Download Sumeria Lesson 2_edited

Achievements and Legacies of the
Sumerians
Lesson 2
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Class Discussion on assignment
S/No. Achievement
1
Irrigation
Impact on present day
 Canal system started
 Supported agriculture
2
Construction of
the Ziggurat
 Height gave a clear view of the city
3
Pottery / bronze  Specialisation / division of labour
making
4
Arch
 Bridges and temples
5
Writing /
Cylinder Seal
 Documentation for trade, government,
personal uses
Which figure do you think represents
the king in each picture? What does
this tell us about his duties?
• King was clearly a symbol of power (evidence : from the size
depicted)
• He is portrayed both at Peace and at War – he had to make
decisions in peacetime and lead armies in war
• The chariots depicted were a demonstration of might and power of
the Sumerian civilization.
What does this panel of the Standard
of Ur tell us about Sumerian society?
• The figure shows 3 levels. Bottom row were people working as
labourers, middle row were traders and top row were the king, the
nobles and the entertainers. This depicted the societal structure.
• Most probably, the Sumerians were able to engage in different
activities in the society because they have sufficient food supply
Legacies of Sumerian Civilisation
• Writing
Cuneiform (with use of stylus)
Uses : trade, history, laws,
letters, magic spells, recipe,
scientific texts and stories
Impact : use of cuneiform
spread to other parts of
Mesopotamia
Pictograms and Cuneiform
How cuneiform
helps us
understand more
about the people
who lived in
Sumeria.
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlig
hts/highlights_search_results.aspx?searchText=
Cuneiform+tablet&advFromADBC=bc%2Cbc&a
dvToADBC=bc%2Cbc&searchPrevious=Cuneifor
m+tablet&filterItem=&fromadbc=bc&fromdate
=&toadbc=bc&todate=&continent=&country=&
place=&advFromADBC=bc%2Cbc&advToADBC=
bc%2Cbc
Ancient Schoolwork in Cuneiform
• If you were born in
Sumeria, your homework
would look like this!
• The teacher would write a
proverb on one side, and
the pupil would
memorise it and write on
the other side.
• Almost all wealthy
families had such tablets
in their homes. What
does this tell you?
Scribes
• Those who were privileged to learn writing
became known as Scribes.
• Cuneiform was used in trading to keep track
of business records.
• The scribe, or writer, had the responsibility
of recording items traded.
• In addition, scribes could be hired to work
for the government or in the temples.
Epics
• While cuneiform’s original purpose was to
record business deals, Sumerians later
discovered the joy of writing.
• Sumerians wrote down stories, poetry, and
songs, usually about the gods or war.
• A long poem about a hero is called an epic.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh tells the story of the
legendary Sumerian king. It was written on
stone tablets c.2500BC.
The Wheel
• Sumerians were the 1st group of early people
to construct carts and wagons using the
wheel.
• The potter’s wheel used in making clay pots
and bowls was another invention of the
Sumerians.
Math and Science
• Sumerians developed a number system based
on 60. Examples included: dividing a circle into
360 degrees and the year into 12 months.
• They wrote down the names of plants,
minerals, and animals and used them to
create their own medicine.
Irrigation
• Despite living in a dry climate, Sumerian agriculture
flourished thanks to the invention of Irrigation
• Canals were dug to bring water from the river to fields
Irrigation
• Dams controlled the
water flow
• Reservoirs stored water
for later use
• The surplus food
produced allowed
division of labour
Ancient irrigation map
Architecture
• The arch was used in
buildings
• The most impressive
display of Sumerian
architecture was a
ziggurat.
• Ziggurats
were
temples shaped like
stepped pyramids.
• Long staircases led
up to the platform
and shrine at the top.
Other inventions
• The plow was used in planting crops.
• An early clock that used water to
measure time was invented by the
Sumerians.
• Bronze was used to make stronger
weapons and tools.
• Sumerians were also skilled in making
jewellery and fine objects for the royalty
such as this headdress
“Ram in a Thicket”
Art and Music
• Cylinder seals were used to show ownership
of an item.
• The cylinder had a specific design that when
rolled over clay would leave an imprint.
• Other cylinder seals were used for decorative
purposes.
• Musical instruments such as the tambourine,
lyre, and drums were used for entertainment.
Optional Activity
Making a cylinder seal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2K3J87qYf0
WS : Features of Ancient Civilisations
As seen in SUMERIAN Civilisation
Feature of Civilisation
Cities
A system of government
Economic activities which
showed division of labour
(i.e. people had specialised roles)
Sophisticated Arts and
Craftsmanship
Knowledge of Mathematics,
Science and Technology
Sophisticated architecture
A form of writing
Specific examples
References
• SS TB 5A : Inquiring into Our World pp 59 to
67
• http://www.mitchellteachers.net/WorldHistor
y/MrMEarlyHumansProject/MrMSumerianCivi
lizationAchievements.html