent dwellings, written language, and technology have been found by archaeologists. The rivers supported the establishment of permanent communities.

Too look at this region in more detail, one can look to the British Museum. The British Museum has several rooms that contain images like the one in this posting (a relief depicting Ashurnasirpal). Visit the British Museum for an opportunity to view artifacts from this region.

To learn more about the history of the region, the context for the archaeological evidence in the museum, watch Engineering an Empire, Persia. The video will go into clear detail about achievements from this culture that still can be found in our world today. You will learn about religious and cultural tolerance, something communities in the area are not well known for today.

Smarthistory provides a thorough overview of this era as well. Spend a few moments looking at the video

about the Standard of Ur discovered by Wooley.