The artistic traditions of Mesopotamia, or ancient Iraq, are among the oldest, and the richest, in the world. In this flat, fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the ancient Sumerians created, before 3000 BC, the world's first advanced civilization, and each of the many powers that succeeded them left its own distinctive imprint on the region's culture.<BR>The broad chronological scope of this illustrated volume - from the fourth millennium BC to the fourteenth century AD - gives us a new appreciation of both the diversity and the continuity of Mesopotamian art history. Its text, written by leading scholars of Near Eastern art and archaeology, provides an erudite yet accessible overview of each major phase in this eventful artistic saga.<BR>The masterpieces discussed in these chapters are depicted in 217 illustrations, most of them full-color photographs, and following the main text is a visual guide to Iraq's principal archaeological sites, which provides a further 247 black-and-white photographs, maps, and plans. With its authoritative, up-to-date text and this wealth of illustrations, The Art and Architecture of Mesopotamia is an invaluable publication for anyone with an interest in humanity's cultural heritage.