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Detail from the Processional Way in Babylon. Glazed enamel bricks with a lion motif and also some white daisies.

Ancient Babylon, the iconic Mesopotamian city that survived for 2,000 years

By Owen Jarus published

Reference Babylon, the ancient Mesopotamian civilization, existed from roughly 2000 B.C. to 540 B.C.

Reference
This is an underwater photo of white, green, and reddish-pink coral reef surrounded by a school of little yellow Anthias fish. It was taken in the Red Sea.

Is the Red Sea really red?

By Tom Garlinghouse last updated

The Red Sea takes its name from periodic blooms of a blue-green algae called Trichodesmium erythraeum, which turn the normally vivid blue waters a reddish-brown.

Middle East
An aerial view of a fortress believed to be part of the lost city of Natounia, including the (A) Merquly settlement; and the (B) 'barracks' building.

Lost city, a real-life 'Helm's Deep,' possibly discovered in Iraq

By Jennifer Nalewicki published

Mountain fortress in Iraq is said to be part of the lost city Natounia.

Middle East
Ancient Babylonia and Assyria sculpture from Mesopotamia.

Mesopotamia: The Land Between Two Rivers

By Owen Jarus last updated

Irrigation, writing, trigonometry, calculus — many important discoveries and innovations were made in "the land between two rivers."

Middle East
Bas-relief carved on the walls of old buildings from the Persian city of Persepolis _Delbars via Shutterstock

Who were the ancient Persians?

By Tom Garlinghouse last updated

Reference The Persians, originally a semi-nomadic people from central Asia, settled on the Iranian plateau and founded the Achaemenid Empire.

Reference
The ancient Bronze Age city at Kemune in Iraq.

Ancient Bronze Age city reemerges from Iraq river after extreme drought

By Patrick Pester published

Archaeologists raced to investigate an ancient Bronze Age city in Iraq after it re-emerged from a reservoir following an extreme drought.

Middle East
The funerary avenues (part of one shown here) date back around 4,500 years in Saudi Arabia.

Vast 4,500-year-old network of 'funerary avenues' discovered in Saudi Arabia

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia have discovered 4,500-year-old "funerary avenues" alongside thousands of pendant-shaped tombs.

Middle East
A sampling square in the den, before surface collection and excavation.

Human skull fragments found in massive boneyard in hyenas' lava tube cave

By Mindy Weisberger published

In the Umm Jirsan lava tube, the longest such structure in Saudi Arabia, scientists discovered piles bones belonging to animals that hyenas devoured there for thousands of years.

Middle East
The Gilgamesh Dream Tablet was seized from Hobby Lobby by federal authorities in 2019.

US to return 'priceless' 3,500-year-old Epic of Gilgamesh tablet to Iraq 30 years after it was stolen

By Ben Turner published

Discovered in 1853, the Epic of Gilgamesh caused a sensation through its telling of an ark that survived a great flood.

Middle East
More than 1,000 of these mustatils have been documented in Arabia, and they date back around 7,000 years.

Mysterious 7,000-year-old stone structures may be part of prehistoric cattle cult

By Owen Jarus published

Sprawling rectangular structures scattered across northwest Arabia and dating back more than 7,000 years may have been part of a prehistoric cattle cult.

Middle East
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