An introduction to ancient Mesopotamian religion

the long version

In her book, the author offers readers a compact guide to the religion of the peoples living in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers from the beginning of the Bronze Age to the time of Alexander the Great and Darius III. Drawing on extant texts, artifacts, and architecture, Schneider uncovers both an intriguing pantheon of deities -- including Marduk, Ishtar, and many others -- and the complex, fluid, and highly ritualized religious experience of the people who spent their lives serving and appeasing them.