1. Key Terms
Stele or Stela: An upright stone slab or column decorated with figures or
inscription, common in prehistoric times.
Cuneiform: Composed of slim triangular or wedge-shaped elements, as the
characters used in writing by the ancient Akkadians, Assyrians,
Babylonians, Persians, and others.
Bas relief: A kind of sculpture in which shapes are carved so that they are
only slightly higher than the flat background.
Shamash: The sun god of the Assyria and Babylonia.
Water Table: Where the underground surface beneath earth materials, such
as soil or rock, are saturated with water