Download Chapter 1 – Early Civilization

Chapter 1 – Early
Civilization
Anthropology -
The scientific study of the origin, the
behavior, and the physical, social, and cultural
development of humans.
Archaeology -
The systematic study of past human life
and culture by the recovery and examination of
remaining material evidence, such as graves, buildings,
tools, and pottery
History -
The branch of knowledge that records and
analyzes past events
“much of our understanding of early humans still relies on
considerable conjecture …”
A.




Paleolithic Age (Old Stone)
1. Characteristics
lived in small bands
nomadic
began to refine use of tools
used fire and often lived in caves
2. Two important technological
innovations:

use of tools and fire
Paleolithic Cave Painting: The Chauvet Cave
Cave
paintings of large animals reveal the cultural creativity of Paleolithic peoples. This scene is
part of a mural in a large underground chamber at Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, France, discovered in
December 1994. It dates from around 30,000–28,000 B.C.E. and depicts aurochs (long-horned wild
oxen), horses, and rhinoceroses. To make their paintings, Paleolithic artists used stone lamps in
which they burned animal fat to illuminate the cave walls and combined powdered mineral ores with
animal fat to create red, yellow, and black pigments. Some artists even made brushes out of animal
hairs with which to apply the paints.
AP Images/Jean Clottes
B.
Neolithic Age (New Stone)
10,000 – 4,000 B.C. (B.C.E.)
“… The biggest change was the shift from hunting animals
and gathering plants for sustenance to producing food
by systematic agriculture.”


1. Characteristics:
growing of crops
utilizing beasts of burden
This equates to Domestication …..
2. Results of Settlements…



houses built for shelter and structures for storing
food
begin to trade
begin to specialize in certain crafts and divisions of
labor begin to develop
Between 4,000 – 3,000 BC technical developments – tools
i.e. Asia discovered how to combine copper and tin to
create bronze – harder substance than copper alone
Jericho (8,000 BC)
a.k.a. Tel Sultan today
Women’s Work
This rock painting from a cave in modern-day Algeria,
dating from around the fourth millennium B.C.E., shows
women harvesting grain.
© Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY
II.
Emergence of Civilizations
What is a civilization?
complex culture in which large numbers of
people share a variety of common elements
A.
Characteristics of First Civilizations:
1. each developed in a river valley
2. urban focus
3. new political and military structures
4. new social structure based on
economic power
5. distinct religious structure
6. development of writing
7. new and significant artistic and
intellectual activity
III.
Civilization in Mesopotamia (Ancient
Near East)
Location: Tigris & Euphrates Rivers
The Ancient Near East
The Fertile Crescent encompassed land with access to water. Employing flood
management and irrigation systems, the peoples of the region established
civilizations based on agriculture. These civilizations developed writing, law
codes, and economic specialization.
A. City States of Mesopotamia
“between the rivers”
Sumerians (Eridu, Ur, Uruk, Lagesh)
City-states
Buildings of mud-brick, Arch & Dome
structures and Ziggurats
Ziggurat and Royal Tombs at Ur …
Religion – gods rule the cities – theocracy
kingship is divine
Produce – woolen textiles, pottery and
metal works
Hammurabi Unites Sumeria (1792-1750 BC)
Hammurabi (Amorite – Old Babylon)





Well-disciplined army
Assimilated conquered cultures
Built temples and defensive walls
Irrigation canals
Encouraged trade
Code of Hammurabi …. Discussion
Earliest Writing – Cuneiform – wedge
shaped (from Ur)
IV. Egyptian Civilizations
“The Gift of the Nile”
1. Old Kingdom - kingship divine
ruled by ma’at – idea of truth & justice
2. Middle Kingdom – Golden Age
Stability in leadership
“shepherd” but still divine
Spiritual Life
No word for “Religion” – so much a
part of their life …
Two groups of gods – sun and land
Pyramids – burial places
largest from Old Kingdom period
The Giza Pyramids were built as tombs for the fourth dynasty
kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure who ruled Egypt through 25892504 BCE. The largest is the Great Pyramid of Khufu, one of the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
New Kingdom (1550-1085 BC)
Hyksos Dominion/conquerors
Most powerful state in Middle East
Amenhotep, a.k.a. Akhenaten
tries to make Egypt monotheistic
Ramesses II restores Kindgom of Egypt …
Film Clip Here…
V.
History of “Palestinian Territory”
A.
Ancient Near East
1. What is an “Arab”?
2. Where is Palestine?
B.
Hebrew People and Canaan
1. Abraham
2. Exodus from Egypt (1700 BC)
3. King Saul and King David
(1020-922 BC)
4. Divided Kingdom – Israel and Judah
(922 – 587 BC)
C.
Conquest of Hebrew People
1. Israel and the Assyrians
(722 BC)
2. Judah and Babylon (Iraq)
(587 BC)
3. Exile of Hebrews in Babylon/Egypt
D.
Return from Exile of the Hebrews
1. Cyrus the Persian (Iran) 1st Wave
Nehemiah
2. Darius the Persian (Iran) 2nd Wave
Ezra
Discussion of Flood Story Comparison –
Religious and Cultural Traditions
VI. Rise of New Empires …
A. Assyrian
B. Persian
Zoroastrianism