The Near East, the Cradle of Western Civilization

This book is an elegant account of the development of the great ancient civilizations of the Near East and how did the knowledge of the people of the Orient spread over the surrounding regions. In a lucid, concise, and well-organized style, the authors provide a clear analysis of how the ancient Near East provided the West with the foundations of civilization from the domestication of plants and animals through the development of writing, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, law, and industry to the formation of governments, states, and empires. Each of the various aspects of civilization is treated independently, rendering the book an accessible source of information and an easy to use reference book.