ABSTRACT
Before a discussion of the collecting activities of the Mesopotamian elite can begin, it is necessary to describe the major features of Mesopotamian civilization. In the following sections, discussions of the environment, sources, historical periods, religion, and political structures of Mesopotamia will help to elucidate how the Mesopotamians conceived of themselves and others. In addition, this chapter introduces the reader to the textual, archaeological, and pictorial sources that Assyriologists, archaeologists, and art historians use for learning about ancient Mesopotamia. This introductory discussion is not meant to be exhaustive, nor to discuss every piece of available evidence regarding these important identitydefining facets of Mesopotamian civilization and the controversies surrounding that evidence. Rather it is intended to summarize in a brief manner for the general audience the major features of the civilization that allowed the ancient inhabitants as well as modern scholars to identify the unique and complex nature of the Mesopotamian world and world view. This general introduction to Mesopotamian civilization – an attempt to understand how Mesopotamians identified themselves – therefore serves as a background that allows the reader to understand the way in which objects were used by elite Mesopotamians to define their identities.
