A brother and sister's search for a new life and new home . . .
5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia during a terrible drought, Jomar and Zefa's father must send his children away to the city of Ur because he can no longer feed them. At fourteen, Jomar is old enough to apprentice with Sidah, a master goldsmith for the temple of the moongod, but there is no place for Zefa in Sidah's household. Zefa, a talented but untrained musician, is forced to play her music and sing for alms on the streets of Ur.
Marjorie Cowley vividly imagines the intrigues, and harsh struggle for survival in ancient Mesopotamia.
Marjorie Cowley was trained at the Fowler Museum of Cultural History at the University of California, Los Angeles, and taught prehistoric history to students from first grade through high school. In this capacity she was designated a professional expert by the Los Angeles Unified School District. She has written two previous novels with settings in ancient history, DAR THE SPEAR-THROWER and ANOOKA'S ANSWER. She lives in Santa Monica, California.