Download MESOPOTAMIA

MESOPOTAMIA
THE LAND BETWEEN TWO
RIVERS
LAND BETWEEN TWO
RIVERS
TIGRIS
AND
EUPHRATES
SUMERIANS
THE FIRST BUSINESSMEN
CUNIEFORM WRITING
EVOLUTION OF
CUNIEFORM
TOKENS TO TABLETS
TOPICS OF MESOPOTAMIAN
WRITING
•
•
•
•
BUSINESS RECORDS (MAJORITY)
RELIGIOUS TEXTS
COURT RECORDS
CONQUEST LISTS
EARLY SUMERIA
SUMERIAN RELIGION
SAME RELIGION FOR MOST OF
THE CULTURES OF
MESOPOTAMIA WITH A FEW
ADDITIONS
SOURCES
• SACREDOTAL LIBRARY OF
NIPPER(THE RELIGIOUS CENTER OF
SUMER)
• TEMPLE AND PALACE OF NINEVEH
• TEMPLE AND PALACE LIBRARY OF
ASSUR
GENERAL RELIGIOUS
CONCEPTS
• HUNDREDS OF GODS( SKY, WAR
BRICKS)
• GODS WERE SUPERMEN
• GODS COULD BE EVIL, GOOD, BOTH,
INDIFFERENT
• CITY-STATE GODS AND GENERAL
COUNTRY GODS
• AFTERLIFE-LAND OF SHEOL(A
LAND OF DREARY LIFE
SUMERIAN GODS
• AN--------------#1 GOD, CREATOR, SKY
GOD
• ENLIL---------LORD OF AIR,CHOSE
RULERS OF SUMER
• ENKI----------LORD OF EARTH AND
WISDOM
• UTU-----------SUN GOD
• INNANNA---LOVE GODDESS
• DUMUZI-----KING OF URUK,DIEFIED
• NERGAL-----GOD OF WAR AND DISEASE
ZIGGURAT
PRIESTS
SUMERIAN GOVERNMENT
THIS GOVERNMENT VALID FOR
SUMERIA,
BABYLONIA,CHALDEA
KING(ELECTED UNTIL 2800BC)
UPPER HOUSE
LOWER HOUSE
(ELDERS)
( ARMS BEARING MEN )
PRIESTS
ARISTOCRACY
(LAND OWNERS)
COMMON CITIZENS
SLAVES
(CAPTIVES OR DEBTORS)
SUMERIAN SOCIAL
CLASSES
•
•
•
NOBLES
COMMON FREE MEN
SLAVES
SUMERIAN LITERATURE
THE GILGAMESH EPIC
THE CITY OF UR
THEN AND NOW