Mesopotamia, cuneiform, and the ancient Near East.
A myth-busting FAQ on daily life in the ancient Near East: writing, law, math, beer, and why the 'mud and misery' stereotype collapses under the evidence.
We answer common questions about Ancient Near East mythology, debunk the 'copycat' theory, and explain why the Epic of Gilgamesh still matters.
You want to see the real dirt of Mesopotamia. I compare Ur, Babylon, and Nineveh on three criteria and tell you exactly where to start.
A blunt comparison of Sumerian, Akkadian, and Old Persian for modern learners. We weigh script, texts, and decipherment to crown one winner.
Myths are not just stories. Learn to read them as living scripts for ritual, power, and cosmic order in ancient Mesopotamia.
I argue that Ancient Near Eastern mythology, not just its laws or kings, is the essential lens for understanding Mesopotamian civilization—and I'll sh...
Gilgamesh vs. Atrahasis: the two great flood stories of Mesopotamia. We pit them head-to-head on drama, theology, and sheer survival power. Spoiler: G...
Your obsession with 'living' languages is shortchanging you. Cuneiform, the world's first writing, offers raw problem-solving, math, and literature. H...
Two cities shaped Mesopotamia, but for a modern traveler or reader, which digs deeper? I compare Uruk and Babylon on writing, monuments, and excavatio...
Ancient Near Eastern languages are best learned not in isolation but through their cultural, economic, and political contexts, as this position piece ...
Between the Tigris and Euphrates, daily life was law, trade, and astronomy. This field report shows how to read the material record to decide what mat...
Ancient Near East digs demand practical judgment, not textbook romance. Here's how to read a tell, date a tablet, and keep your crew alive.
Uruk gave us writing, but Ur built a kingdom. Comparing these two ancient cities on writing, trade, and kingship shows which one truly matters for und...