ancient Mesopotamian literature

Ancient Mesopotamian literature encompasses early written texts from civilizations like Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria, dating back to around 3000 BCE. It includes epic poems, mythologies, laws, hymns, and administrative records inscribed on clay tablets. Notable works like the *Epic of Gilgamesh* explore themes of heroism, mortality, and the divine, providing insight into their worldview and beliefs. These texts reveal complex societies with developed languages and religious practices, influencing later cultures and literature in the Middle East and beyond. Overall, Mesopotamian literature offers a window into some of the world's earliest literary and literary traditions.