List of illustrations = Ⅶ
Acknowledgements = Ⅸ

INTRODUCTION = 1

1. THE FIRST HALF OF HISTORY = 9

2. HISTORY FROM ABOVE = 39

3. HISTORY FROM BELOW = 86

4. ECONOMIC HISTORY = 106

5. GENDER AND MESOPOTAMIAN HISOTY = 138

6. CONCLUSIONS = 161

Notes = 167
Annotated bibliography = 171
Bibliography = 176
Index = 194