Welcome to ancient Mesopotamia - home of the world"s first cities. This strip of land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers is often called the "Cradle of Civilization." Mesopotamians were among the first to use the wheel and the written word. In mathematics, they used place value and were comfortable with quadratic equations. They had libraries that included everything from recipe books to directions for making glass. People still read Gilgamesh, their great epic poem. The activities in this book provide insight into the history, technology, laws, economy, literature, and art of ancient Mesopotamia. The eight full-color transparencies at the back of the book can be used alone or with specific activities listed in the table of contents.