ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

 A fine trapezoidal clay bulla from the Old Babylonian period, dated to the reign of Ishme-Dagan. Cuneiform scripts have been incised on the obverse and reverse, transcribing an administrative text. Seal impressions have been imprinted to the sides of the piece; however, some of the markings have faded due to age and the name of the official is now illegible. The bulla is pierced on one side, suggesting it would have once been attached to a document as a seal or a tag. It dates back to approximately 1900BCE.

This coin is from the kingdom of Elam, which was east of Babylon. Some think that the palm fronds on the coin are proof that the Hanging Gardens existed. What do you think? Do you want to know more? Click here!

In 1977, one month before I was born, my Aunt Sonni (The Most Interesting Woman in the World) and my Grandma & Grandpa Hodges visited Turkey. While there, Aunt Sonni purchased this statue. It is a miniature version of the Hittite King Tarhunazi. The original is found at the ruins of a place called Aslantepe. She gave it to me so I could put it in my museum. What a great lady! Do you want to know more? Click here!

A fine selection of Sumerian beads in a bracelet, featuring original steatite and hardstone beads. The beads are cylindrical and disc-shaped, stacked closely and alternating between white, cream, and dark grey. One of the earliest known civilisations in the world, the people of Ancient Sumer, inhabited a region of southern Mesopotamia. They populated part of the so-called Fertile Crescent, from around 4500 BC until an invasion by the neighbouring Elamites around 2000 BC. The fertility of these valleys allowed the Sumerians to grow an abundance of crops, creating a surplus that allowed for the creation of non-food-gathering roles, such as artists and artisans. The Sumerians are notable for a number of reasons; they created the oldest known writing system, known as cuneiform, the wheel, early mathematics, law and literature, and were some of the first brewers of beer. The Sumerians also invented the idea and basis of jewellery among Mesopotamia. Brightly coloured materials were popular and carved into beads for decorating jewellery, especially necklaces.

Date: 3000BCE

This statue is a cast replica of the original that is found in the Louvre in Paris. Gilgamesh is the world's first super hero! Do you want to know more? Click here!

This is a Louvre reproduction of the top section of the famous Hammurabi Law Code, a 7' tall carved black diorite stele recovered in 1901 and kept at the Louvre Museum.