Cities, States, and Living in Ancient Mesopotamia
Tides of History
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Introduction
The bawing of the sheep was almost unbearable, a low roar that filled the air. The scribe cursed as the fleeced hem of his long woollen skirt dragged through a pile of fresh manure. He waited impatiently for the man in the shorter, tufted skirt to finish his conversation with one of the shepherds. When the man finished, he listed a series of weights, minas and grades of wool. Using the stylus, the scribe impressed a series of wedges and lines into the wet clay. Stepping carefully around further piles of sheep dung to avoid ruining his already dirty skirt, the scribe left the pastures.
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