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WasAncient Sumer
a Civiltzation?
5.1Introduction
In thelastchapter,you readaboutthe rise of Sumeriancity-states.In this
chapter,
you'll takea closerlook at Sumerianculture. Like an archeologist,
you'llconsider
evidenceto try to answera questionaboutthe distantpast.
Thequestion
is this:WasSumera civilization?
until about150yearsago,archeologists
had no ideathat the Sumerian
people
hadlived at all. Then,in the mid 1800s,archeologists
beganfinding
artifacts
in the areawe call Mesopotamia.They dug up tablets,pottery,and
theruinsof cities.They were surprisedto find writing in a languagethey had
never
seenbefore.
By studyingartifacts,archeologists
havelearneda lot about
Sumer.
Oneartifact is called the
Standard
of Ur. It was found
where
theancientcity of Ur once
stood.
Youcan seethe standardon
theopposite
page.It is madeof
woodanddecoratedwith pieces
of shellandlapis lazuli, a semiprecious
bluestone.It shows
Sumerians
in times of peaceand
war.Artifactslike this one can tell
usa greatdealaboutdaily life in
ancient
Sumer.
Wenowknow that the
Sumerians
had a complexsociety.
Some
of thethingsthey invented,
liketheplow and writing, are
stillinusetoday.But can we
callSumer
a civilization?Let's
consider
theevidence.
WasAncientSumera Civilization? 4l
5.2 Gharacteristics of Civilization
social structure theway a
civilization
is organized
technology the useof tools
andotherinventions
for practicalpurposes
42 Chapter5
As you learnedin the last chapter,Sumerwas a challenging
place to live. It had hot summers,little rain, and rivers that flooded the plains.Yet the sumeriansovercamethesechallenges.They
built complex irrigation systemsand large cities. By 3000 B.c.E.,
most Sumerianslived in powerful city-stateslike Ur, Lagash,
and Uruk. But can we say that the Sumerianshad createda
civilization?
To answerthis question,we needto think about what civilization means.what characteristicsmake a culture a civilization?
Historiansname severalsuchcharacteristics,including these:
. a stable
food supply, so that the people of a society have the
i
food they needro survive
I
. a social structure with different social levels
and jobs
I
. a systemof government,so that life in the society
is orderly
I
' a religioussystem,which involves a set of beliefs and forms I
. :t;:;;:':rvetoped
cutturethat includesarrs such as painting, I
5.3Stable Food Supply
Civilizations
needa stablefbod supply.A complexsocietycan
thrive
onlyif its membershavethe fbod they needto survive.
Sumerians
inventedtwo thingsto help them createa stable
foodsupply.
You alreadyknow aboutone of theseinventionstheir
complexirrigationsystems.The Sumeriansbuilt networks
ofcanals,
dams.and reservoirsto providetheir cropswith a
regular
supplyof water.
Theirsecondinventionwas the plow.A plow is a tool for tilling(turning)
the soil to prepareit for planting.Befbrethe plow
was
invented,
t'armersusedanimalhornsor pointedsticksto poke
holes
in theearth.Then they would plant seedsin the holes.This
wasa veryslow way to f'arm.Farmersneededa fasterway to
prepare
thelandlbr planting.
TheSumerians
madethe first plow out of wood. One end was
bent
forcuttinginto the groundto turn the soil. Farmerspushed
pulledtheplow alongthe groundthemselves,
and
or they used
animals
suchas oxen to pull it.
S u me ria ninsv e n t etdh ep lo w .
T o d a yf a, miliein
s lra q(a n c ie n t
S u me r)
s t illf a rmt h ela n du s i n g
p lo ws .
o x -d ra wn
WasAncientSumera
Th ismanandchildarestanding
i n th eruinsoftheancient
city
of U ruk.
status importance
44
Chapter5
5.4 Social Structure
Civilizationshavea complexorganization,or socialstructure.
A socialstructureincludesdifferentjobs and sociallevels.People
at higherlevelshavegreaterstatus than others.
Archeologistshavefound evidencethat severalclassesof
peoplelived in Sumer.At the top was an upperclass,which
includedpriests,land owners,and governmentofficials.These
peoplehad the largestand most luxurioushomes,nearthe center
of the city. Their houseswere two storieshigh. Evidencesuggests
theyhad whitewashed
mud walls.
In the middlewas the commonclass.This includedmerchants
and craftspeople.
The crafispeopleincludedhighly skilled metalworkers.They workedwith suchmetalsas gold, silver,tin, lead,
copper,and bronze.With thesematerials,they madeswordsand
arrowheads
fbr the army.They madetools like plows and hoes
fbr farmers.They also madeluxury items,suchas mirrorsand
jewelry,for the upperclass.
The commonclassalso includedfarmersand fishermen.They
lived in small,mud-brickhousesat the edgeof the city. Farmers
often workedto build or repairthe irrigationsystems.In timesof
war. they were fbrced to servein the army.
At the very bottomof the socialstructurewere slaves.They
lived in their owners'homesand had no propertyof their own.
I
ure.
)ople
SE
)nter
lgests
lants
etalead,
and
'es
rd
they
ners
esof
ey
/ n.
5.5 Government
All civilizations
havea systemof government
to directpeople'sbehavior
and makelif'eorderly.Sumeriancity-states
were
ruledby kings.The Sumerians
believedthattheirkingswerechosenby thegodsto rr.rlein theirplace.This beliefmadetheirkings
verypowerful.It also helpedstrengthenthe socialorder,since
Sumerians
believedthey rnustobeythe will of the gods.
Sumerian
kingsenfbrcedthe laws and collectedtaxes.They
builttemplesand madesure
inigation
werernainsystems
tained.
A ki nga lsoled his citystate's
army.Atl the city-statcs
needed
armiesbecausethey
wereconstantly
fighting over
landboundaries
and the use
of water.Leadingthe anny
wasoneof theking'smost
jobs.
important
chariot a two-wheeled
p u lle db y a h o rs e
v e h ic le
scribe a person
whowrites
A Sumerian
arrny included
bothprofessional
soldiersand
temporary
citizen-soldiers.
Some
werefbot soldiers.
Others
drovechariots,
wheeled
vehiclespulled by
horses.
Kingshadofficialsunder
them
to helpthem with their
duties.
Governorsruled over
outlying
towns.Scribes
helped
recordlaws. The
Sumerians
were the first
people
to developa system
ofwrittenlaws.
Onespecialgroupof offlpatrolledthe canals.They
cials
looked
fbr damageand made
sure
farmersdidn't takewater
illegally.
Aki ng
lo o ks
outfromhispalace
walls
overthecity-state
he rules.
WasAncientSumera Civilization? 45
5.6 Religion
ziggurat an ancient
Mesopotamian
templetower
Thisis a reconstruction
of the
ziggurat
thatonceroseoverthe
ancientcityof Ur.
All civilizationshavea religioussystem.A religioussystem
includesa set of beliefs, usually in a god or gods,togetherwith
forms of worship.
In Sumer,religiousbeliefs influencedevery part of daily life.
Sumerianstried to pleasethe gods in all things, from growing
crops to settlingdisputes.Religion bound them togetherin a common way of life.
Sumeriansexpressedtheir religious beliefs by building temples and religioustowerscalledziggurats. It was the king's
duty to build and maintainthe ziggurats.The towers were made
of mud bricks and locatednear temples.They were so large that
they could be seenfrom 20 miles away.Some were as high as
eight storiesand as wide as 200 feet.
The Sumeriansbelievedthat the gods lived in the ziggurats,
and they built specialtemplesat the top for them. Outsidethe
ziggurat,they attacheda long staircaseso the gods could climb
down to Earth. Kings and priestsstood inside the tow&s to ask
for the gods'blessings.
Sumerianstatuesalso expressedtheir religious beliefs. Many
of thesestatueswere detailedand lifelike. They showedpeople
worshippingthe gods,often with their eyes gazingupward.The
Sumeriansbelievedthat the gods were pleasedwhen people
showedthem devotion,or love and obedience.
Often
Sumerianshad many kinds of religiousceremonies.
musiciansplayedat theseceremonies.
Someceremoniesmay
haveinvolvedhumansacrifice,the ritual killing of a personas
an offering to the gods.
a
a
S
p
a
d
n
at
al
lr
S
br
p(
in
te
lo
gr
ln
ar
SN
Wr
m
stl
stl
m,
inr
st(
hc
ho
va
Th
bu
mt
to
46
Chapter5
5.7The Arts
I
h
)oml-
de
hat
S
] S,
nb
sk
tny
rle
the
I
}S
All civilizationshavea highly developedculture,includingthe
arts.Artsincludecreativefbrms of expressionsuchas painting,
architecture,
and music.
Thereweremany kinds of artistsand craftspeople
in Sumer.
Sumerian
metalworkersmade
practical
objects,like weapons
andcups.Theyalsomade
decorative
items,suchas
minorsandjewelry. Sumerian
architects
designedtemples
andziggurats.
Musicwasanother
important
art in Sumer.The
Sumerians
believedthat music
broughtjoy
to rhe godsand
people
alike.Musiciansplayed
instruments
and sangduring
temple
ceremonies.
They wrote
lovesongsand entertained
guests
at feasts.
Musicians
playedmany
instruments,
includingdrums
andpipes.One favorite was a
smallharp
calleda lyre. Lyres
werewoodeninstruments
made
ofa soundbox and
$rings.
A woodenbar held the
$ringsin placeat the top. Lyre
makers
oftendecoratedtheir
instruments
with precious
stones
andcarvingsmadeof
horn,
Thesedecorationsshow
howmuchthe Sumerians
valued
music.
Thisfancy
lyrehastheheadof a
bull
decorating
itssoundbox.A
musician
wouldstrumthestrinos
toplay
musical
notes.
WasAncientSumera Civilization? 4i
5.8 Technology
5
All civilizationscreate
new firrms of technokrgy.
\\''
or practicultools and inl'en-
Ld
tions. l'hc Surncriansr-nade
.'\
sevcraltechnokrgical
p(
cl
advances.
"Gti
The Surnerians'rnost
i
irnportantinvention was the
il11
rvheel.The carliestexanrples
CX
of the whcel date back to
t;.c.t,.Sunrerianpot3-5(X)
it
ab
ters.or pottery rnakers.used
CX
whcels as a surfacelirr shap-
fir
ing clay into pots. Potters'
AS
whcels spun. flat sidc up. on
all
an axle. Sunreriansdiscov-
ab
ab
ereclthat a whccl that was
I'lippedonto its edge coLrldbe
rollecltorward. Thcy used
lie
this clisco"'ervto create
tl S
whceled carts lirr larnrersand
s) l
chariotslbr the arnry.They
SLI(
built the whcels by clanrping
drt
re€
dri
ne
pieces ol' woocl togetl-rer.
It r.roLrld
hc hard t() inrasThismodelshowsa wheeled
ine a rnure powerlirl invcntion thitn the wheel. Befirre the wheel.
peoplc haclto clragtheir
on flat-bottomcd carts called
-uoods
'l'hc
stLrckin tnucl.anclthcy cottldn't
slcclgcsofietr
army.Theywere pulledby a horse tledgc.s.
-uot
easierto move
sLlpportheavv loacls.Wheeleclcarts lnacleit ntr"rch
while a soldierstoodbehindthe
Orcn could pLrllthree titnes ntore
shield.
soods ovcr long clistanccs.
chariotusedin the SLimerian
wcight on whecleclcarts than they coLtlclon sledges.
ar ch an upside-down
U-or
V- sh a p ed
structure
thatsupp o r tswe ightaboveit,as in a
0 0 0 r way
Anothcr tcchnologiculaclviutcewas the arch. Sutnerianarches
bLlilt
were invertcd (Lrpsideckrwn) U- or V-sliiipedstrLtctLlres
abovc doorways.To build arches.the Sr:nteriitnsstltckedbricks
rnacleo1'clayand straw so that they rose in stcpsfrom thc walls
tuntilthey nret in the center.
5,
ist
Su
plr
ed
an
an
on
Arcl-rcsacldcdstfengthand heaLttyto Sumcrian bLrildings.Thev
becanrea cornnrorlfcatLrreof tellple entrancesanclupper-class
honres.Sonrc historianssay thc arch is thc Sr-rrnerians'
-qreatcst
architecturalachicvetnent.
-ltt Chapter5
20
tur
fir
5.9Writing
ES
:d
p-
be
Lnd
ng
g-
I
A finalcharacteristic
of civilizations is a highly developed
writtenlanguage.
The Sumerianscreateda written language
called
cuneiform. This namecomesfrom the Latin word for
"wedge."
The Sumeriansuseda wedge-shapedstylus (a sharp,
pointed
tool) to etch their writing in
claytablets.
Sumerians
developedcuneiform
around
2400s.c.e.The earliest
examples
of cuneiformshow that
it wasusedto recordinformation
about
thegoodsSumerians
exchanged
with one another.At
first,theymay have usedas many
as2,000symbolsto standfor ideas
andsounds.
Over time, they were
ableto reducethis numberto
about
700.
Cuneiform
was basedon an earlier,simplerform of writing that
pictographs.
used
Pictographs are
symbols
thatstandfor real objects,
suchasa snakeor water.Scribes
drewthesymbolswith a sharpened
reedonwet clay.When the clay
dried,
themarksbecamea permanentrecord.
GhapterSummary
Sumerianculture a civilization? It had all the character-
youreadaboutat the startof this chapter.The peopleof
cuneiform writingthatuses
we d g e -s h a pcehda ra c t e r s
pictograph a symbol
that
stands
for an object
Thisreliefsculpture
shows
s c rib e us s in ga c la yt a b le t
andstylus.
createda stablefood supply. Their society had a com-
ial structure.They had a systemof government,headkings.Theyhad a religioussystemwith priests,temples,
They had highly developedarts, technologies,
language.For thesereasons,historianscall Sumer
theworld's first civilizations.
3y
iancivilizationlastedabout1,500years,from 3500to
B.c.n.Whathappenedto the Sumerians?
What new culin Mesopotamia?In the next chapter,you'll
WasAncient Sumer a Civilization? 49