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Shulgi and Ninlil's Barge
Article

Shulgi and Ninlil's Barge - A Poem Celebrating a Divine Event

Shulgi and Ninlil's Barge is a Sumerian poem dated to the reign of Shulgi of Ur (2094 - circa 2046 BCE) celebrating the caulking of the barge of the goddess Ninlil, consort of the sky god Enlil...
The Debate Between Bird and Fish
Article

The Debate Between Bird and Fish - The Age-old Problem of Difficult Neighbors

The Debate Between Bird and Fish (written circa 2000 BCE) is a Sumerian poem dated to the Ur III Period (circa 2112-circa 2004 BCE) when the genre of the literary debate was especially...
A Praise Poem of Shulgi
Article

A Praise Poem of Shulgi - A Celebration of an Ancient Famous Run

A Praise Poem of Shulgi (written circa 2020-2000 BCE) is an ancient Sumerian document celebrating the famous run of 200 miles (321.8 km) in one day made by the king Shulgi of Ur (reign 2094...
The Colonial Bungalow
Article

The Colonial Bungalow - Combatting Climate & Creating Separation

With its thick walls, high ceilings, large rooms, and wide verandahs, the colonial bungalow was constructed to meet the challenges of hot climates. Designed to keep cool air in, hot air out...
The Death of Ur-Nammu
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The Death of Ur-Nammu - The Sumerian Vision of the Afterlife

The Death of Ur-Nammu is a Sumerian lament over the passing of the king Ur-Nammu (reign circa 2112-2094 BCE), founder of the Third Dynasty of Ur, who was killed in battle fighting the Gutians...
The Sumerian Poem Schooldays
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The Sumerian Poem Schooldays - Sumerian Satire & the Scribal Life

Schooldays (written circa 2000 BCE) is a Sumerian poem describing the daily life of a young scribe in the schools of Mesopotamia. The work takes the form of a first-person narration and dialogue...
Battle of Omdurman
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Battle of Omdurman - Britain's Vengeance for the Death of General Gordon

The Battle of Omdurman on 2 September 1898 saw General Kitchener lead an Anglo-Egyptian-Sudanese army to victory over 50,000 Mahdists in Sudan. The death of General Gordon during the...
The Hymn to Ninkasi, Goddess of Beer
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The Hymn to Ninkasi, Goddess of Beer - A Praise Song and Ancient Beer Recipe

The Hymn to Ninkasi is at once a song of praise to Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of beer, and an ancient recipe for brewing (though this claim has been challenged). Written down...
Siege of Khartoum
Article

Siege of Khartoum - Last Stand of General Gordon

The siege of Khartoum from March 1884 to January 1885 was the most dramatic episode of the Mahdist War (1881-99) in Sudan when an army led by the inspirational Muslim leader, Muhammad Ahmad, the self-proclaimed...
Burial in Ancient Mesopotamia
Article

Burial in Ancient Mesopotamia - Respect for the Living, Honoring the Dead

Burial in ancient Mesopotamia was the practice of interring a corpse in a grave or tomb while observing certain rites, primarily to ensure the passage of the soul of the deceased to...
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