Barra

The Sumerian cosmology is a fascinating blend of mythology and early scientific thought. The Sumerians envisioned the universe as a closed dome surrounded by a primordial saltwater sea. The earth was seen as a flat disc beneath this dome, with an underworld and a freshwater ocean called the Abzu beneath it.

Ishtar, known as Inanna in Sumerian, is a deity of profound complexity and significance in Mesopotamian mythology, embodying the dualities of existence such as love and war, fertility and desolation. Her worship spanned across the ancient Near East, marking her as one of the most venerated figures in early human civilization

Nammu is a primordial goddess in Sumerian mythology, often associated with the creation of the universe and humanity. She embodies the primeval waters, an elemental force from which life and the pantheon of gods emerged. As a creator deity, Nammu’s role is pivotal in the cosmogony of Mesopotamian belief systems, where she is revered as the mother who gave birth to the major deities, including Enki, the god of wisdom, water, and creation.

Enki, known as the Sumerian god of water, wisdom, and creation, holds a pivotal place in Mesopotamian mythology for his role in the creation of humanity.

Anu, the supreme deity of the ancient Mesopotamian pantheon, was revered as the god of the sky and the embodiment of heavenly power. His dominion was the highest celestial realm, a symbol of overarching authority and order in the cosmos.

The Citadel of Erbil, a fortified settlement atop an ovoid-shaped tell in the heart of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, is a testament to the longevity of urban human settlements. Its history of continuous habitation stretches back over 7,000 years

The geography of the Sumerians, a civilization that emerged in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia, now south-central Iraq, played a crucial role in their development as one of the world’s earliest urban societies.

The Sumerians, deeply connected to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that cradled their civilization, had a profound reverence for these waterways, which was reflected in their religious rituals. One such ritual was the ‘mîs-pî’, an intricate ceremony that involved the ‘washing of the mouth’ of divine statues, symbolizing purification and the induction of life into the idols.

The cradle of civilization, Sumer, was home to the world’s first urban centres, where the wheel of history began to turn. Among the most prominent cities that rose from the fertile Mesopotamian plains were Uruk, Ur, Eridu, Nippur, Lagash, and Kish.

Uruk, known today as Warka, was one of the most significant early cities in ancient Mesopotamia, located in the southern region of Sumer. Founded around 4500 BCE, Uruk is often credited as the birthplace of writing, around 3200 BCE, marking a pivotal moment in human history.