Ancient Mesopotamia

Archaeologists revealed on Sept. 5 ivory plaques found in a luxurious Jerusalem Iron Age residence, a first-of-its-kind discovery at this location that sheds light on the owner's wealth and social status.

An ancient historical site dating back 11,800 years was unearthed in southeastern province of Mardin.
The excavations in Mardin, which has been home to 25 different civilizations including the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Hittites, Urartians, Romans, Abbasids, Seljuks and Ottomans, shed light on history.

Being in the presence of treasures that were hidden in the sands of Mesopotamia for more than 2,000 years until the mid-19th century, sculpted re-enactments of war and royal hunts, reading the words of kings, poets and chroniclers that were found in the palace library of Nineveh, is an unsettling experience.

The Sumerologist Veysel Donbaz speaks languages almost no one speaks today: Sumerian, Hittite, and two dialects of Akkadian, which are Assyrian and Babylonian.