Statue of Gudea (2144–2124 BCE)
Carved c. 2144–2124 BCE, this headless dolerite figure from Girsu, Mesopotamia, clasps hands in a votive pose typical of Gudea.
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia (c. 3500–539 BCE), in modern-day Iraq, was the cradle of cities like Uruk and Babylon. Known for inventing writing (cuneiform), advanced mathematics, and monumental ziggurats, it shaped early human history.