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Warm-Up. What were the important contributions of Mesopotamia to the world?. The wheel
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Warm-Up What were the important contributions of Mesopotamia to the world?
The wheel • ThinkQuest.org explains how archeologists believe that the wheel was invented in 8,000 B.C.E. in Asia. The earliest known wheel, however, comes from Mesopotamia, from around 3,500 B.C.E. It was this wheel, made by Sumerians, that was adopted and improved upon by Egyptians, and later by ancient Indians and Greeks. It was the wheel that got them from place to place, facilitating travel and trade between various groups of people.
The Wheel • It is believed that true writing, to denote sounds made in language, was invented by the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia. Fun Science Gallery details how it is still not entirely clear whether some written languages were invented independently, such as those found in ancient Mexico and China. • Western Washington University shows how the Sumerian form of writing, cuneiform, is the language that appears to have reached the most people. It is the language thought by scholars to have been the beginnings of most of the language used throughout the world today. It was also used for other important Sumerian inventions, such as written law.
The Sail • The first simple square sail was invented in ancient Mesopotamia. According to Bright Hub, the sailboats aided in fishing, trade and commerce. It is one of the many inventions that allowed ancient people to cross barriers between each other. That basic sail design was also the basis for all future sails, and was extremely important in future water travel.
Irrigation Irrigation was extremely important in ancient Mesopotamia. The invention of irrigation methods provided the ancient Sumerians with a surplus of food. The surplus allowed them to flourish, but also provided them with trade opportunities. Water Encyclopedia details how Sumerian irrigation methods were brought to Assyria, then spread through the Near East into North Africa.
Math, time, and astronomy based on 6 and 10 • The Babylonians of Mesopotamia invented many math concepts still in use today. They invented the idea of the 360-degree circle, the 60 minute hour, 12 months in a year, the concept of dozens, and the 12 signs of the zodiac. Facts and Details.com details the various concepts created by the Babylonians involving multiples of 6 and 10. Obviously, the math, time, and astronomy concepts invented by the Babylonians had a huge impact on the modern world.
