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Article: Kish: ancient Mesopotamia's heartland.
- Article from:
- Calliope
- Article date:
- September 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Of all the ancient cities of Mesopotamia, few were considered as important as Kish. Today, its ruins cover an area in present-day Iraq that measures 50 by 15 miles. In the early historic period, ancient rulers of Mesopotamia advertised their power by taking the title "King of Kish." This essentially meant that a particular ruler was the "king of kings."
The first excavations at Kish began in 1852. Archaeologists were on site again in 1912, from 1923 to 1933, and in 1989. Based on their findings, we know that the area of Kish was settled as early as 3200-3000 B.C. These years are known for the distinctive painted pottery first identified at the site of Jemdet ...