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The Sumerians
Mesopotamia
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Live in fertile
valleys
Mesopotamia
means “between
the rivers”
Tigris and
Euphrates
Beginnings of Sumer
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Called “the black-headed people”
Origins not entirely known
Dominated Semitic-speaking
neighbors, leading to building of a
civilization
City-States
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World’s first civilization
3500 B.C.E – 2000 B.C.E
3000 B.C.E form large city-states in
southern Mesopotamia
City-states: Kish, Nippur, Umma,
Lagash, Uruk, and Ur
Sumerian Religion
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Polytheistic
Many gods controlled natural forces
Associated with astronomical forces
Gods
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Gods suffered all ravages human
emotional and spiritual feelings
Believe that gods regret creation of
human life
A flood was sent to destroy creation
(Noah’s Ark)
Gods Cont.
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Invented astrology to discover what
gods had in store for them
Examined organs of sacrificed animals
for secrets to the future
Sumerian Law
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Code of Hammurabi- reproduction of
Sumerian law
Used law of lex talionis
Had courts of law
Victim and/or victim’s family enforced
the sentence
Everyone wasn’t equal under the laws
Writing
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First kept record using
tokens
Cuneiform invented in
about 3000B.C.E
Wrote with stylus on
clay tablets
550 wedged-shaped
characters
Earliest known form of
writing
Math and Science
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Number system based on 60
Developed basic algebra and geometry
Invented calendars divided into 12
months
City Layout
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Cities were often
rectangular in
shape
Surrounded by
high, wide walls
Had broad avenues
Shop-lined streets
that made up
bazaar
Buildings
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Largest buildings
were ziggurats
Each ziggurat had a
shrine dedicated to
a god or goddess
Rulers lived in
beautiful palaces
Common people
live in tiny houses
Economy and Trade
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Traded by land and
boat
Main exports
included textiles
Sumerian economy
was based on
agriculture
Sumerian Government
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Developed one of
the world’s first
systems of
monarchy
First ruled by
priests
Priests ruled
through a series of
bureaucrats
Sumerian Classes
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Most people were
farmers
Divided into 3
classes: upper,
middle, and lower
In Sumerian class
society, women still
had rights, but
were inferior to
men
The Fall of Sumer
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Sargon the Great led the
Akkadians and invaded and
conquered Sumer in 2330 B.C.E.
Sumerians briefly regained control
Amorites take over and
Hammurabi becomes the leader
of Babylon in 1792 B.C.E.
Social Institutions
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City States
Social Hierarchy
Highest Classes: ruling family, officials,
high priests
Middle Class- merchants, artisans,
lesser priests and scribes
Social Institutions
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Lower Class- slaves
Peasant farmers made up majority
Slaves- in debt citizens or prisoners of
war
Role of Women
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In charge of household
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Legal rights
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Borrowed and loaned money
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Owned property
Religion
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Polytheistic
Believed it controlled nature
Gods behaved like ordinary people
Highest role in society was to keep gods
happy
Made sacrifices
Celebrated holy days
Believed in afterlife
Cooperation and Conflict
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Individual city states tried to dominate
the region
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The ages of empires began
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Sargon for Akkad created first empire
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Sumer was the first known
Individuals & History
Uruk Period
 Kings were mythological figures named Aluim and Dumizid.
 Kings ruled before the major flood.
Early Dynastic Period
 Includes legendary figures such as Enmerkar and Gilgamesh.
 Both figures ruled before the opening of historic record in
2700 C.E.
 Earliest Dynastic king is Etana.
 Etana was the 13th king of the first dynasty of Kish.
 Etana was mentioned in the Gilgamesh epic.
Sumerian Decline
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Major shift in southern Iraq towards
the north.
Agriculture was being compromised by
Soil salinity.
Soil Salinity- slat content in the soil.
Agricultural yields reduced severely.
Shifted from wheat to barley.
Barley was not sufficient, population
declined by 3/5ths.
City States
Sumer was divided into 12 city-states.
 Limits were defined by canals & boundary stones.
 Each city state was centered around a temple dedicated
to a particular god or goddess.
 Ruled by a “priestly governor” (ensi) or a king (lugal)
First 5 City States
1. Eridu
2. Bad-tibira
3. Larsa
4. Sippar
5. Shuruppak
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Cultural Development
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Sumerians invented picture-hieroglyphs
Later it developed into a new writing system
called cuneiform.
Thousands of texts from the Sumerian
language have survived-clay tablets.
Cultural Development
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Sumer was a Polytheistic society-believed in more than one
God.
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Sumerian temples were called Ziggurats
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Ziggurats were used for sacrifice and praise.
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Sumerian agriculture depended heavily on irrigation.
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Some examples of their crops include: barely, lentils, wheat, &
lettuce.
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They also raised cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats.
Technology & History
•
Invented many important inventions:
• The wheel
• Cuneiform
• Arithmetic
• Geometry
• Irrigation
• Important tools (ex. hammers, nails, hoes)
• Sandals
• Harpoons
Technology & History
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Reasons inventions were important:
– Created new methods for food creation
and farming.
– Helped in the process of capturing
animals and hunting.
– The lunisolar calendar helped predict
droughts and floods.
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Inventions created have impacted our
world for centuries.
Human Environment
Interactions
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They had to adapt to their surroundings
EX. Fertile land + Tigris and Euphrates river
led them to start farming and create an
irrigation system
Impact of Ideas
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Cuneiform Writing- involved over 550 wedge
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System of Numbers-
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Astronomy- accurate calendars, which are
shaped symbols
developed a number system
based on the unit 60. divided the hour into 60 minutes and the
circle into 360 degrees
essential to a farming society
 Wheel- used first on things such as plows
 Irrigation- method used in farming still used
today
Government
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For protection, people turned to courageous and
resourceful war leaders. Over time, these war leaders
evolved into hereditary rulers.
Each city-state, the ruler was responsible for
maintaining the city walls and the irrigation
systems,leading armies in war, and enforcing the laws.
As government grew more complex, he employed
scribes to carry out functions such as collecting taxes
and keeping records.
The ruler also had religious duties. He was seen as the
chief servant of the gods and led ceremonies designed
to please them.
Sumerian Fun Facts
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Sumer was the first civilization on the
Fertile Crescent.
There is a very high chance that you
will use a Sumerian invention every
day.
Sumerians called themselves sag-gi-ga
meaning “the black headed people”
Basic Facts
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Located in
southern
Mesopotamia
Civilization rose
around 3000 BCE
Population:
100,000
Kings List
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List of rulers of Ancient Sumer
16 copies
Late third millennium
Identical to the Eridu Genesis
Total of 11 royal cities
134 Kings
28,876+N years, N months, and N
days
Kings List
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Some rulers include
Alulim: ruled for 28,800 years in
Eridu
 Enmen-lu-ana: ruled for 43,200
years in Bad-tioira
 En-sipad-zid-aa: ruled for 28,800
years in Larak
 Enmen-dur-ana: ruled for 21,000
years in Sippar
 Ubara-Tutu: ruled for 18,600 years
in Suruppak
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Gods
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Nine Gods
Responsible for the unknown
Every city-state had their own god
Lived in Ziggurat
Gods
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They were
Nammu: goddess of the primeval sea
 An: god of heavens
 Ki: goddess of the earth
 Enlil: god of air and storms
 Utu: sun god
 Ninhursag: mother earth
 Enki: god of water and wisdom
 Inanna: goddess of love and war
 Ereshkigal: godess of darkness, gloom, and death
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Beliefs
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Called space the “great domed roof”
Thought it contained the sky, stars,
moon, and sun
Sun lighted cities beneath
Beliefs
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Netherworld=Underworld
Netherworld was underneath Earth
Were demons and the kingdom of
dead
Economy
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Relied on agriculture
and trade
Sumer was irrigated by
canals & dams, which
watered the fields to
grow crops
Traded the crops and
textiles they made with
other people
– Mainly Asia-Minor and
Iran
Economy
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When they traded, they received:
– Stone
– Metal
– Timbers
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Brought back goods to Sumer
– Used goods to make items of their own
for trade
– Trade it with others groups
Cuneiform
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Cuneiform: Latin for
“wedged shaped”
Earliest known
invention of writing
Stylus: triangle-shaped;
made imprints in clay
used:
– Keep records of
businesses, taxation,
and production figures
– Epics, myths, essays,
poetry, and education
texts
Jobs
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Pottery makers, stone cutters,
bricklayers, metal smiths, farmers,
fishers, shepherds, weavers, leather
workers, sailors
Inventions
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Wheel
Iron
Engraving
Bleaching/dying
Homes
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Huts from
bundles of
reeds
Built by sunbaked bricks
Had shortage of
stone
Mathematics
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Had first known math system called
“sexagesimal”
– 360 degree circle
– 12-inch foot
– A dozen
– 12 month calender
Metal
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Started the age of metal
Learned to melt & mold it
Used for weaponry and tools
Medicine
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Started to use medicines
Had earliest surgeons & doctors
Symbols for Sumerian medicine
Boats
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Made some of the first boats
– Skin boats
– Sail boats
– Wooden oar boats
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Used for easy transportation
– People
– Goods
– cattle
Tools
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saws
Chisels
Hammers
Braces
Bits
Nails
Rings
Hoes
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Axes
Knives
Arrows
Swords
Glue
Daggers
armors
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Water skins
Bags
Harnesses
Harpoons
Quivers
scabbards
Constellations
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Many were mapped by the Sumerians
Social Classes
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In Sumer there
were three different
social classes.
The Upper class
consists of nobles,
priests, and
government
officials.
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Merchants , traders
and artisans made
up the middle class,
Freeman Class
The Lowest class
were slaves.
Education
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Sumerians studied
literacy , botany,
zoology, mathematics
and geology
An education was
open to any one who
could afford it, boys
or girls.
Many students went
through school to
become scribes,
record keepers.
A scribe’s work
Architecture
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Sumerians used
adobe bricks for the
houses and
buildings.
Ziggurats, religious
temples, are some
of the most famous
architecture in
Sumer.
Clothing
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Sumerians used
wool and flax for
clothing
Men usually wore a
skirt tied around
their waist and
women wore long
gowns.
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Wealthy Sumerians
wore bright colors
and expensive
materials.
Both men and
women wore
necklaces and
earrings during
celebrations.
Bibliography
Ancient Mesopotamia: Sumer Clothing. 11/12/08. Ancient
Mesopotamia. www.shrewsbury<ma.gov/schools/central/curriculum/ELEMENTARY/SOCIALST
UDIES/.../ancient -mesopotami.htm>
Jones, Tom B. Sumerian Economy. Unknown. November 9,
2008.
<http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/middle_east/su
mer_economy.html>
Jones, Tom B. Sumerian Religion. Unknown. November 9, 2008.
<http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/middle_east/su
mer_religion.html>
Lendering, Jona. Sumerian King List. May 10, 2007. November
13, 2008. http://www.livius.org/k/kingslist/sumerian.html
Bibliography
Sienkewicz, Thomas J. The Encyclopedia of the Ancient World. Pasedina, California:
Salem Press, Inc. 2002
Sumerian Education & Literature. 11/12/08. Sumer, The Age of God King.
<www.geocities.com/sumeriancivilization/education/html>
Sumerian Science. 11/12/08. Crystalinks.
<http://www.crystalinks.com/sumerscience.html>
Sumerian Social Classes. 11/12/08. Crystalinks.
<www.crystalinks.com/sumersocialsystem.html>
Unknown. Sumerian Economy and Trade. Unknown. November 9, 2008.
<http://crystalinks.com/sumereconomy.html>
Unknown. Sumerian Social Classes. June 5, 2008. November 12, 2008.
http://frombaghdadtonewyork.com/thecradleofcivilization/sumeriansocialclasses
Unknown. The Sumerian Civilization Part 2. Unknown. November 13, 2008.
<http://www.strayreality.com/Lanis_Strayreality/sumerian_civilization%202.htm>
Bibliography
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Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumer.
November 8th, 2008
Road Runner
http://home.cfl.rr.com/crossland/Ancie
ntCivilizations/Middle_East_Civilization
s/Sumerians/sumerians/html
November 9th , 2008
Tim Lambert. “The Sumerians.”
Bibliography
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“Sumer” by John A. Brinkman, The World
Book Encyclopedia
http://lexicorient.com/e.o/sumer.htm
http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/SUMER.H
TM
http://home.cfl.rr.com/crossland/ancientCivil
izations/Middle_East_Civilizations/Sumerian
Class notes by Mr. Aldworth