This book details the fascinating culture of Mesopotamia—the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers—and the ancient Near East, the region generally known as the cradle of civilization. The evolution of hunter-gathering societies there into the first villages is presented through photographs and illustrations of artifacts and other evidence from archeological sites. The atlas is divided into two sections.
The Land and the People traces the development of village and urban life. Subjects covered include animals in daily life, writing, and religion and ritual.
Kingdoms and Empires charts the rise and fall of the great political entities of the Near East. Included are the late Assyrian Empire, the Babylonian revival and the Persian Empire. As most of the information historians have about these civilizations comes from archeological excavations, special features describe artifacts from specific sites.
Clearly written and with more than 200 maps and illustrations, First Civilizations, Revised Edition is an excellent general introduction to the history of the region where civilization was first nurtured.
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