This new companion to the Sumerian civilization of the third millennium BC is a mine of information with 32 chapters exploring a vast array of topics. After an initial section exploring physical & linguistic contexts & the origins of Sumerian culture successive sections explore the material world government & administration everyday life the wider Near Eastern context & the ends of the Sumerian world. Chapters attempt to provide an up-to-date synthesis of current research & range from overarching perspectives on subjects as broad as agriculture to more in-depth discussion of topics such as fashion & calendars & counting.