
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.

Iraq, spanning ancient Mesopotamia to modern times, cradled the world’s first known urban societies, like Ur and Nineveh.

Carved c. 2144–2124 BCE, this headless dolerite figure from Girsu, Mesopotamia, clasps hands in a votive pose typical of Gudea.