Tigris and Euphrates Books

In this pioneering work Saggs presents the first comprehensive picture we have of Babylonian Civilization. He traces its development from Mesopotamia before 2000 B.C. to Babylonia and Assyria circa 2000-1350 B.C. to the Rise of IMperial Assyria. After outlining the political development he focuses on elucidating the Social and Cultural History of Babylonia, its Law and Statecraft, Administration,Trade and Economics, Religion. He gives chapters to the role of 'the King' in Babylonian Society, to its Literature, to Mathematics, Astronomy, Medicine, Chemical Technology , Art. And in his concluding chapter he speaks about its Legacy and Survival.

This wonderful little book is a look at Mesopotamia/Iraq, from ancient times to about 1999 (when the book was published). Filled with bright pictures, and easy to follow text, this is a great book for anyone who wants to get a quick, easy-to-understand, eagle-eye view of Iraq. Indeed, this book may be listed as a young adult book, but anyone will find it interesting and informative. I highly recommend this book!

This is the region where "history began" as noted Sumerologist S. Kramer wrote. Ochenschlager's account of his time spent in the marshlands of southern Iraq is an important addition to scholarship of this remarkable landscape in that he clearly demonstrates the usefulness of undertaking ethnoarcheological research in order for the past to be informed by the present. As a result, I was incredibly grateful when Ochsenschlager agreed to write the foreword for my own book about the area: "Wetlands of Mass Destruction: Ancient Presage for Contemporary Ecocide in Southern Iraq" whose purpose is the reciprocal; i.e. how the present can be informed by the past.

The title is somewhat misleading. The Garden of Eden is not the subject. The author is interested in studying presentday village life near Tell el Hiba (ancient Sumerian Lagash) from an anthropological aspect to gather insights about objects found in that ancient location. For example, archaeologists excavated at Lagash pottery that was baked (fired) and unbaked (unfired). They were "mystified" over the creation and obvious usage of unfired pottery. Upon visiting the local Arabs, the author discovered that they too utilized baked and unbaked pottery and by questioning the Arabs over this phenomenon they learned "why" such a custom existed. So a modern anthropological investigation illuminated some of the ancient customs of Lagash.
To repeat: The Garden of Eden motif is not the subject, the employment of Anthropological methods to explain the ancient past at Lagash is the author's main intent.

This fascinating book was published in 1998, and reflects an up-to-date understanding on the watercourses of Babylonia. Like the Nile, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers were subject to a yearly flooding, which brought a great deal of rich silt, which helped to create the Mesopotamian riverine complex. However, as the rivers deposited this silt, they rose in level, until they exploded their banks and took up new courses. This book, examines the mechanics of this hydrology, and its effects.

Overall, I found this to be a fascinating book. The authors go a long way towards showing that any ancient map of Mesopotamia should not be drawn with the present courses of the rivers used, as the rivers have moved repeatedly throughout history, with cities actually changing which side of the river they were on! (Or, more truthfully changing which side of them the river flowed past.)

Now, my biggest complaint is that while the bulk of this book is in English, some of it is in French. But, that said, this is a goldmine of information about ancient Mesopotamia, and how the river courses (not to mention the Gulf shoreline) have changed. I highly recommend this book to any scholar of ancient Mesopotamia and it environment.