The Akitu festival falls on the first day of the Babylonian and Assyrian month of Nisan near the Spring Equinox (March or April). Akitu...

Ur is a prominent city-state in ancient Mesopotamia. Founded c. 3800 BCE, Ur is a coastal city on the Persian Gulf. It slowly moves...

Ninshubur is the sukkal of Inanna (Ishtar) in ancient Mesopotamia. Divine vizier and problem-fixer, goddess Ninshubur is worshipped in...

Uruk in Mesopotamia is considered the first true city in human civilization. One of the largest sites of the ancient world, Uruk is...

The Indus River Valley Civilization emerges around 3300 BCE in what is now Pakistan and northwest India. From advanced urban planning to...

Irrigation creates rich agricultural lands from dry barren earth. For thousands of years, people invent and refine ways to move water to...

Rennet is a complex set of enzymes central to many cheeses. It coagulates milk to form curds.  The primary enzyme in rennet is chymosin...

Yeast is a vital microorganism in wine making. From ancient fermentation to modern advancements, yeast influences taste, texture and...

Astrology and astronomy blur boundaries in the ancient world. Similar at a glance, the two serve different needs in society and progress....

In ancient Rome, the haruspex has a significant role in society as a trained specialist in the the practice of haruspicy. This form of...

As humanity evolves, so does study of astrology. Settlement, and the advent of writing c. 3200 BCE, lead to concise development of...

Babylonians are among the earliest astrologers. An ancient practice, astrology correlations the movements or habits of celestial bodies...

Metals, planets, their properties and symbols give insight into nature and personality. The seven metals of antiquity correspond with the...

Ninkasi is a goddess of beer and brewing in ancient Mesopotamia. She embodies the pleasant, ambrosial and aphrodisiac effects of beer as...

Siris or Siraš is a Mesopotamian beer goddess. In Ebla she's called Zilaš. Siris connects to both the good and bad aspects of beer....

Mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb) or St. Lucie cherry is a species of fruit tree cultivated for a spice in the cherry stones. The fruit...

Nimrod is a legendary Mesopotamian king in the early Bronze Age. A controversial figure, Nimrod has a savage nature and civilized mind,...

Lammašaga (Lammasaga) is an ancient Sumerian goddess, and sukkal of the medicine goddess Bau . Belonging to a class of guardian...

Enki is an ancient Sumerian primary god worshiped for over 3000 years. He's among the first deities to emerge in Sumerian myth. Enki is a...

Urash (Uraš) is an ancient Mesopotamian earth goddess and wife of Anu , sky god and oldest deity. Anu has two other consorts, different...