gems, ancient history, Mesopotamia, gem trade, history of gemology

Ancient Mesopotamia was the home of some of the world’s earliest cities and the place where writing was invented. For these two major developments alone—urban society and literate society—it might justly be titled the “cradle of civilisation”, but in its literature, its religious philosophies, and no less in its art, it can also be placed firmly as a direct ancestor of the Western world. Our knowledge of the civilisation of ancient Mesopotamia is constantly expanding. A hundred and fifty years after the first modern excavations, archaeological work in the Near East continues unabated, and new discoveries are constantly being made that add to, reshape, and refine our understanding of some of the most staggering human achievements of antiquity. At the sites of ancient settlements and in the museums of Iraq and other countries, one can contemplate and wonder at the monuments, arts, handicrafts, and utensils of daily life created by the Mesopotamians. Thanks to the Mesopotamians’ greatest invention—writing—and the modern decipherment of the languages in which they expressed themselves, we can read their literature, reconstruct their history, and gain insight into their thoughts.