Sumerians used advanced ancient technology to engineer bitumen with fibers and minerals, revealing sophisticated material science.
The underlying substance is Sumerian bitumen: a naturally occurring petroleum material (often called an asphalt-like “black goo”) long associated with waterproofing and adhesion, and even with ...
Leonard Woolley waxing a skeleton for removal, in Ur (1929-1930) (courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology) After excavation, ancient artifacts embark on an ...