ChatGPT threatens to change writing as we know it. But the Mesopotamians, who lived 4,000 years ago in modern-day Iraq, went through this kind of seismic change before us, when they invented writing.
Cylinder seal (left) and modern impression (right) showing two people drinking beer through long straws. Khafajeh, Iraq (Early Dynastic period, c. 2600–2350 B.C.).
Courtesy of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago
Beer was extremely popular in ancient Mesopotamia. Sipped through straws, it differed from today’s beer and was enjoyed by people from all walks of life.
British-Bangladeshi choreographer Akram Khan draws in the dance training of his cast to create a whole new genre of performance.
Jean Louis Fernandez/OzAsia Festival
The most exciting work at OzAsia cuts across genres, styles, and cultures to create something distinctive and new. This year, three new dance works did just that.
Coming together for a solstice feast in ancient Peru.
Robert Gutierrez
How did civilization emerge from small groups of hunter-gatherers? Some archaeologists focus on cooperation as the vital ingredient – and find evidence for it in the form of feast-related artifacts.