Professor Alexis Castor

Standard of Ur. Sumerian artwork, ca. 2600-2400 BC. From tomb 779 Ur. British Museum. Detail
Ancient History

Archaeological Wonders of Mesopotamia: The Royal Cemetery at Ur

December 1, 2017

One of the most spectacular and widely publicized archaeological discoveries in Mesopotamia was the cemetery at Ur, excavated in the late 1920s. Ur had been known for many years because of the large ziggurat mound that dominated the site. Visitors to the region had described the site in the 17th century A.D. […]

Bronz head of Sargon of Akkad (Image: By Photograph: Iraqi Directorate General of Antiquities - Encyclopedia Britannica Online/Public Domain)
Ancient History

The Epic Reign of Sargon of Akkad

December 1, 2017

The rise of Sargon of Akkad, who ruled from 2334 to 2279 B.C., is a story that tells of the creation of a new, powerful dynasty in Mesopotamian history. […]