Mesopotamia

1. Mesopotamia The Cradle of Civilization

2. Objectives Objectives • 1.Students will be able to identify: • What “Mesopotamia” means. • The location of Mesopotamia. • The names of the two rivers. • Sumerians as the first civilization. • 2.Identify key terms: city-state, ziggurat, polytheism, theocracy, cuneiform and scribe. • 3.Be able to read and understand a social structure chart. • 4.Identify the accomplishments of the Sumerians.

3. Mesopotamia Mesopotamia • Mesopotamia – the “Landbetween two rivers.” The land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. (Modern day Iraq). “The land between two rivers.”

4. Mesopotamia Mesopotamia The Cradle of Civilization Archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley. • Mesopotamia – Called the “Fertile Crescent,” this was the first agrarian civilization in the world.

5. The Fertile Crescent The Fertile Crescent

6. Timeline - Mesopotamia Timeline - Mesopotamia Sumer Akkad Babylon Assyria Chaldean Babylon Persia 3000 BC 2340 – 2100 BC 1792-1750 BC 900 BC – 600 BC 600 – 539 BC 559 – 330 BC How many civilizations controlled the Mesopotamian region?

7. Civilizations in Mesopotamia Civilizations in Mesopotamia • Empires in Mesopotamia fought for control over the land and water. • Civilizations in the region - Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians. (Sumerian army pictured above).

8. Sumer - the 1st Civilization Sumer - the 1st Civilization

9. Sumer - the 1st Civilization Sumer - the 1st Civilization • Dates back to 3,000 BC. Oldest of the civilizations. • Key cities were Ur, Eridu, and Uruk. • Cities formed city-states that acted like an independentnation. Above: Archaeologists Sir Charles Leonard Woolley

10. Sumer - the 1st Civilization Sumer - the 1st Civilization

11. Sumer - City of Eridu Sumer - City of Eridu • Each City-state -surrounded by walls. Defense towers posted every 30-35 ft. • Sun-dried bricks used to form buildings and houses. Capital city in the East and sun-dried bricks.

12. Geographic Factors Geographic Factors • Vicious weather patterns- floods, heavy rain, scorching winds, famine and drought. • Floods of the Tigris and Euphrates were unpredictable. Sites from Ancient Ur

13. Technology and a Farming Revolution Technology and a Farming Revolution • Early civilizations will create irrigation and drainage ditches. • Serious efforts to control the flow of the rivers. • Enables them to grow crops regularly. Sumerian farmers irrigate and work the fields.

14. Sumer's Economy Sumer's Economy • Economy was primarily based on farming. • Trade and Industry – imported copper, tin, and timber. Exported fish, wool, barley and wheat. • Traded by land and sea. Sumerian farmer and tradesman on a raft.

15. Sumerian Religions Sumerian Religions • Polytheistic – the belief in many gods. • Priests and priestesses were powerful and may have been the 1strulers. • Godsowned the cities. Over 3,000 gods. Statues of worshippers.

16. Sumerian Religions Sumerian Religions In Sumerian religions, the gods created man to serve him and work the fields.

17. Sumerian Religions Sumerian Religions • Believed the godsruled the cities. • Theocracy – a government by divine authority. (Rule by god). • Left-Marduk, the god of the city of Babylon.

18. Sumerian Religions Sumerian Religions • Their religion was very gloomy. • The gods were unpredictable, like their weather. • Upon death, they would go to a terrible underworld or “land of no return.” Image of Lilitu or the first wife of Adam. Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

19. Sumerian Ziggurats Sumerian Ziggurats • Ziggurat – temple set atop a stepped tower. • Temple was the center of the city and its economic and political life. • This was the mostimportant building in the city. The Ziggurat or Temple of Ur in Ancient Sumer. This temple was the central focus of life in the city of Ur.

20. Sumerian Ziggurats Sumerian Ziggurats Above: Artist’s rendering of the city of Ur. In the background, you can see the temple or ziggurat. Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

21. Check for Understanding Check for Understanding • What does Mesopotamia mean? • Name the two rivers that encircle Mesopotamia. • How did most men earn a living in Sumer? • Where did the people of Sumer worship? • What is polytheism?

22. Sumerian Social Structure Sumerian Social Structure Nobles and Slaves make up less than 10% of the total pop. Royals and Priests – Officials and Families. King Nobles 90% - Temple officials, Farmers, merchants, craftsmen and fishermen. Commoners Slaves – work on buildings, grind grain, weave cloth. Slaves

23. Sumerian Kings Sumerian Kings • Kings were divine. • Led armies. • Oversaw the building of public works and structures. • Organized irrigation projects. • Picture: Standard of Ur Chariots. Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

24. Sumerian Priests Sumerian Priests • Priests kept calendars, time, and reported on harvesting and planting. • Scribes wrote careful records of natural events on the earth and in the skies. Statue of a priest of Sumer.

25. Sumerian Scribes Sumerian Scribes • Men who recorded all aspects of Sumerian life. • Educated, copyists, teachers and jurists. • Upper class, successful, leaders of cities, temples and armies. Sumerian scribe above.

26. Sumerian Writing Sumerian Writing • 1st writtenlanguage was the wedge-shaped writing of the Sumerians called cuneiform. • Scribes wrote on clay tablets with a reed stylus. Wedge-shaped Sumerian writing or cuneiform above.

27. Sumerian Writings Sumerian Writings Shelves of a tablet library in Babylon.

28. Sumerian Writings Sumerian Writings • Epic of Gilgamesh – 1st Epic poem. • Oldest poem in the history of the world. • Sumerian tales about a hero named Gilgamesh.

29. Sumerian Achievements Sumerian Achievements

30. Sumerian Achievements Sumerian Achievements • 1st system of writing – cuneiform. • Invented the wagon wheel. • Invented the potter’swheel. • 1st to make copper tools.

31. Sumerian Achievements Sumerian Achievements • Sundial to keep time. • Astronomy –chart constellations. • Math – number system based on 60. (60 minute hour).

32. Sumerian Achievements Sumerian Achievements • Geometry – measure fields and plan buildings. • Designed the arch and the dome. Ishtar Gate

33. Check for Understanding Check for Understanding • What was the writing style of the Sumerians called? • What is the oldest Epic poem in the history of the world? • Who invented the wheel? • What was a scribe? • The Sumerians were the first to accomplish many things. Name two.