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Sargon of Akkad
Sargon of Akkad (r. 2334 - 2279 BCE) was the king of the Akkadian Empire of Mesopotamia, the first multi-national empire in history, who united the disparate kingdoms of the region under a central authority. He is equally famous today as...
Definition
Gutians
The Gutians were a West Asiatic people who are thought to have lived around the Zagros Mountains in a region referred to as Gutium. They had no written language and all that is known of them comes from their enemies, including the Akkadians...
Definition
Mesopotamian Art and Architecture
Ancient Mesopotamian art and architectural works are among the oldest in the world, dating back over 7,000 years. The works first appear in northern Mesopotamia prior to the Ubaid Period (c. 5000-4100 BCE) and then developed in the south...
Definition
Ur-Nammu
Ur-Nammu (r. 2047-2030 BCE) was the founder of the Third Dynasty of Ur in Sumer who initiated the so-called Ur III Period (2047-1750 BCE) also known as the Sumerian Renaissance. He is best known as the king who composed the oldest extant...
Definition
Akkad and the Akkadian Empire
Akkad was the seat of the Akkadian Empire (2334-2218 BCE), the first multi-national political entity in the world, founded by Sargon the Great (r. 2334-2279 BCE) who unified Mesopotamia under his rule and set the model for later Mesopotamian...
Article
Scribes in Ancient Mesopotamia
Scribes in ancient Mesopotamia were highly educated individuals trained in writing and reading on diverse subjects. Initially, their purpose was in recording financial transactions through trade, but in time, they were integral to every aspect...
Image
Mt. Darbandi Bilula's Akkadian Rock Relief, Mesopotamia, Iraq
This rock relief dates back to the Akkadian era. It lies on the cliff of Mt. Darbadi Bilula, Hori and Shekhan area, Sulaimaniya, near the Iranian border, Iraq. Circa 2100 BCE. It features a victorious man with two captives before him; one...
Image
Letter from Ishkun-Dagan
The cuneiform inscriptions (in the old Akkadian language) on this clay tablet mention "Gutians" as invaders of the Akkadian Empire. The tablet was donated to the British Museum by Dr. N. Corkill in 1930 CE. The site and date of excavation...
Definition
Mesopotamian Literature
Ancient Mesopotamian literature developed c. 2600 BCE after scribes, who had formerly been record keepers, began composing original works in the region of Sumer. The Sumerians invented writing c. 3500 BCE, refined the script c. 3200 BCE...
Video
Early Dynastic Mesopotamia | Ancient Documentary | The Sumerian and Akkadian Empires.
The Early Dynastic Period of Mesopotamia is the modern-day archaeological term for the era in Mesopotamian history — 2900-2334 BCE — during which some of the most significant cultural advances were made including the rise of the cities, the...