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Indo-European Migrations: 4m-2m BCE
The Middle East: “The Crossroads of Three Continents”
The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area
The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”
Sumerians
Sumerian Religion - Polytheistic
Enki –
Innana water or life
heaven
Anthropomorphic (having
human characteristics) Gods
Mesopotamian Trade
“The Cuneiform World”
Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing
Cuneiform Writing
Deciphering Cuneiform
Sumerian Scribes
“Tablet House”
Sumerian Cylinder Seals
• Cuneiform deciphered by Sir Henry
Creswicke Rawlinson in 1838 using
carving on Behistun Rock by Darius I
Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh Epic Tablet:
Flood Story
Ziggurat at Ur
 Temple
 “Mountain of
the Gods”
The Royal Standard of Ur
Mesopotamian Harp
Board Game From Ur
Sophisticated Metallurgy Skills
at Ur
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Dates: 3000 to 2000 BCE
Sumerian achievements also include:
The wheel
The arch
A number system based on 60
A calendar – not accurate
Govt. was a city-state with each city
controlling the surrounding land – each
city-state had its own king
• By 2500 BCE began to decline
Sargon of Akkad:
The World’s First Empire [Akkadians]
The Babylonian Empires
Hammurabi’s
[r. 1792-1750 B. C. E.]
Code
Hammurabi, the Judge
Babylonian Math
Babylonian Numbers
Babylonians
Babylonians
• Dates: 1800 – 1600 BCE
• Important Ruler: Hammurabi
• By 1763 BCE Hammurabi’s kingdom
stretched from northern Mesopotamia to
the Persian Gulf.
• Important accomplishment:
Hammurabi’s Code (Laws)
• Code was very much “an eye for an
eye”
• Poor people were punished more
severely than the rich
• Defined the position of women in
Babylonian society and established
marriage, divorce and adoption laws.
• Beginning in 1600 BCE and continuing for
several centuries, the region of
Mesopotamia was conquered by a
succession of invading armies.
• HITTITES attacked 1530 BCE and
reached peak of power @1300 BCE.
• First to use Iron weapons and introduced
the use of horses in warfare.