5,000-Year-Old Relics Discovered in Iraq Suggest a Mysterious Early Government Collapse

A recent study on 5,000-year-old clay bowls discovered in Iraq provides evidence of early governance systems in Mesopotamia. Excavations at Shakhi Kora revealed artifacts and structures associated with centralised labour management, including beveled-rim bowls thought to be used for distributing meals in return for work. Researchers suggest the site’s abandonment ma...