The Sugar Land Branch Library will have an educational series focusing on “Ancient Civilizations” this spring. The first program in the series, “Ancient Civilizations: Mesopotamia & Ancient Persia,” will take place on Saturday, January 25, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, in the Meeting Room of the library.
In this first program in the Ancient Civilizations series, architecture professor Sheba Akhtar will talk about how Mesopotamia became known as the “Cradle of Civilization” through its religion, writing, cities, art, and architecture. Learn about the emergence of agriculture in the “fertile crescent.” Discover how Ancient Persia was shaped by events such as the Babylonians’ destruction of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, the Persian Emperor Cyrus’s conquest of Babylon and reconstruction of the Jewish temple, and Alexander’s defeat of Persia and the burning of the Persian capital, Persepolis.
An assistant professor of architecture at Prairie View A&M University, Akhtar received her Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania and taught art and architecture history for 20 years. She has practiced as an architect in the United States, England, Scotland, Jordan, and Pakistan. She is the author of “Of Colour and Form” and numerous articles on art and architecture.
The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Sugar Land Branch Library (281-238-2140) or the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).