State

• In her 2006 book "Sumer and the Sumerians," Harriet E. W. Crawford notes that the majority of art objects that have survived came from temples and many were commissioned by Sumer's kings to record their deeds. A widely-cited example of this form of art is the Standard of Ur, produced around 2,600 B.C. This 18-inch panel inlaid with limestone and shell has war and piece sides. The peace side shows Sumerians toiling their land with oxen growing barley. The war side depicts a Sumarian king inspecting captives brought before him.