1. *
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Mesopotamia *

2. Geography Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Agricultural Development*
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Geography
Fertile Crescent
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Agricultural Development
Flooding in Sumer
Fertile Crescent = Med Sea to the Persian Gulf; modern Iraq
Called Mesopotamia = land between the rivers (Greeks)
Tigris and Euphrates empty separately into the sea
Flooding = annual melting of upland snow leads to rivers flooding and depositing of rich soil
9000 BCE first evidence of agriculture
6000 BCE people settled along rivers
3500 BCE Sumerians settled in the area
3000 BCE canals and irrigation developed (helps lead to organized government) and rudimentary plows
Barley major crop – also have wheat
Fields left fallow every other year and resources plentiful
Irregular Flooding = world is dangerous and controlled by gods who embody the forces of nature - Mythology explains the environment
Geography leads to the development of independent city-states
Geography also is conducive for cultural diffusion *

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4. Towns Individual City-States Conflicts Between City-States*
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Towns
Individual City-States
Conflicts Between City-States
Government (from the assemblies to the Lugal)
12 large walled city-states (walled – from disputes – independent urban centers) develop in Sumer (first Mesopotamian peoples – est. region)
10,000 to 40,000 people per political unit
City states with sun-dried brick homes (created arc and dome with mud too) – little wood or stone to build
Conflicts between city-states over water, land, and showing power
City-states also traded and cooperated with one another
Government developed as assemblies – Lugal takes power which becomes heriditary
King-like position within the city-states
Powerful religious and political leader
Needed someone to make military decisions, control water, public works, justice, and monitor crop surplus *

5. Walled city-state with water surrounding*
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City-state of Ur
Walled city-state with water surrounding *

6. Sumerian City-State

7. *
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The Standard of Ur – Peace Panel
From Ur, southern Iraq, about BC
A mysterious object with one of the earliest representations of a Sumerian army
This object was found in one of the largest graves in the Royal Cemetery at Ur, lying in the corner of a chamber above the right shoulder of a man. Its original function is not yet understood. Leonard Woolley, the excavator at Ur, imagined that it was carried on a pole as a standard, hence its common name. Another theory suggests that it formed the soundbox of a musical instrument.
When found, the original wooden frame for the mosaic of shell, red limestone and lapis lazuli had decayed, and the two main panels had been crushed together by the weight of the soil. The bitumen acting as glue had disintegrated and the end panels were broken. As a result, the present restoration is only a best guess as to how it originally appeared.
The 'Peace' panel depicts animals, fish and other goods brought in procession to a banquet. Seated figures, wearing woollen fleeces or fringed skirts, drink to the accompaniment of a musician playing a lyre. Banquet scenes such as this are common on cylinder seals of the period, such as on the seal of the 'Queen' Pu-abi, also in the British Museum. *

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The main panels are known as 'War' and 'Peace'. 'War' shows one of the earliest representations of a Sumerian army. Chariots, each pulled by four donkeys, trample enemies; infantry with cloaks carry spears; enemy soldiers are killed with axes, others are paraded naked and presented to the king who holds a spear. *

9. Religion Theories – Gods and Creation Ziggurats*
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Religion
Theories – Gods and Creation
Ziggurats
Religion = nature based polytheistic
BONDED people!!! (Religion and language tie people of Sumer together)
Gods are anthropomorphic = human in form and conduct
People feared the gods (flooding)
Humans created to work for and entertain gods
Priests hereditary position and very powerful
Gods and goddesses owned their cities
Kingship is DIVINE – agents of the gods
Ziggurat = near the temple at the center of the city-state (not sure purpose) – most prominent
Temples made of mud-brick
Ur has the largest; Babel most famous (mentioned in Christian Bible)
Celebrated gods and fertility (ritual prostitution)
Only priests and priestesses allowed inside building *

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This is a ziggurat. They were typically temples built to the gods. They were primarily made out of mud brick, with mud and straw used as morter. Each Sumerian city had a ziggurat or two dedicated to the deity of that city. Uruk had a ziggurat for Inanna/Ishtar and Anu. *

11. Writing Pictograms – Ideograms - Cuneiform*
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Writing
Pictograms – Ideograms - Cuneiform
First writing done by Sumerians
3500 BCE pictograms on clay tablets (several hundred thousand found)
Ideograms develop next – present and idea
Cuneiform develops last with 6000 wedge shaped symbols – sound based writing
Male scribes recorded information on clay tablets
Economic records, traditions, religion
Mostly for record keeping *

12. Education Only boys of wealthy parents received an education
Taught reading, writing, and arithmetic
Teachers used severe discipline (beating)
After twelve years of schooling, students graduated to become prestigious scribes
Schools were called Edubbas, or tablet houses (from writing)

13. Economy Trade Markets Farming Inventions Professions*
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Economy
Trade Markets
Farming
Inventions
Professions
Markets for trade – geographically ideal for cross-continental trading
Mark of merchants make regional goods identifiable in other areas
Most people farm = basis of economic system (barley, wheat, vegetables, ale)
Inventions
PLOW = led to greater role of farming for men (physical strength) and women are delegated to the home (patriarchal attitudes increase!)
Wheeled vehicle = 3400 BCE – used in travel and plow; also potters wheel
Sundial = used to keep time
6 based number system = 60 minutes in hour; 360 degrees in circle
Geometry = measure fields and build buildings
Metal working = bronze, jewelry (gold, silver, stones show wealth + importance)
Many different professions = job specialization
People formed guilds in towns
Got wood, stone, metal from trade *

14. Society Social Structure Housing Role of Women / Marriage Culture*
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Society
Social Structure
Housing
Role of Women / Marriage
Culture
Epic of Gilgamesh
Society = classes based on wealth and status
Nobles, Commoners, Slaves
90 % farmers
Landowners = royalty, high officials, priests
Merchants and shop keepers (some also owned land)
Independent farmers and artisans
Slaves (debt based and domestic) – protected some by law codes
Housing – sun dried mud brick; close together; varied on income and status
WOMEN = lost rights over time (place becomes at home with children)
Could own property, trade, and get divorced
No children = men can take second wife
Arranged marriages allowed
Culture = Beauty is IMPORTANT! Jewelry, pottery, statues, music (lyre; harp) *

15. Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet Hero on quest for immortality *
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Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet
Hero on quest for immortality
All heros must die as well as everyone else
Tells us a great deal about Sumerian society *

16. Invaders Akkadians – Sargon I Amorites – Hammurabi Hittities – Iron*
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Invaders
Akkadians – Sargon I
Amorites – Hammurabi
Hittities – Iron
Akkadians = Sargon I
2350 BCE first empire
Has a professional army to expand his lands
After death, his empire crumbles due to volcanoes and civil unrest
Semitic people (spoke semitic language)
Falls in 2100 BCE – back to warring city-states
Amorites = Sumer is in turmoil…so Hammurabi of Babylon takes control – 1792 BCE
Developed famous law code
Cuniform on stone tablet
282 laws that depend on social status, protect women and children, relate to geography, and involve strict punishments
Laws took seriously public official’s duties/most on marriage and family
PATRIARCHAL society
1750 BCE dies and weak leadership follows
Hittities = Iron
1460 – 1190 BCE
Only group smelting iron in 1500
Iron weapons and horse drawn chariots = technological success *

17. *
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Hammurabi’s Code
This stela depicts Hammurabi of Babylon receiving the code of laws from Shamash (the sun god) *