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QUESTS – Working Document
As writing developed, its use and application became more complex over the course of time.
Matching writing artifacts from the Jarmo site are:
NONE
Distracter writing artifacts from the Jarmo site are:
A66634
Impression of Reed
Matting
9000 BC - 6000 BC
Clay
A64858
Hand Axe with Traces of
Human Blood
200,000 BC - 100,000 BC
Flint
A66135
Human Figurine
7000 BC
Clay
Relevance Score:
Relevance Score:
A65281A
Large Storage Vessel
6000 BC - 5500 BC
Clay
Relevance Score:
Relevance Score: 0
Area: Residential
0
0
Area: Residential
Mentor says:
This tiny piece of clay
preserves the impression
of an ancient mat that
was woven from reeds.
Because organic material
from ancient Mesopotamia
rarely survives,
impressions such as this
provide evidence of the
craft. Do you think the
people living at this
time also knew how to
write?
Clue:
0
Area: Residential
Area: Residential
Mentor says:
A small hand axe with
traces of blood on it! I
bet DNA testing will prove
my theory that this is
human blood and that this
tool could be as much as
200,000 years old!
Evidence, like this, of
early humans is found all
over the world. Do you
think communicating with
writing developed at this
time?
Mentor says:
This clay figurine is so
cute. It looks like an
ancient version of “The
Gingerbread Man!” It’s up to
you to decide if this will
help you support your quest
for knowledge.
Clue:
Since the beginning of time,
we humans have always enjoyed
creating likenesses of
ourselves.
Mentor says:
You’ve found part of a
storage vessel – much larger
than many I’ve discovered!
Someone long ago spent a lot
of time decorating it very
carefully. Did you know that
the development of pottery
started about the same time
people started to farm?
Clue:
A) This held grain or
liquid. B) Pottery developed
around the same time that
people started to farm.
The people who lived
here settled in one
place and knew how to
weave.
Clue:
A) This is a small hand
tool with traces of human
blood on it. B) Tools like
this are found all over
the world.
A66999
Bone Needle
7500 BC - 7000 BC
Bone
A66540
Limestone Ring
14,000 BC - 9000 BC
Limestone
Relevance Score: 0
Area: Residential
Relevance Score: 0
Area: Residential
Mentor says:
Congratulations for
finding this tiny bone
needle in so much dirt!
This needle is made of
animal bone. Does this
tool provide evidence
that supports your
beliefs about ancient
Mesopotamian society?
Mentor says:
You’ve done a very good
job digging and haven’t
missed a thing. Limestone
rings are extremely
difficult things to find
in the ground. Neolithic
people liked to wear
jewelry just as much as we
do. What role does this
artifact play in the
development of writing?
Clue:
This was made out of
animal bone almost
11,000 years ago.
Clue:
This piece of ancient
jewelry may have been
created 16,000 years ago.
Matching writing artifacts for Diyala are:
C478
Cast of the Laws of
Hammurabi
1792 BC - 1750 BC
Plaster but call it
Stone
Relevance Score:
3
Area: Temple
Mentor says:
Amazing! You have
discovered the stele of
the “Laws of Hammurabi”
written in cuneiform
script. Did you know
that the ancient
Mesopotamians developed
the first written laws?
Is it possible that this
complex ancient document
helps you to prove your
quest?
Clue:
A) The Mesopotamians
developed the first
written laws. B) Stelae
like this one were
placed in public areas
to help to enforce the
laws of the king.
A2513
Archaic Clay Tablet
3100 BC - 2900 BC
Clay
Area: Temple
Relevance Score:
3
Mentor says:
This clay tablet is
inscribed on one side with
an early form of cuneiform
writing in which the
signs, called pictographs,
are drawings of the things
they represent. Writing
first developed in the
cities of ancient
Mesopotamia. Tablets such
as this one are some of
the earliest known written
records.
Clue:
A) Pictographs were a form
of early writing. B)
Writing first developed in
the cities of Mesopotamia.
A11878
Clay Tablet with Envelope
1450 BC - 1350 BC
Clay
Relevance Score:
3
A25412
Chicago Stone
2600 BC - 2350 BC
Basalt
Area: Residential
Relevance Score:
Mentor says:
Here’s a clay tablet with an
envelope! It’s written in
cuneiform script and is a
record of an argument that
took place over 3,000 years
ago between two men who
claimed to own the same piece
of land. Mesopotamian
civilization was the first to
develop a written language.
Area: Temple
Clue:
The ancient Mesopotamians
developed the world’s first
written language.
3
Mentor says:
You have found a very
important tablet made of
stone. The early writing
shown here describes a sale
of land from one man to
another. The land was sold
for wool, bread, silver, and
sheep fat. Look closely to
find pictographs or symbols
for grain and the symbol of
a star that meant the word
for god.
Clue:
A) This early tablet is the
record of a land sale. B)
Pictographs are used on this
document. C) Look at the age
of this artifact.
A27903
Cylinder Seal with
Goddess Ishtar
2350 BC - 2100 BC
Stone
Relevance Score: 3
Area: Temple
Mentor says:
What a finely carved
cylinder seal! These
were rolled onto clay to
show ownership or to
safeguard personal
possessions. This one
shows Ishtar, the
goddess of love and war.
The inscription here was
written in such a way as
to be read on the seal
itself and not in the
impression.
Clue:
A) This cylinder seal
has an inscription
carved into it that is
very small. B) Look at
the age of this
artifact.
Distracter writing artifacts for Diyala site are:
A11587
Votive Plaque Fragment
2600 BC - 2500 BC
Gray Schist
A7567
Plaque with Fighting Dogs
2000 BC - 1600 BC
Clay
A12417
Plaque with Banquet Scenes
2700 BC - 2600 BC
Gypsum
Relevance Score:
Relevance Score:
0
0
Area: Residential
Area: Temple
Mentor says:
You’ve found a clay plaque
that tells a short story
about something that
happened a long time ago in
ancient Mesopotamia. What
story do you see carved
into this plaque? Does the
story that is being told
here support your quest?
Look closely to be sure.
Mentor says:
Great job! You have found a
plaque that was part of a
door-locking system. The
people represented in scenes
on this plaque seem to be
involved in a feast. Look
closely to be sure because
this artifact may contain
what you need.
Relevance: 0
Area: Temple
Mentor says:
What a wonderful piece!
This fragment from a
plaque tells a small
story. In one area
people seem to be
feasting and in another
a man is carrying a
fish and a net. Are you
able to find any
inscriptions or writing
on this artifact?
Clue:
This clay relief shows a
picture of a dog fight.
Clue:
Artifacts can tell
stories with pictures
about what life was
like long ago.
Matching writing artifacts for Khorsabad are:
Clue:
The Mesopotamians seemed to
enjoy great feasts.
Photo unavailable: Please
see:
http://mesopotamia.lib.uchica
go.edu/learningcollection/sea
rch.php?a_q=tablet&a_sort=dat
e&lcid=38
A2793
Prism of King
Sennacherib
705 BC - 681 BC
Clay
Relevance Score: 3
Area: Palace
Mentor says:
This is great! I
believe this six-sided
clay prism is an
important document that
was written to recount
eight wars won by King
Sennacherib of Assyria
who ruled from 705-681
BC. Look closely at the
quality of the
cuneiform script!
Clue:
A) Look at the quality
of the script. B) Look
at the age of this
artifact.
C217
The Black Obelisk
858 BC - 824 BC
Plaster but call it
Limestone
Relevance Score: 3
Area: Temple
Mentor says:
You have discovered the
“Black Obelisk!” This
limestone monolith,
inscribed on all four
sides, tells the story of
King Shalmaneser III and
the foreign lands he
conquered. Look closely to
see the cuneiform script
and how he was presented
with unusual gifts from the
many lands that he
conquered.
Clue:
This obelisk tells the
story with cuneiform script
and pictures about a
Mesopotamian king and the
many lands he conquered.
A2480
Chicago Syllabary
625 BC - 539 BC
Clay
A11255
Reliefs of a Hunt, Banquet,
and Temple
721 BC - 705 BC
Relevance Score: 3
Stone but call it
Gypsum
Area: Temple
Relevance Score: 3
Mentor says:
What good luck you’ve had!
This syllabary was created to
help scribes remember the
Sumerian language - which was
no longer in use. This tablet
contains a list of cuneiform
signs, each with its Sumerian
pronunciation and Akkadian
translation.
Area: Palace
Clue:
A) Sumerian was no longer in
use at this time. B) Look
closely at the cuneiform
script.
Mentor says:
You’ve found a rare relief
that once decorated King
Sargon II’s palace.
Mesopotamian kings liked to
see images and words about
themselves carved into
stone. If you look closely,
you may see large sections
of cuneiform script that
tell the story of Sargon
II’s reign.
Clue:
Mesopotamian kings were
adept at creating propaganda
that lasted long after their
rule.
Distracter writing artifacts for Khorsabad site are:
A7368
Relief of Sennacherib
and Attendants
721 BC - 705 BC
Stone but call it
Gypsum
A34979
Relief Fragment of King
Ashurnasirpal II
883 BC - 859 BC
Gypsum
Relevance Score: 0
Relevance Score: 0
Area: Palace
Area: Palace
Mentor says:
What a huge relief!
This is a major find
from the throneroom of
King Sargon II. I
believe the figure on
the left could be the
crown prince,
Sennacherib. He is
raising his right hand
in greeting to his
father, King Sargon II.
Mentor says:
What an exquisite relief
you have uncovered! This
fragment is from a larger
scene in which King
Ashurnasirpal II grasped a
bow and stood ready to pour
a libation from a cup.
Clue:
Look closely and see if
you can find any
inscriptions on this
artifact.
Clue:
A) Mesopotamian kings were
great propagandists. B) Is
the writing in the upper
left modern or ancient?
A7481
Striding Lion
625 BC - 539 BC
Clay
Relevance Score: 0
Area: Temple
Mentor says:
You’ve unearthed a
significant piece from an
ancient Mesopotamian city.
The Mesopotamians created
colorful architectural work
and liked using symbols that
showed the strength and power
of their kingdom. This
striding lion decorated the
“Processional Way,” a major
entryway into the city of
Babylon.
Clue:
Look closely for any
inscriptions.