The first library in the world

 

The first library in the world is generally considered to be the Library of Ashurbanipal, located in Nineveh (modern-day Iraq). It was established in the 7th century BCE by King Ashurbanipal of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.

Key facts about the Library of Ashurbanipal: Date: 7th century BCE (around 668–627 BCE).

Contents: Over 30,000 clay tablets written in cuneiform, including literature, religious texts, medical treatises, legal documents, and administrative records.

Languages: Mostly Akkadian and Sumerian.

Famous work: It contained the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest known literary works.

While earlier collections of texts existed (like temple archives in Sumer around 2600 BCE), the Library of Ashurbanipal is notable for being the first systematically organized library with a clear purpose of knowledge preservation.