Mesopotamia

Discusses the archaeology and civilizations of Babylonia and Assyria

Gr 9 Up--This excellent series entry covers the empires that rose and fell over a span of 3,000 years in the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. While not a basic introduction to Mesopotamian civilization per se, the text conveys the achievements of various cultures and empires in a coherent manner without oversimplification. The editors discuss the reign of Hammurabi in Babylon, the Assyrians, and the short lived Neo-Babylonian empire. Along with the historical information, an overview of the archaeology of the region, including profiles of some of the pioneers who first excavated cities such as Babylon and Nineveh, is provided. Numerous full-color photographs and reproductions make this title a good choice for most libraries. For an understanding of the beginnings of civilization in this region, Sumer (Time-Life, 1993), is a better choice.

David N. Pauli, Missoula Public Library, MT

Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

This handsomely illustrated book spans the history and culture of ancient Mesopotamia during the last two millennia B.C.-from the rise of Hammurabi to the conquest of Babylon in 539 B.C.-with emphasis on the archaeological evidence. The stories of the Babylonian and Assyrian empires, along with the history of their excavation, are told in well-written style threaded through with quotations from ancient texts and data from excavators themselves. More recently acquired information from sites dug over the last 30 years right up to 1990 adds to the value of this work. While the lavish format will capture any reader's interest, the target audience, 12 years to adult, will in most cases need more background reading before they can assimilate the contents. Thus, it is unfortunate that there are no cross references to an earlier volume in this series, Sumer: Cities of Eden (Time-Life, dist. by Silver Burdett, 1993). This problem is especially evident with regard to the history of cuneiform writing, which is underrepresented here. Readers are advised to read the earlier book in the series first. For history collections.
Joan Gartland, Detroit P.L.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.