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C8 - Missoulian, Monday, November 19, 2012
Proud partner in Community Education
Presents
By Laurie Triefeldt
Proud partner in
Community Education
TM
Winged human-headed bull
Between 900 and 630 B.C., the kings of
ancient Mesopotamia built great palaces
filled with colossal stone reliefs such as this
sculpture, which stands about 16 feet high
and weighs 40 tons.
What’s in a name?
“Mesopotamia” is an ancient Greek
word that means “between the
rivers” (the Tigris and Euphrates).
Considered one of the cradles of civilization, ancient
Mesopotamia was home to the earliest cities in Western history.
Its natural trade routes, Presents
fertile valleys and multiculturalism
allowed for more than 3,000 years of development and gave rise
to the Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian and Persian cultures.
Caucasus Mts.
Where in the world?
Ancient Mesopotamia developed
along the Tigris–Euphrates river
system. This location encompasses parts of modern-day Iraq, Syria,
Turkey and Iran.
Tig
ris
R
ASIA
MINOR
ASSYRIA
Catal Huyuk
Trade
Trade thrived in ancient Mesopotamia. Merchants traveled
by boat along the rivers
and by land on foot or
with donkeys.
Tyre
Jordan
River
PALESTINE
Jericho
Jerusalem
The people of
Mesopotamia believed
their world was controlled by gods and goddesses, demons and monsters.
They worshiped hundreds of gods.
Mesopotamian civilization
changed little over the
centuries because as new groups
claimed the region, they adopted much of the culture and
PHOENICIA
Mediterranean Sea
Religion
EGYPT
Dead
Sea
Assur
Uruk
km
0
0
400
The role of a
Mesopotamian
woman was
strictly defined.
She served her
father, and later
her husband.
Only royalty or
the wives of powerful men were
educated or able
to act outside of
the confines of
family and home.
Darius coin
(490 B.C.)
Copper head
(2300-2000 B.C.)
Harp from Ur
Sumerian,
(2600-2350 B.C.)
Historic events
The earliest evidence of people living in the Mesopotamia region dates to 5000 B.C.
By 4000 B.C., many farming villages had been established in the Fertile Crescent.
3500: Sumerian
city-states form.
2700: Gilgamesh rules Uruk.
He becomes the hero of later
stories.
1600: Hittites raid
Babylon.
1400: Mitannian
Empire controls
north Mesopotamia;
Kassites control
south Mesopotamia.
2500: First Sumerian
Dynasty of Ur is established.
Marble statues
from Abu Temple,
Tell Asmar, Iraq
(2700–2600 B.C.)
Man-bull
Ancient
Iran
(3000
B.C.)
3000 B.C.
3500 B.C.
Sumerians
3500-2340 B.C.
3250- 2000: Cuneiform
writing changes pictographs into simple
characters (writing) to
represent ideas, concepts and, eventually,
sounds.
Persian
Gulf
Assyrian
woman
(700 B.C.)
beliefs of the people before
them.
721: Assyria
conquers the
kingdom of
Israel.
490: Darius I
invades Greece.
479: Persian armies
are defeated by the
Greeks.
332: Alexander the
Great conquers
Mesopotamia.
Alexander the
Great coin
2500 B.C.
2000 B.C.
Akkadian Empire
2370-1900 B.C.
2350: Sumerian
cities united by
King Sargon of
Agade (Akkad.)
Cuneiform
1500 B.C.
Babylonian Empire
1900 - 1100 B.C.
1000 B.C.
•The game of checkers is thought
to have been invented at Ur.
Food for thought
SUMER
Ur
Eridu
400
miles
•The Sumerians are credited with
the invention of chariots, sailboats and wheels.
•The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
were said to be one of the Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World.
Arabian Desert
Red
Sea
AssyrianPhoenician
merchant
ship
Based on an
eighth-century
vase
IRAN
Za
gro
sM
ts.
Nineveh
Syrian
Desert
SINAI
Nile
River
ive
r
AKKAD
Eup
hra
tes Babylon
Riv
Umma
er
Lagash
Ebla
Cyprus
Caspian
Sea
Did you know?
FERTILE
CRESCENT
Taurus Mts.
Great nations
Persian
nobleman
(300 B.C.)
Black Sea
500 B.C.
Assyrian
1100-612 B.C.
1900: Akkadian becomes
the main language.
1790: Hammurabi conquers
Babylon and unites much of
Mesopotamia.
Detail of
Alexander
from mosaic
(200 B.C.)
Barley and wheat were the staple
foods of ancient Mesopotamia.
Grain was crushed and cooked as
porridge or ground into flour and
baked as unleavened bread.
Wealthy families ate beef, lamb,
pork, goat, ducks and geese. Fish
and shellfish were plentiful in the
rivers and canals.
In the end
After the death of Alexander the
Great, who conquered Mesopotamia in 332 B.C., the region became
part of the Greek Seleucid Empire.
Around 150 B.C., Mesopotamia
became a battleground between
the Romans and Parthians. In A.D.
226, it fell to the Sassanid Persians, and remained under Persian
rule until the seventh century.
Rediscovered
Much of Mesopotamia’s history
was buried beneath centuries of
sand. Mounds known as “tells”
(which means “hills” in Arabic)
were the only clue that layer
upon layer of mud-brick cities and
temples lay below the surface.
Ziggurats were stepped towers
built by the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians. Often part of
temple construction, they likely had
religious significance.
Ziggurat of Ur
SOURCES: World Book Encyclopedia, World Book
Inc.; University of Chicago; The British Museum;
http://mesopotamia.mrdonn.org; www.mesopotamia.
co.uk; The Oriental Institute of Chicago
Alexander the Great
(356 – 323 B.C.)
At a bookstore near you: Two full-color World of Wonder compilations: “Plants & Animals” and “People & Places.” For more information, please visit QuillDriverBooks.com.
© 2012 Triefeldt Studios, Inc.
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