Download Sumerians/ Chaldeans

Sumerians/
Chaldeans
Akanksha Nagarkar and Tal
Usvyatsky
Emergence
Sumer
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Migrated from the East from ancient India or
ancient Iran
In 3100 BCE the population increased
Cities emerged due to the population increase
Chaldea
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In 630 BC, Nabopolassar became king of the
Chaldeans.
In 626, he took control of Uruk from the
Assyrians and became king of Babylonia.
Geographic Location/ Natural Resources
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Southeastern Mesopotamia
Between Arabian Desert and Euphrates River
Borders the Persian Gulf
Flat and marshy
Dry climate; sparse vegetation
Rivers flood vehemently in spring
Extremely rich soil as a result
Soil and sunshine allowed civilization to thrive
Belief & Value Systems
Sumer
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Religion central to organization of cities
polytheistic
gods controlled everything
Each city had unique god/goddess
Each family had unique deity
Large temples
Ziqqurats (large temples)
Chaldea
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Mythology contains stories of deities, heroes,
and creatures
Idols were considered very important
Influenced by older civilizations
Royalty was tied into religion
Astrology
Communication Systems
Sumer
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Initially used cuneiform (1500 characters)
Cuneiform is the oldest form of deciphered
writing
Reduced to 700 characters
Alphabetic in 1300 BCE
Chaldea
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Akkadian was the formal language
Aramaic was also used
Some words from Sumerian language
Used cuneiform
Societal Organizations
Sumer
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Libraries in 2500 BCE
Schools to teach writing and business
transactions
Ruler (lord-en)
Each city had governor (ensi) or king (lugal)
Courts, jails, and government records
Citizen army
Chaldea
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Local autonomy in cities.
Each city had their own courts and tried cases
with assemblies.
Social and political status was determined by
religious hierarchy.
Guild system
Monetary System
❖ Used the shekel
❖ Kept records of transactions
Technological Advances/ Cultural Arts
Sumer
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Chaldea
Pottery
Invented the wheel
Seals and clay used to stamp papers
Words (cuneiform)
Iron smelted in 2500 BCE
Plow
Sailboat
First lunar calendar
Advanced and organized irrigation systems
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Used bricks in architecture
Started with mud and bricks
Eventually used some stone
Temples
High quality sculptures
Paintings are a mystery
One of the first to use seven day week
Seeder plow
Sundials
← The wheel
Demise
Sumer
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Conquered by King Sargon of Akkad in 2340
BCE
Empire short-lived
Conquered by Babylonians
Culture was not lost but rather adapted
Chaldea
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Assyrians occupy Babylon in 729 BCE
Chaldean culture is absorbed by population
Later, Babylonian empire falls to Persians in
539 BCE
Influence
Sumer
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administrative organization could not be
reversed once established in the area
art styles: pottery
complex metrology system: led to arithmetic,
algebra, and geometry
arch architecture
Chaldea
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Modern Chaldean Christians
7 day week
Horoscopes
More astrology
Sources
http://www.san.beck.org/EC3-Sumer.html#1
http://history-world.org/sumerian_culture.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/civ/4a.asp
http://ancientneareast.tripod.com/Sumer.html
http://history-world.org/Sumer-Akkad.jpg
http://www.unm.edu/~gbawden/328-exp/328-exp.htm
https://pittkyle123.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/early-sumerian-cuneiform.jpg
http://www.ancientscripts.com/images/su_signs.gif
http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/mesopotamian-wheel.jpg
https://bible.org/seriespage/19-rise-neo-babylonian-chaldean-empire
More Sources
http://www.britannica.com/place/Chaldea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaldea
http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/chaldean.html
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Chaldeans.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Babylonian_Empire
http://chaldea.wikispaces.com/trading
http://www.ehow.com/info_8507932_chaldeas-inventions.html
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sumer_anunnaki/esp_sumer_annunaki04.htm
http://www.ancient.eu/babylon/