Article 01
Feeding the First Cities: Farming, Storage and Distribution
Follow food from irrigated fields to containers and clay accounts, and discover what the evidence can tell us about supplying early Mesopotamian cities.
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A Libradia history series
Life in the First Cities
Look inside early Mesopotamian communities through the work of feeding a city, running a household and exchanging goods before coins.
6 published articles · Read in order or choose a story below.
Start with article 1Articles in this series
Article 02
Daily Life in Early Mesopotamia: Homes, Work and Family
Explore homes, food preparation, craft work and family relationships through specific finds and records from early Mesopotamian cities.
AI-generated illustration
Article 03
Before Coins: How People Traded in Mesopotamia
Discover how weighed silver, crafted goods and written obligations shaped Mesopotamian exchange long before coinage.
AI-generated illustration
Article 04
Work in the First Cities: Crafts, Skills and Labour
Explore pottery, wool spinning and mudbrick making in ancient Mesopotamia, and the records that reveal how early cities organised skilled work.
AI-generated illustration
Article 05
Growing Up in Ancient Mesopotamia: Childhood, Learning and Work
Explore childhood in ancient Mesopotamia through family work, school tablets and small clay models, and discover what the evidence reveals about growing up.
AI-generated illustration
Article 06
Neighbours and Disputes: Living Together in Mesopotamian Cities
Houses, property records and lawsuits reveal how urban neighbours lived together, maintained rights and challenged claims in ancient Mesopotamia.