Keith Valley Middle School Library: Ancient City-State in Mesopotamia

The Oriental Institute is a research organization and museum devoted to the study of the ancient Near East. The Institute, a part of the University of Chicago, is an internationally recognized pioneer in the archaeology, philology, and history of early Near Eastern civilizations.

Are you studying Mesopotamia? This web site provides a great reference tool in addition to your textbook. Here you will learn about women's lives in Mesopotamia. During this time, women did not have the same rights as men. Over time, women's positions and rights changed. Women with high status, like members of the royal families, could learn to read and write. Lean more about women in ancient world history by visiting this informative website.

If you are interested in artifacts from ancient Mesopotamia, this is a great site. The Oriental Institute Museum in Chicago provides excellent photographs of artifacts from ancient Mesopotamia. The collection includes photographs of: a figurine of King-Ur-Nammu, a squat jar from the period around 3000 B.C. in Mesopotamia, clay tablets, four-faced statuettes, cylinder seals, and more. Just click onto the image you want to view for a complete description of the artifact you want to view.

Ancient Mesopotamia is now present day Iraq and is considered to be the cradle of civilization. The history of this important area can be explored with interactive exhibits that let you see artifacts and watch interviews with archaeologists. Learn about daily life in early Mesopotamia. Exploring the archaeology, prehistory, religion, literature, art, science, warfare, and law of the Mesopotamians will introduce you to some of their early developments that we benefit from today. Zoom in to study related museum artifacts.