Death as a Stage for Performing Identity in the Assyrian Empire
january 2024 | Vol. 12.1 By Petra M. Creamer How can burial practices tell us about the power of an empire over its subjects? If this seems like a broad question – it is. When st
A Girl’s Helping Hand on the Journey to the Afterlife: Alabaster Ishtar-Aphrodite Figurines from Seleucid-Parthian Babylonia
December 2023 | Vol. 11.12 By Stephanie M. Langin-Hooper Sometime late in the Seleucid or early in the Parthian period (c. 2nd century BCE), a family living in or near Babylon grie
How Empires and Cities in the Ancient Near East Accelerated Wealth Inequality
October 2023 | Vol. 11.10 By Andrea Squitieri and Mark Altaweel The rise and economic development of mostly Western states from the 18th to 20th centuries resulted in increased ph
Ceremonial Standards in the Visual Culture of Early Mesopotamia
August 2023 | Vol. 11.8 By Renate van Dijk-Coombes Ceremonial standards feature prominently in the iconography of ancient Mesopotamia. Today when we think of standards, we usually
Before and After Babel
August 2023 | Vol. 11.8 By Marc Van De Mieroop “But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the sam
Heartbreak and the History of Distress in Ancient Mesopotamia
July 2023 | Vol. 11.7 By Moudhy Al-Rashid The concept of “heartbreak” appears multiple times in cuneiform texts as a metaphor to describe both mental and physical conditions. H
The Remarkable Rise of Assyria: A Reassessment
July 2023 | Vol. 11.7 By Bleda S. Düring Assyria is one of the most remarkable imperial states in global history, often celebrated as the first “world empire”. At its peak, du
Cuneiform Mathematics: Outstanding Techniques in a System of Texts
February 2023 | Vol. 11.2 By Carlos Gonçalves Mathematical cuneiform documents from various sites and periods provide a wealth of information about the conceptualization and pract
The Salt Traders of Seleucid Babylonia
january 2023 | Vol. 11.1 By Vito Messina The trade of salt was one of the most valuable economic activities in antiquity. Literary, epigraphic, and archaeological records point to
Mesopotamia Murder Mystery
December 2022 | Vol. 10.12 By Virginia Verardi Note: This report includes data derived from and images of human remains. Archaeology recovers processes in the past, like the evolut