Women in ancient Mesopotamia were not equal to men, but they did have rights. Women could freely go to the marketplace, buy and sell goods, handle legal issues, own property, and start their own business. Upper class women, like members of the royal family and those who gave their life to the temple as priestesses, could learn how to read and write. Some women even had jobs running parts of the town or jobs in city government.    Free presentations in PowerPoint format  To learn more about Ancient Mesopotamia, click on Gilgamesh