Review of 'Between Two Rivers': The Rise of a Civilization

Historical Event: On September 26, 554 B.C., a partial lunar eclipse was observed in Babylon, prompting King Nabonidus to interpret it as a divine message from the moon god Sîn.

High Priestess Appointment: Following ancient protocol, Nabonidus appointed his daughter Ennigaldi-Nanna as high priestess at Ur, renaming her in the Sumerian language associated with the deity.

Archaeological Discovery: The palace of Ennigaldi-Nanna was excavated by British archaeologist Leonard Woolley in the 1920s, revealing layers of history in Ur that spanned nearly 3,500 years.

Cuneiform Tablets Significance: The site contained numerous cuneiform tablets, with the earliest dating back to around 3350 B.C., marking the beginning of writing and the establishment of a bureaucratic state.