The Ancient Middle East & Egypt Ms. Saint-Paul

1. Mesopotamia: "Land Between the Two Rivers"

Controlling the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates Alluvial rivers Flood annually AND deposit fertile silt Irregular flooding Rivers flood at different times Flooding is unpredictable Flood a different times of the year Flash floods Developed canals, dams, dikes & levees Canals divert water (later used for irrigation) Dams hold water back Dikes allow you to open the “flood gates” to allow water to flow when it is needed. Levees are built up banks

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

First to develop advanced civilization Sumerians First to develop advanced civilization

Sumer: Land of Firsts First to develop civilization 12 cities Division of labor  specialization  trade Advanced technology Wheel/axle, plow, potter’s wheel, loom, sail Complex institutions Gov: King-priest (theocracy) Religion: polytheistic ziggurats Military Schools Record Keeping  cuneiform

Mesopotamian Trade “The Cuneiform World”

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Cuneiform Writing

Deciphering Cuneiform The Rock of Behistun discovered by Henry Rawlinson in 1835

Deciphering Cuneiform Rock of Behistun

Deciphering Cuneiform

Deciphering Cuneiform

Sumerian Scribes Eduba: “Tablet House”

Sumerian Cylinder Seals

Gilgamesh Oldest piece of literature…an epic Story similar to… …the story of the flood

Gilgamesh Epic Tablet: Flood Story

Served as an observatory & granary Ziggurat at Ur Temple “Mountain of the Gods” Served as an observatory & granary Tower of Babel

Empires of Mesopotamia Sargon of Akkad: The World’s First Empire [Akkadians] Assimilation

The Babylonian Empires

Hammurabi’s [r. 1792-1750 B. C. E.] Code

Hammurabi, the Judge

Babylonian Math

Babylonian Numbers

The Mesopotamians