Science in Ancient Mesopotamia (Science of the Past)

This book was an interesting look at the scientific knowledge and discoveries of one of the first civilizations in the world, Mesopotamia, ruled by the Sumerians and then the Babylonians. It was interesting to find that some of the information that still influences our daily lives were discovered

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by one of the first civilized cultures such as the counting system of 60 on which our system of time is based. The book is part of a series thats surveys the history of science in different cultures but is a specialized book in that it focuses on one culture. The book is backed by a list of sources for further reading and a list of sources where quotes were derived. The scope of the book is rather specific referring to the scientific advancements of this ancient culture. The depth is considerable for a kids book and is probably geared toward upper middle school students. The tone is neutral and is quite clear. There are eight chapters which address different disciplines of science and the legacy of ancient mesopotamia. A table of contents directs the organization of the chapters and an index and glossary help the reader to refer to the contents. Some black and white photographs are included illustrating mostly artifacts from the ancient city. This could be used in a science class to learn where our foundations of thinking come from and to see how far science has advanced.

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