Before the Islamic State: The Archaeologies of Ancient Mesopotamia

Front-page news stories report the often-horrific actions and assertions of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). This part of the world -- ancient Mesopotamia, the “cradle of civilization" -- is home, however, not only to modern geopolitical conflict, but to the world’s often equally violent earliest states and empires. This class introduces students to the archaeology and history of this extraordinarily rich region, whose cultures also pioneered the development of writing, astronomy, mathematics, urbanism, and beer.