|
Discovered in 1933, the archeological site of Mari holds one of the
most important keys to our understanding of the ancient Mesopotamian
world, and has been described as the definitive third millennium B.C.
royal city-state par excellence. Strategically located on the outer
reaches of Mesopotamia, Mari was a prosperous and powerful kingdom.
Among the treasures unearthed at Mari are the 275-room Zimri-Lim Palace,
which includes an enormous archive which held more than 15,000 clay
tablets recording both the household accounts of the palace, and
diplomatic and administrative records of the kingdom. The site also
reveals a number of sophisticated religious buildings including the Temple
of Ishtar, the Temple of the Lions, and the Temple of
Shamash. |
