Mesopotamia - Civilization Begins

by Ariane Thomas and Timothy Potts

Mesopotamia, in modern-day Iraq, was home to the remarkable ancient civilizations of Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia, and Assyria. From the rise of the first cities around 3500 BCE, through the mighty empires of Nineveh and Babylon, to the demise of its native culture around 100 CE, Mesopotamia produced some of the most powerful and captivating art of antiquity and led the world in astronomy, mathematics, and other sciences-a legacy that lives on today.

Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins presents a rich panorama of ancient Mesopotamia's history, from its earliest prehistoric cultures to its conquest by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE. This catalogue records the beauty and variety of the objects on display, on loan from the Louvre's unparalleled collection of ancient Near Eastern antiquities: cylinder seals, monumental sculptures, cuneiform tablets, jewelry, glazed bricks, paintings, figurines, and more. Essays by international experts explore a range of topics, from the earliest French excavations to Mesopotamia's economy, religion, cities, cuneiform writing, rulers, and history-as well as its enduring presence in the contemporary imagination.

• ISBN10: 1606066498
• ISBN13: 9781606066492
• Publish Date: 7 April 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 31 January 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Getty Trust Publications
• Imprint: J. Paul Getty Museum
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 236
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins is a catalog guide to accompany an exhibition at the J. Paul Getty museum on the rise of Mesopotamia and its place and influence in the emerging world. Released April 7th 2020 by Getty Publications, it's 236 pages and available in hardcover format.

This is a lavishly illustrated volume with well written subject essays by well known scholars of cultural and ancient history. The exhibition is on loan from the Louvre under the auspices of a collaborative effort between the Getty, the Louvre, and several other institutions.

This volume would make a good selection for students of ancient art, history, anthropology, arts, and ancient language and culture. It is written in a meticulous and scholarly style, but as a layperson I had no problems understanding and learning from the included essays.

The exhibition is scheduled to run at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center from March 18 to 27th July, 2020. Given the current climate of the world with regard to travel, the status of the exhibition and access to the museum and exhibits is unclear, but this beautiful volume is an acceptable alternative.

Five stars, this is a sterling exhibition catalog and will have value long after the exhibit is over.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.