digital microscopy archaeology

Ruins of the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq. In the Sumerian period, houses were built from mudbrick and clay plaster, while larger structures were reinforced with bitumen and reed layers to enhance durability and structural stability. Credit: Public Domain

How Sumerians in Mesopotamia Perfected Asphalt-Like Materials 4,000 Years Ago

19 February 2026

More than 4,000 years ago, long before highways and petroleum refineries, Sumerian craftspeople in southern Mesopotamia were perfecting material formulas...

How Sumerians in Mesopotamia Perfected Asphalt-Like Materials 4,000 Years Ago

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