Books about Near East


Collon, Dominique. Ancient Near Eastern Art. University of California Press, 1995.
This book provides a chronological history of the art of the ancient Near East, from prehistory through the advent of Islam in the seventh century A.D. The text is concise yet detailed, and is supplemented by both color and black and white photos. There is also a detailed timeline of Mesopotamian chronology.


Crawford, Harriet. Sumer and the Sumerians. Cambridge University Press, 1991.
This book provides a thorough overview of the Sumerian civilization. Chapters are devoted to such topics as: history, social organization, town planning, architecture, economy, writing, and funerary beliefs and customs. The text is enhanced by numerous maps, plans, drawings, and diagrams, but very few actual photographs.


Hallo, William W., and William Kelly Simpson. The Ancient Near East: A History. Harcourt Brace Publishers, 1971.
This book looks at the history of the ancient Near East.


McCall, Henrietta. Mesopotamian Myths. The Trustees of the British Museum, 1990.
This book gives a short, concise, and well-illustrated introduction to myths of the ancient Near East. Summaries and excerpts are given of such myths as Gilgamesh and the Flood and the Epic of Creation, as well as shorter myths. The myths are put in their cultural context through discussions of ancient Near East literary traditions and religious beliefs.


The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Egypt and the Ancient Near East. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987.
This book looks at the cultures of the ancient Near East and Egypt through objects in the Met's collection.


Oppenheim, A. Leo. Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization. University of Chicago Press, 1977.
This book looks at the history and culture of the ancient Near East over a span of 4000 years.


Postgate, Nicholas, and J. N. Postgate. Early Mesopotamia: Society and Economy at the Dawn of History. Routledge, 1994.
This book starts with an historical survey of the ancient Near East, and then proceeds to a study of ancient society. The text is supplemented by primary literary sources.
© Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University,
Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester and Dallas Museum of Art
For more information please contact odyssey@emory.edu.
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