Mesopotamia - International School Of Athens
MesopotamiaHOW WRITINGBEGANWHEELIESIN ANCIENTSUMERWHOLE CITIESMADE OF CLAYWOMEN IN TROUSERS ANDHANGINGOUT IN THEHANGINGGARDENSMEN IN SKIRTSIN PARTNERSHIP WITHmesopotamia cover.indd 13/10/17 3:39 PM
2Cradle of CivilizationIn the heart of modern-day Iraq, betweenthe Tigris and Euphrates rivers, lies a dry,flat, hot plain. It offers little to attract acasual tourist. But buried under sandymounds on this vast plain are the remainsof Mesopotamia, “the land between tworivers.” Scholars call Mesopotamia “thecradle of civilization.” It was there thatcities first developed into civilizations:human communities with well-organizedsocieties, economies, and political and religious systems.Long before the cities, however, bands ofhumans searched the plain for plants andanimals to eat. About 12,000 years ago,some of these hunters and gatherers discovered that the seeds they had been eating could be planted to grow more food.These people began to settle in villages,growing crops and domesticating animals.Some of the first permanent settlementswere at the foot of the mountains east andnorth of Mesopotamia. When the soil wasd CIVILIZATION IN MESOPOTAMIAbegan with the Sumerians,who started building cities insouthern Mesopotamia around3500 BCE. The Sumeriansinvented an early form ofwriting called cuneiform.Around 2350 BCE, SargonBabylon, lay northwest ofSumer on the EuphratesRiver. The Babylonians created a 12-month calendar.Babylon was conquered by theAssyrian Empire, which arosein northern Mesopotamiaalong the Tigris River. Thethe Great conquered theSumerian city-states. The vastterritory ruled by Sargon’scentral government, withall its varied people, madeup Akkad, Mesopotamia’sfirst empire. Next came theBabylonian Empire; its capital,C.4500 BCE:The pottery-making Ubaid peoplesettle southernMesopotamia.They develop irrigation.C.3100 BCE:The Sumeriansinvent cuneiformwriting, makingrecord-keepingpossible.C.2350 BCE:The Akkadianking Sargon theGreat conquersand unifies thecity-states ofSumer.Assyrians used chariots inbattle and excelled at warfare.Eventually, Mesopotamia cameunder the rule of the Persians,who controlled much of theregion for about 1,000 years.1115 BCE:The AssyrianEmpire arisesin northernMesopotamia.MESOPOTAMIA’S ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONSC.3500 BCE:Walled Sumeriancity-statesemerge insouthernMesopotamia.mesopotamia 2-3.indd 2C.2600 BCE:Gilgamesh isking of theSumerian city ofUruk.1792 BCE:Babylon growspowerful underKing Hammurabi,who creates acode of laws forhis realm.811 BCE:Queen Semiramisrules Assyria.3/10/17 3:41 PM
3worn out, the farmers moved onto theplain, where the soil was nourished by theannual overflow of the rivers. There waslittle rain, so farmers needed to channelriver water to irrigate the fields. Irrigationprojects required cooperation, planning,u TODAY, THEonce-flourishing cities ofMesopotamia arereduced to moundsof brick rising fromthe arid soil, likethis palace fromUr, an ancientSumerian city. Urwas surroundedby branches, ortributaries, of theEuphrates River.689 BCE:The Assyriansconquer Babylon.612 BCE:The Chaldeansand Medes sackthe Assyriancapital Nineveh,ending theAssyrian Empire.mesopotamia 2-3.indd 3and leadership.Villages grew into cities and then citystates, which sometimes warred with oneanother, following their leaders’ call. Forthousands of years, civilizations rose andfell on the plain of Mesopotamia.Over time, thewaters of theEuphrates haveshifted to the west;today, the river is10 miles from thecity’s ruins.605 BCE:The ChaldeankingNebuchadnezzarII rebuildsBabylon.539 BCE:The Persian kingCyrus conquersBabylon.u MESOPOTAMIAis part of an areacalled the FertileCrescent. Some ofthe earliest civilizations developedhere, along thebanks of the Tigrisand Euphrates.Both rivers havetheir sources inthe mountainsof northeasternTurkey and draininto the PersianGulf. This mapshows the areatoday.r MESOPOTAMIAhad few naturalresources; stone,wood, and metalwere scarce. Therewas, however,abundant clay.Buildings wereconstructed ofmud bricks, writingwas done on claytablets, and theearliest sculptureswere made fromclay.BILLOF SALEWATERPITCHERHOUSE MODELVASE3/10/17 3:42 PM
4Sumerians,Babylonians,Assyrians,andMoreThe history of Mesopota-mia is measured in millenniums rather than centuries. The first citiesdeveloped in the southaround 3500 BCE. For thenext 3,000 years, kingdoms rose and fell, empires expanded and contracted, and outsidersconquered and were repelled. During that time,three dominant civilizations held center stage atvarious times: the Sumerians, the Babylonians, andthe Assyrians. In brief,here are their stories.MAGNIFICENTMESOPOTAMIANSHammurabi took the throne of Babylon in 1792 BCE. A skilled statesman and warrior, he united rivalkingdoms and made Babylon thecenter of power. He claimed that thegods told him to write a set of laws,to bring justice to the land, so “thestrong should not harmthe weak.” This wasthe Code of Hammurabi. One of itslaws said, “If aman destroy theeye of anotherman, they shalldestroy his eye.”Another said, “Ifa son strike his father, they shall cutoff his fingers.”**From The Code of Hammurabi,King of Babylon by RobertFrancis Harper, ed. University ofChicago Press, 1904.mesopotamia 4-5.indd 4SUMER3500–2006Sumerians use mats to dry the marshesBCEThe first civilization developed inSumer, the marshy area at thesouthern end of the fertile plainbetween the Tigris and Euphratesrivers. Over time, the Sumeriansconverted their open villages intowalled cities. As cities expanded theircontrol, they became city-statesruled by strong leaders. One suchleader, Sargon the Great, from Akkad,conquered all of Mesopotamia, rulingfrom c. 2334 to 2279 BCE. Sumeriansdeveloped a system of writing thatcould be used for different languages, enabling people to keep recordsand transmit knowledge. They alsodeveloped metalworking and wereearly users of the wheel. Sumer,however, became weakened byconstant warfare. It was overrunby invaders in 2006 BCE, and theregion splintered into smallkingdoms.This is a statue of King Gudea,who developed long-distancetrade in timber and metal objects.BABYLONIAThe city of Babylon inherited theculture of Sumer. Under Hammurabi(1792–1750 BCE), it became the seat ofa strong central government and agreat cultural and religious center.However, during the following centuries, Babylon was often invaded –by the Kassites and the Assyrians, forexample. In 612 BCE, Babylon was dominated by Chaldeans. They, along withthe Medes, crushed the Assyrian Empire. Chaldean king Nebuchadnezzar II(ruled 605–562 BCE) rebuilt Babylon intothe greatest city in the world. Babylonians created the 60-minute hour, acalendar with 12 lunar months, andcomplex multiplication tables. Cyrus,king of Persia, conquered Babylonia in539 BCE, ending its glory days forever.1792–539BCEIshtar Gate, site of grand processionsA lion adornsa wall at theentrance toBabylon.3/10/17 3:46 PM
5ASSYRIA1115–612Warlike Assyrians are busy at work in a military campBCEIn hilly northern Mesopotamia, the smallcity-state of Assur slowly grew to becomethe powerful kingdom of Assyria. Usingchariots, battering rams, and armoredhorses, the Assyrians conquered Babylonin 689 BCE, as well as other independentstates. They uprooted the people they conquered, enslaved them, and forced theminto labor. These prisoners built the citiesof Nineveh and Nimrud. The cities featuredornate palaces and temples and magnificent sculptures. Their mighty walls hadgateways flanked by winged bulls or lions.They even had sewage systems. KingsTiglath-Pileser III, Sennacherib, and Ashurbanipal II made the empire grow andopened trade links. However, in 612 BCE,Chaldean people from southern Babylonia,who had gained control of Babylon, joinedthe Medes people from Iran and sackedthe capital Nineveh. The Assyrian Empirenever recovered.Ashurnasirpal IIcaptured wildanimals andbrought them tothe city of Nimrudfor display in theworld’s first zoo.Bronze statue ofHammurabi, rulerof Babyloniamesopotamia 4-5.indd 53/16/17 2:17 PM
6Day-to-DayLifeThe ruins of Mesopotamiareveal more about kingsand battles than about theordinary citizens wholived there. Still, artifactsand ancient writings tellus something about theday-to-day lives of thepeople. What was it like tolive in Mesopotamia?CITY ARTISANSincluded potters,carpenters, metalworkers, leatherworkers, basketweavers, andjewelers. Theymade both necessities and luxuryitems.l MESOPOTAMIANcylinder sealscombined beautyand usefulness.Carved in stone,they produceda raised imagewhen rolled onmoist clay. Theimage could beused to mark amerchant’s shipment or stamp anofficial document.d HOUSES WEREmade of the onlyabundant building material, mudbricks. Square orrectangular, thehouses were constructed arounda central courtyard. Cities weremazes of narrow,winding streets.Some had drainage systems, andsome homes evenhad flush toilets.Trash, however,was thrown intothe street until itpiled up so highthat steps had tobe cut downtoward doorways.STIRMESOPOTAMIAN FASHIONr EARLY GARMENTSwere knee- tocalf-length skirts,worn by womenand men. Later, ashawl-like pieceof wool wasdraped over oneshoulder.mesopotamia 6-7.indd 63/10/17 3:51 PM
7l IN THE HOME,women spunsheep’s woolwith hand-spindles. The threadwas then woveninto cloth, bothfor the family’suse and for extraincome.r SURPLUS CROPSand cloth were traded for wood, gold,silver, and othernatural resourcesMesopotamialacked. Traderstraveled far, including to the Africankingdoms of Egyptand Kush. Woodfrom Lebanon isbeing unloadedfrom this ship.r SONS OF WEALTHYfamilies went toschool from agesix, mainly to learnto read and writecuneiform, thewedge-shapedwriting inscribedon clay tablets.By copying texts,WORKERSTIRRING MILKu OUTSIDE OF CITIES,farmers raisedcattle, sheep,goats, and pigs.These animals provided wool, meat,skins for leather,and dairy productssuch as milk andbutter. Farmersalso grew wheat,barley, and millet in their fields.mesopotamia 6-7.indd 7STRAININGMILKThey planted fig,pomegranate, andother fruit trees.Their gardens werefull of cucumbers,peas, onions, garlic, lettuce, lentils,turnips, andchickpeas.STOOL12345CHURNINGSTRAINED CREAMINTO BUTTERCOWSHEDthey also learnedabout animals andplants, mathematMILKINGA COWl AT THE TOP OFMesopotamiansociety were1 kings and theirfamilies. Nextcame 2 largelandowners,high-ranking government officials,military leaders,and priests. Thenext rung of society heldics, and literature.Girls learnedcooking, spinning,and householdmanagement fromtheir mothers orfrom the family’senslaved servants.Some were taughtcuneiform at home.CALF3 merchants,scribes, and craftspeople. Belowthem were4 farmers, hunters, and herders. Atthe lowest level ofsociety were5 enslaved people– military captivesor citizens who hadfallen into debt.3/10/17 3:51 PM
8Gods and DemonsSumerians, Babylonians, and Assyriansshared the same basic religious beliefsand gods, or deities, though the nameswere sometimes different. They believed that human beings were createdto serve the gods. Gods looked and acted like people but had supernaturalpowers. Spirits (good and bad) and demons also affected the lives of humans.u MESOPOTAMIANSwere buried withtheir special possessions. In theroyal tombs at Ur,excavators foundjewelry (above),u MANY MESOPOTAMIAN myths areechoed in theBible. One tells ofthe gods’ decision to destroythe world with agreat flood, likemesopotamia 8-9.indd 8r TEMPLES, CALLEDziggurats, dominated Mesopotamiancities. Zigguratswere stepped, likesome pyramids,and were severalstories tall or taller.Babylon’s sevenstory ziggurat,called Etemenanki,is thought to bethe Tower ofBabel referred to inthe Bible.pottery, weapons, and makeuppaints with thetools for applying them. Therewas also evidencethat servants hadbeen buried alivewith their masters,perhaps afterbeing drugged orpoisoned. This mayhave been doneso that servantscould serve theirmasters in theafterlife. In the picture to the right, adead nobleman isbeing placed on astretcher, on whichhe will be carriedto his grave.the story of Noahand the Ark. Onegod warned aSumerian kingand gave himinstructions forbuilding a largeboat to carry hisfamily and livestock. This mythmay include somehistory. Scientistshave found evidence of floodingthat destroyedlarge areas ofMesopotamiamore than once.THIS LITTLE GODIS HOLDING ABUILDING PEGTO SECURE THEFOUNDATION OFA TEMPLEDEITIES ALLEYASTARTE,GODDESSOF LOVEABU, GOD OFVEGETATIONISHTAR,GODDESS OFLOVE3/10/17 3:57 PM
OD OFTION9SICK PATIENTFATHERPRIESTS HELPINGTO CURE THEPATIENTGULA,GODDESS OFMEDICINEu MESOPOTAmiansbelieved in ghostsand demons.Ghosts of thosewho had notreceived a properburial might hauntthe living. Thedemon Pazuzu(above) broughtmesopotamia 8-9.indd 9sandstormsfrom thedesert. Otherdemons lurked indark corners orcarried disease.Some good spiritsacted as guardiansand helped peopleto ward off evilspirits.u ORDINARY PEOPLEand priests offeredfood and incenseto the gods duringspecial festivals. InBabylonian times,the most importantcelebration wasan 11-day newyear’s festival. Itwas held near thespring equinox,a time when thegods were thoughtto set people’sfates for the nextyear. Each day ofthe festival broughtspecial ceremonies, including onein which abeheaded sheepmagically absorbedthe evil of the oldyear. The sheepwas then throwninto the river sothat the evil couldfloat away with it.u TO INTERPRET THEwill of the gods,priests calledBaru examinedall sorts of signs,including themovements ofstars and planets,weather, dreams,and the behaviorand organs ofanimals. Thisclay model of asheep’s liver toldthe Baru what tolook for in various places on theliver in order toforetell the future.MAGNIFICENTMESOPOTAMIANSSargon the Great ruled from 2334to 2279 BCE. He became the firstempire builder by uniting northernand southern Mesopotamia. Alegend tells that, as a baby, he wasset adrift in a reed basketand found by someonewho took him to theroyal court, where helater rose to power.Similar stories were toldabout other Near Easternleaders, including thebiblical Moses.3/10/17 3:57 PM
The Hanging Gardens of BabylonNebuchadnezzar II, ruler ofBabylonia from 605 to 562bce, brought the capital cityof Babylon back to its formergrandeur – and then some!The Assyrians had destroyed the city around 689bce, but Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt it. He decorated templesand palaces with lavish goldand silver ornamentation,making it the most magnificent city of the day. His mostmesopotamia 10-11.indd 10noted contribution was aseries of terraced gardensknown as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Kept lushand green by a complex irrigation system, these gardens were considered one ofthe Seven Wonders of theWorld. Nebuchadnezzarmay have built them toplease his wife. She missedthe forested mountains ofMedia, her homeland.3/10/17 3:58 PM
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12Accomplishments of the MesopotamiansLong before the modern world ever knewabout the splendors of Mesopotamia, ithad benefited from the accomplishmentsof this long-lost world. The Mesopotamians were the first people known tostudy the skies, use the arch or the wheel,compile laws, and keep written records.Their legacy was passed down to us by thepeople they conquered and by the peoplewho conquered them. Here are some oftheir achievements.u DO YOU LIKE SKATEboards, rollerblades,and bicycles? Wewouldn’t have any ofthem without theMesopotamians,who were the firstto use the wheell MESOPOTAMIANbuilders were thefirst to use thearch, an advancethat allowed doorways and roofs tohold more weight.for transportation(perhaps inspiredby their potterywheels). Wheelshelped animalspull heavy loads,and they made thebattle chariot a formidable weapon.KING SENNACHERIBWATCHESROLr A HUMAN-HEADED,winged, four-tonbull sculpture ismoved from a raftonto a sledge. It ispulled uphill by achain of captives,over logs, or rollers, that serve aswheels.u THIS BOARD GAMEwas played byMesopotamians,but the rules havenot been found.The 4,500-yearold clay, wheeledanimal at right wasmost likely a toy.mesopotamia 12-13.indd 12BUCKET GANGKEEPS ROLLERSWETl THIS MESOPOtamian is carefully studyinga palm tree.Mesopotamianswere great listmakers, compilingdescriptive lists ofplants, animals,and minerals.So,you wantanchovieswiththat ?r MESOPOTAMIANSwere the first touse baked-brickovens, not pits ofhot coals. Someovens had cookingranges for boilingand frying food.3/10/17 4:02 PM
13d THE ASSYRIANSwere probably thefirst to developan armored “car”to use in battle.The battering ramsmashed a hole ina city’s wall, whilearchers in the car’stower fought offthose defendingthe city.u ASSYRIANS USEDinflatable animalskins as personalfloats to help themcross a river, eitherto escape anenemy or to attackone.r THIS LENS WASmade by Assyrians.It is the earliestknown exampleof glass used formagnification.ROLLERr MUCH OF OURmodern numbersystem is basedon the number10. It probablygoes back topeople counting on their 10fingers. TheMesopotamiansused this decimalsystem and amore complexone built aroundthe base of 60.That one isreflected today inhow we measureseconds, minutes,and hours, andalso the degreesin a circle.MesopotamiansSo,you wantanchovieswiththat ?Which of theaccomplishments ofthe Mesopotamiansdo you think is mostimportant?mesopotamia 12-13.indd 13u MESOPOTAMIANSwere the firstchemists. Theyused natural materials to make suchuseful items assoap, herbal medicines, and dyes. Bystudying the soiland sand used inpottery-making, theylearned to makeglass. They alsodiscovered that copper and tin could becombined to makea stronger metal,bronze.MAGNIFICENTMESOPOTAMIANSwere also the firstto use place valuein a number system and the firstto invent a symbolthat indicates nothing, or zero.l MESOPOTAMIANSrecorded the positionsof bright stars. Theynamed constellations and divided thesky into 12 sections,each named after anearby constellation.Our names for the 12signs of the zodiac arebased on Latin andGreek translations ofMesopotamian names.Mesopotamianastronomers may haverecorded the earliestsightings of Halley’sComet.After her husband died (around 811BCE), Queen Semiramis ruled the AssyrianEmpire until her son was old enoughto take the throne. Her husband haddestroyed Babylon ina military campaign.She restored it to itsformer magnificence.Semiramis extended theempire as far south asthe Arabian Peninsula,and north to Turkey.Some people thinkshe invented trousers,which were useful for traveling in comforton military campaigns. They also madeit hard for an enemy to see if a horsebackrider was male or female.lu THE SUMERIANSprobably inventedstringed musical instruments,such as the harpand lyre. Burialsites at Ur containbeautifully carvedinstruments,evidence of theirpopularity.3/16/17 2:18 PM
14The Legendary Gilgamesh . . .Little is known about thereal Gilgamesh, a Sumerianwho ruled the city-state ofUruk, probably around2600 BCE. Still, he is possibly the most famous of allMesopotamians. He is thehero of stories first told inthe markets of Mesopotamiaand later written down asone of the world’s first epics. Twelve tablets that tellparts of the tale were foundat Nineveh in the library ofthe Assyrian king Ashurbanipal. In these tales, Gilgamesh is half god and halfman. He is a great builderand warrior, but he’s not aperfect human being!GILGAMESH MEETSENKIDUWhen Gilgamesh’speople complainto the gods thathe works themtoo hard buildingwalls around thecity, the gods create the wild manEnkidu to challengeGilgamesh. Enkiduand Gilgameshfight.GILGAMESHTAMES ALION CUBTHE DEATH OF ENKIDUOne adventureof Enkidu andGilgamesh involvesGilgamesh’sattempt to makea name forhimself by chal-lenging Humbaba,a guardian-demon.Humbaba pleads forhis life, but Enkidukills him. The godsdecide Enkidu mustdie. Gilgameshmourns his friend.GILGAMESH SEEKSIMMORTALITYGilgamesh travelsacross the watersof death to speakto the wise manUtnapishtim, theonly human to haveescaped death.Utnapishtim tellsGilgamesh the storyof the flood, in whichthe gods saved himand his family.He challengesGilgamesh to stayawake for six daysand seven nights.Gilgamesh fails.**From The Epic of Gilgamesh translated by N. K. Sandars.Penguin Books, 1960.*Finally, Gilgameshthrows Enkidu.The wild man isimpressed, andthey becomefriends.As Gilgamesh prepares to return toUruk, Utnapishtimoffers him a finalsecret. It’s a plantcalled “The-OldMan-Will-Be-Made-Young.”Gilgamesh finds theplant, but a serpentcarries it away.Thus, Gilgamesh isdestined to die amortal death.*mesopotamia 14-15.indd 143/10/17 4:16 PM
15. . . and the Origins of WritingIt is said that “history begins atSumer” because history is thewritten record of events, andaround 3100 BCE the Sumeri-ans invented writing. Of course,they didn’t start by writing history.Their earliest writing kept track ofbusiness transactions.SMALL CLAY TOKENS, PROBABLYsymbolizing items such as grainor sheep, were an early form of abill that went with shipments. Thetokens were put into clay spheres.The spheres had cylinder sealsrolled over them to show records.r WITH WRITINGcame the desireto send a letter.In Mesopotamia,that couldbe done! TheMesopotamiansinvented theearliest exampleof a postalenvelope. Aletter was written on a smallclay tablet andl SINCE MESOPOtamia had fewtrees for makingpaper, writing wasscratched on claytablets. This chartenclosed in a clayenvelope with thename and addressof the recipient.shows howcuneiform writing developed,from early pictographs (picturewriting) to latersymbols.MAGNIFICENTMESOPOTAMIANSEnheduanna, daughter of Sargonthe Great, learned to readand write at an early age.When she was a teenager,her father made her highpriestess to Nanna, themoon god of Sumer. Sheheld the position for 25years, expressing her religious feelings in poems.Besides penning a series of43 hymns to the templesof Sumer and Akkad, shewrote a cycle of poetry tothe moon goddess Inanna.Enheduanna is the first author tobe known by name.r THE BABYLONIANmap of the worldis the earliestknown worldmap. A copyis shown here.Made 2,700 yearsago, it shows theEuphrates Rivermesopotamia 14-15.indd 15(parallel lines inthe circle), crossedby Babylon (toprectangle in thecircle), and nearbycountries (smallcircles).r ASSYRIAN KINGAshurbanipal(668–627 BCE)founded the firstnational library, atNineveh. Clay tablets were stored onshelves in baskets.Catalogs wereprepared that listedthe contents andlocations of thevarious baskets.3/10/17 4:05 PM
16How We Know What We KnowWhen Babylon fell to the Persian kingCyrus in 539 BCE, Mesopotamia’s glorydays came to an end. As the centuriespassed, people remembered less and lessof Mesopotamia’s achievements. Onceglorious cities were buried in the sands.Cuneiform was replaced by othertypes of writing. Ancient Greek historicalwriting and the Old Testament kept alivean awareness that Assyriaand Babylon had existed. ButSumer had died out long beforeu IN 1811, BRITish business agentClaudius Rich, stationed in Baghdad,visited the ruins ofBabylon. He surveyed the site,u FROM 1922 TO1934, Sir CharlesLeonard Woolley leda joint excavationteam from the British Museum and themesopotamia 16-17.indd 16made sketches,and dug up cuneiform tablets. Thisis considered thebeginning ofMesopotamianarchaeology.University of Pennsylvania. Its goalwas to explore theancient city of Ur.Woolley did someremarkable detective work when hediscovered piecesof gold near a holein the ground. Hepoured plaster intothe hole, and ithardened in thespace, which hadbeen left by the decaying wood of aharp. The plastercast made possiblethis reconstructionof the harp.ur PAUL-EMILEBotta becameFrench consul atMosul in the Ottoman (Turkish)Empire in 1843.He swore to findthe lost cities ofAssyria. While excavating at Khorsabad, he uncovered the remainsof the great palace of Sargon II.Later, EnglishmanAusten Henry Layard unearthedpalace treasures,such as thiswinged bull.these later civilizations. It wascompletely forgotten.The Persian rulers were followed by theGreeks, the Arabs, and the Turks. WhenBritain defeated Turkey in World War I,the land became part of the British Empireand was given the new name of Iraq. TheArab natives of Iraq fought for independence, which they won in 1932. Morethan a century before that, however, scholars and adventurers had begun to rediscover Mesopotamia.l AN ENERGETICscholar, GertrudeBell had the job ofcontrolling archaeological digs in Iraqduring British ruleof the area. Shegranted permitsonly for single siteswith well-definedlimits. Her work putan end to randomtreasure hunting.l IN 1877,French diplomatErnest de Sarzecwas assigned tothe port of Basra, which is atthe head of thePersian Gulf.Alerted by an official to an interesting site calledTelloh, Sarzecdecided to explore. Between1877 and 1878,he found manyinscribed tabletsand cylinderseals. Sarzechad discoveredthe remains of aSumerian city. Atthe time, thevery existence ofa Sumerianculture wasquestioned bysome scholars.3/10/17 4:08 PM
17u In 1835,British soldier Henry Rawlinson riskedhis life many times.He was studyingwritings 300 feetup a cliff face inBehistun, Persia(left). By comparingwriting in three languages – Old Persian, Elamite, andBabylonian – heeventually brokethe code. His workenabled later scholars to read Akkadian cuneiform andthus Sumerian.u Until Iraq’sformer leader Saddam Hussein begana project to drainthe marshes nearthe Persian Gulf,Marsh Arabs livedthere in homesmade of reeds,much like Mesopotamia’s earliest residents.mesopotamia 16-17.indd 173/10/17 4:08 PM
18ActivitiesWRITE ANARRATIVEImagine that you are a reporter in ancient Sumer. ASumerian has built the first wheeled cart. Composea narrative story announcing this innovation. Inventdetails: Tell your readers who built the cart and how thatperson expects the invention to affect people’s lives.CREATE AN ADVERTISEMENTSuppose you are a Mesopotamian trader.Choose something that you trade and create anadvertisement for your business. Your ad musthelp persuade people to buy the goods you areselling. Provide details to convince them.Mesopotamia 18-19.indd 183/10/17 4:09 PM
19MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THESE RELATED TITLESArchaeologyLanguageAncient EgyptUnderstanding the daily lives of ancientpeople is the driving force behindarchaeology. The pottery, art, tools,and ruins early civilizations left behindprovide a window into their habits andcultures. Learn all about the essentialtasks of archaeologists, from mappinga site and sifting dirt to using brushesto unearth delicate artifacts.Language is more than just the wordsand sounds we use to communicate.The study of language helps us understand our past. From ancient hieroglyphs and the first papyrus scrolls tosign language and computer programming, language has long been at thecenter of human society.Pyramids, pharaohs, mummies, andgods: This once-powerful civilizationleft behind breathtaking monumentsand priceless treasures. Discover thepeople and practices that make AncientEgypt so alluring to the historians whohave uncovered the mysteries of thisancient civilization.CALIFORNIASTANDARDSHSS 6.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, andsocial structures of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush.6.2.1 Locate and describe the major riversystems and discuss the physical settingsthat supported permanent settlement andearly civilizations. 6.2.2 Trace the development of agricultural techniques that permitted the production of economic surplusand the emergence of cities as centersof culture and power. 6.2.3 Understandthe relationship between religion and thesocial and political order in Mesopotamiaand Egypt. 6.2.4 Know the significance ofHammurabi’s Code. 6.2.9 Trace the evolution of language and its written forms.LEARN MORE ONLINE! The region once known asMesopotamia is a stretch of landalong and between two large rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. In Sumer, city-states emerged ascenters of culture and power. Eachcity was surrounded by a wall protecting it from enemies.Mesopotamia 18-19.indd 19 In Mesopotamia, religion andkingship were intertwined.Mesopotamians believed in manydifferent gods – a religious systemknown as polytheism.Historical and Social SciencesAnalysis Skills:Chronological and Spatial Thinking3. Students use a variety of maps anddocuments to identify physical and culturalfeatures of neighborhoods, cities, states,and countries and to explain the historicalmigration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth ofeconomic systems. Mesopotamians created technologyused in every area of life. Theirpaved roads made travel easier.3/10/17 4:10 PM
hmhco.comEditor: Jennifer DixonArt Direction: Hopkins/Baumann,Brobel DesignDesigners: Ian Brown, Ed Gabel,David Ricculli, Jeremy RechPhoto Research: Ted Levine,Elisabeth MorganActivities Writer: Marjorie FrankProofreader: Paula GlatzerFact-Checker: Nayda Rondon, AmyMcIlwaineAuthor: Lois Markham, James WallerAuthor Team Lead: Amy K. HughesPresident and CEO: Ted LevineChairman and Founder: Mark LevineGRADE 6 TITLESWorld’s Early PeopleAncient IndiaMesopotamiaIndian EmpiresAncient EgyptAncient ChinaArchaeologyEarly RomansLanguageRoman EmpireAncient HebrewsChristianity and Rome’s LegaciesEarly GreeksOlmec and MayaGreece’s Golden AgeCivil RightsAncient PersiaOn the Cover: Ur-Ningirsu, Prince of Lagash. Alabaster figure, c. 2100 bce. Art Resource:Erich Lessing.Picture Credits: Alamy: Chronicle: p.2 bottom center (Gilgamesh), p.17 (Dariusmonument); Interfoto: p.2 middle right (Sargon the Great), p.9 bottom right (Sargonthe Great); Lanmas: p.2 middle right (Assyrian palace); Lebrecht Music and Arts PhotoLibrary: p.2 bottom right (Semiramis); Walker Art Library: p.3 middle left (Assyriansbesieging a city); Mary Evans Picture Library: p.3 bottom left (Nineveh), p.16 upper right(Nineveh), p.16 bottom center (Gertrude Bell); North Wind Picture Archives: p.3 center(Ancient Babylon); bilwissedition Ltd. & Co. KG: p.3 bottom center (King Cyrus); www.BibleLandPictures.com:
of Mesopotamia, “the land between two rivers.” Scholars call Mesopotamia “the cradle of civilization.” It was there that cities fi rst developed into civilizations: human communities with well-organized so
Athens Approach Control 132.975 Athens Approach Control 131.175 Athens Approach Control 130.025 Athens Approach Control 128.95 Athens Approach Control 126.575 Athens Approach Control 125.525 Athens Approach Control 124.025 Athens Approach Control 299.50 Military Athinai Depature Radar 128.95 Departure ServiceFile Size: 2MB
The name Mesopotamia means “between the rivers.” The land of Mesopotamia lay between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Because there was water nearby, the land was good for farming. Farmers grew the food that fed the people of Mesopotamia, including those who lived in the cities. The Land Between Two Rivers. The kings of Mesopotamia
Athens County Auditor 15 S. ourt Street, Athens, OH 45701 (740)592-3223 Website: athenscountyauditor.org Photo redit: Jim Downard, Downard Photography of Athens, Ohio To the Citizens, Residents, and Friends of Athens County: I am pleased to provide you with the Athens County, Popular Annual
ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- AKKADIAN EMPIRE The Akkadian Empire was the first Empire to rule all of Mesopotamia. It lasted about 200 years from 2300 BC to 2100 BC. Originally the Sumerians lived in the southern part of Mesopotamia and the Akkadians lived in the northern part. They had similar governments and cultures, but spoke different languages.
Considered a River Valley Civilization. Mesopotamia Geography The rivers would overflow, leaving . development of to politics and civilizations. Mesopotamia marked by frequent change. Mesopotamia Geography and Development The first phase of Mesopotamia’s political history . Early
Athens City Schools' Facilities Steering Committee towards a long-term facilities plan. In partnership with Ohio University's Voinovich School of Public Affairs & Leadership and the School of Visual Communication, we published the 2016 Athens County Report—a holistic view of the state of Athens County and its citizens.
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