Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, gave rise to some of the world’s earliest cities, writing systems, monumental architecture, and organized societies. Gary Martin will take the audience on a journey through the civilizations of the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, examining the extraordinary works of art they created more than 4,000 years ago.

The presentation will include images of monumental sculpture, cylinder seals, temples, royal objects, reliefs, and other works that reveal how these ancient peoples understood their gods, rulers, animals, warfare, and the world around them. Among the subjects will be the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia, cuneiform writing, the Code of Hammurabi, the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, and the magnificent palace reliefs of the Assyrian kings.

“Mesopotamia is where so much of human history begins,” says Gary Martin. “The people of this region created cities, developed writing, built monumental structures, and produced some extraordinary works of art. I want to bring these ancient cultures to life and show audiences how much their achievements continue to influence us today.”

The Art Talks series is presented at the Willits Center for the Arts and is free and open to the public. The program is designed for anyone with an interest in art, history, archaeology, and the civilizations that have shaped human culture.