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Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
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Mesopotamia means: “land between
two rivers”
Civilization developed between the
Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers
By 3000 B.C. a number of cities are
established by the Sumerians
Role of the Environment

Created in a region that agriculture is
possible- IMPORTANCE?
– Irrigation and drainage possible- HOW?
– Forced people to work together and formed
communities
Role of the Environment
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Rivers supplied basics for existence
– food
– water
– sanitation
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Also provided for shelter
– How?
– basics of building?
Role of the Environment
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Problems with living near a river valley?
– Destroyed by frequent floods that ravaged
entire cities
– restrained political development (Sumer
was a geographical maze)
– Communication amongst the various
isolated cities was very difficult
Invention of Writing
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Origins of Writing probably go back to
the ninth millennium B.C.
4th millennium- realized that drawing
tokens was easier than making tokens
Result was the development of
cuneiform:
– “wedge-shaped”
– pictographic system
Cuneiform
Sumerian Society
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Sumer was different from all other earlier
civilizations
–
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–
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Advanced cities
Specialized workers
Complex institutions
Record keeping
Advanced technology
Developed city-states
Food surplus increased population
expanded trade expansion of Sumerian
society
Sumerian Society
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Polytheistic
Wrote myths (Epic of Gilgamesh)
Had social classes
– Priests and kings were at the top
– Slaves were at the bottom
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Women probably couldn’t attend school but had
many other rights
Advances in mathematics
– Number system based on 60 (60 seconds=1
minute)
Sumerian Inventions
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Wagon wheel
Potter’s wheel (shape
containers)
Number system
12 month calendar
Metal plow
Sail
Some of the earliest
known maps
New architecture
From Sumerians to
Babylonians
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The Sumerian city-states eventually fell
to foreign invaders (2000s BC)
The Akkadians:
– Semites- nomadic people from the Arabian
Peninsula that migrated to Mesopotamia
– Sargon I (2300-2200 BC) unites all
Mesopotamian cities (creates first empire)
– Under Sargon I
• Akkadians adopted Sumerian religion
• Akkadians adopted Sumerian farming
Babylonian Empire
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Amorites (2000-1600 BC)
Located in modern day Syria
Conquered many parts of old Sumeria
(including Babylon)
Hammurabi--created a law code with
harsh punishments
Borrowed heavily from Sumerian culture
After Hammurabi’s death Babylon
declined
Hittites
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Began to conquer Asia Minor
(2000 BC)
A strong army with chariots
Conquered Babylon in 1595
BC)
Borrowed from Mesopotamian
and Egyptian culture
Had a law code less harsh than
Hammurabi’s
Lasted until about 1200 BC
Assyrians
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Started to gain
strength about 900
BC
Powerful army
Treated conquered
people cruelly
Large empire with
good roads
Collapsed about
612 BC
Chaldeans
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Defeated the Assyrains in
about 612 BC
Descended from
Hammarabi’s Babylonians
At its height during the rule of
Nebuchadnezzar (605-562
BC)
– Spent a lot of money on
Babylon
– Built Hanging Gardens
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Empire collapsed in 539 BC
after being defeated by the
Persians
Persians
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Were Indo-Europeans
Cyrus (conquered from the
Nile to the Indus)
Darius I
– Administered the empire
using satraps (governors)
– Tolerant to those who were
conquered
– Increased trade and built
roads
– Lost to the Greeks in 480
BC
Pyramids on the Nile
Geography of Egypt
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The Nile river flows from south to north
for over 4100 miles
Egypt's first settlements were along the
riverbanks in a narrow strip following the
fertile soil. The change from soil to
desert was so abrupt that one could see
it.
The Nile flooded every July, and when
the water receded in October, it left
Geographical Challenges
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Unlike the Mesopotamians, the
Egyptians’ Nile was regular as a clock.
Problems were still present:
– If the waters were too low one year, the
amount of silt was reduced and thousands
starved
– If water was a few feet higher than usual,
homes and crops would be destroyed
– The desert on both sides of the Nile
hindered travel and interaction with other
Upper & Lower Egypt
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Halfway up the Nile is a
waterfall/rapids area called a
cataract, which renders the
river impassible. It also
creates Upper and Lower
Egypt
The river was navigated both
with and against the current
by the Egyptians with widesailed ships – this allowed
Egypt to become a kingdom,
instead of the city states of
Mesopotamia.
Egypt Unites a Kingdom
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By 3200BC, Egypt was divided into 2 distinct kingdoms – Upper
and Lower Egypt. King Narmer was responsible for uniting the
two kingdoms.
– To symbolize this unification, Narmer combined the white crown of
Upper Egypt with the Red crown of Lower Egypt into one.
– He established his capital, Memphis, at the spot where Upper &
Lower Egypt met. He became the first in 2600 years of 31
dynasties
Pharaohs Rule as Gods
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In Mesopotamia, rulers are
representatives of the Gods. In Egypt,
the rulers ARE gods and are
descendants of them. This rule of
religion is called a theocracy.
The Pharaoh was responsible for the
well being of the kingdom. Since they
were gods, they were responsible for
the sun rising, the Nile flooding, and the
Pyramid Building
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Egyptians believed that since a pharaoh was
basically a god, he ruled after death as well. His
spirit, or ka, wandered the earth and partook in the
same earthly pleasures as the king did while he was
alive. Since the kings ruled forever, their tombs had
to be palaces – kings of the Old Kingdom built
pyramids to rest in.
Egyptian Culture
Osiris
Isis
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The early Egyptians
were polytheistic,
with the main gods
being Re, the god of
the sun and Osiris,
the god of life,
death, and fertility.
The most important
goddess was Isis,
who represented the
ideal mother and
Afterlife
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Due to the fact that their life was
not nearly as harsh as the
Mesopotamians thanks to the
regularity of the Nile, the
Egyptians had a positive view of
the afterlife. They believed that
life continued after death
– The ka roamed the earth, and
needed someplace to return to
at night, hence the process of
mummification and sarcophagi
in tombs. If a tomb was
destroyed the person was
doomed to walk the earth
forever.
– To get into the underworld, your
heart was weighed against a
feather by Anubis, the god of
the underworld. If your heart
was too heavy with misdeeds,
One ofsoul
the main
he would eat it and your
as functions of Anubis was to release the human body at death
from
the
uncleanness
that possessed it. He washed the body, embalmed it,
well. If the feather was
heavier,
perfumed it with myrrh, wrapped it with clean linen and received it at the door
you could pass to the
of the tomb – to the Egyptians he was "Lord of the Cleansing Room."
Mummification – how’d they do
it?
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Greek historian Herodotus explains it thusly:
First, they draw out the brains through a
nostril with an iron hook… Then, with a
sharp stone they make an incision in the
side, and take out all of the bowels… Then,
having filled the belly with pure myrrah,
cassia, and other perfumes, they sew it up
again; and when they have done this steep it
in natron [a mineral salt], leaving it under
for 70 days… At the end of 70 days, they
wash the corpse, and wrap the whole body
in bandages of waxen cloth.
Life in Egyptian Society
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Classes were not
lucked in position – you
could move up through
marriage, and even
some slaves could win
advancement as a
reward for exemplary
work. Reading and
writing were mandatory
for moving up, though.
Women held many of
the same rights as men
– own and trade
property, propose
marriage, or seek
divorce. If divorce was
Pharaoh and Royal Family
Upper Class: Landowners and Gov’t Officials
Middle Class: Merchants and Artesian Workers
Lower Class: Farmers and laborers
Hieroglyphics
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Pictures originally
stood for an idea,
but as time passed
on, symbols took
their places, and
they started to stand
for sounds and
ideas.
They were first
written on stone &
clay, but as time
went on the
Science and Technology in Ancient
Egypt
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They created a calendar to help keep track of
the time between floods. This was based on
the number of days between the risings of
Sirius, or the Dog Star. It was 365 days,
divided into 12 months of 30 days each, with
an additional 5 days for holidays and feasts.
It fell short of the true solar year by only 6
hours.
Also, numbers were used, though there was
no concept of zero.
Their medicine was excellent for the time,
with knowledge of how to take a pulse, splint
Invaders Control Egypt
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The Old Kingdom’s power declined
around 2180 BC, with a period of
contention until the Middle Kingdom
(2040-1640 BC) restored order. They
improved trade and irrigation.
In 1640 the Hyksos, or “rulers of foreign
lands” invaded from Palestine and ruled
Egypt from 1630-1523 BC.
After this period the New Kingdom
arose, which will be discussed later, in
Harappans
Indus Valley
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The Harappan culture existed along the
Indus River in what is present day
Pakistan.
It was named after the city of Harappa.
Harappa and the city of Mohenjo-Daro
were important centers of the Indus
valley civilization.
This Indus Valley “civilization” flourished
around 4000-1000 B.C.
Early Harappan-Ravi Phase
3300-2800 BC
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This distinctive, regional culture which
emerged is called Early or Pre-Harappan.
Trade networks linked this culture with related
regional cultures and distant sources of raw
materials, including lapis lazuli and other
materials for bead-making.
Domesticated crops included peas, sesame
seeds, dates and cotton.
Domestic animals also used, such as the
water buffalo.
Mud brick for building.
Natural Resources
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The Indus Valley contained numerous
natural resources that were an
important part of Harappan civilization.
Resources included:
– Fresh water and timber.
– Materials such as gold, silver, semiprecious stones.
– Marine resources.
Major Cities: Mohenjo-Daro and
Harappa
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The cities are well known for their
impressive, organized and regular
layout.
They have well laid our plumbing and
drainage system, including indoor
toilets.
Over one thousand other towns and
villages also existed in this region.
Mohenjo-Daro
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This shows the high western mound made up of a massive mud brick
platform and brick houses of the Harappan period ( 2600 to 1900 B.
C.).
On top of the Harappan structures is a Buddhist period stupa made of
mud brick that dates to the first century A.D.
The Great Bath
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The "great bath" is the earliest public water
tank.
The tank measures approximately 12 meters
north-south and 7 meters wide, with a
maximum depth of 2.4 meters.
Two staircases lead down into the tank from
the north and south and small sockets at the
edges of the stairs are thought to have held
wooden planks or treads.
At the foot of the stairs is a small ledge with a
brick edging that extends the entire width of
the pool.
Great Bath
Economy-Trade
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The Harappan civilization was mainly
urban and mercantile.
Inhabitants of the Indus valley traded with
Mesopotamia, southern India, Afghanistan
and Persia for gold, silver, copper, and
turquoise.
Economy-Agriculture
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The Mesopotamian model of irrigated agriculture was
used to take advantage of the fertile grounds along
the Indus River.
Earthen walls were built to control the river's annual
flooding. Crops grown included wheat, barley, peas,
melons, and sesame.
This civilization was the first to cultivate cotton for the
production of cloth. Several animals were
domesticated including the elephant which was used
for its ivory.
Collapse of Harappan
“Civilization”
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The de-urbanization period of the Harappan
Civilization saw the collapse and
disappearance of the urban phenomena in
the South Asia.
The theme for this period is localization.
Architectural and ceramic forms changed
along with the loss of writing, planned
settlements, public sanitation, monumental
architecture, seaborne and exotic trade,
seals, and weights.
(McIntosh, 2002)
Four Theories of Collapse
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Archaeologists have offered four explanations for the
collapse of the Harappan “Civilization”.
Three are based on ecological factors: intense
flooding, decrease in precipitation, and the
dessication of the Sarasvati River.
The fourth hypothesis is that of the Aryan Invasion,
proposed by Sir R. E. Mortimer Wheeler and Stuart
Piggott.
– Image in text of “massacre” thought to support this
hypothesis. Later interpreted as “peaceful” mass burial.
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Fourth largely abandoned in the 1940s in favor of a
combination of factors from ecological disasters.
Ancient China
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degree of isolation
distance from Middle East
youngest Primary Phase culture in the
Old World
Early History
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legendary outline
three principal Neolithic Cultures
later tradition: the Hsia dynasty
– no traces
first historical civilization: the Shang
dynasty
The Shang Dynasty
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Yellow River
– near the frontier
traditional date: 1500 B.C.
invaders
eventually absorbed
Political theory
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the mandate of Heaven
universal monarch
– favors consolidation
– xenophobic
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Emperor is the Son of Heaven
feudal monarchy
The Period of Warring States
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771 B.C.
dozen-plus states
balance of power until 500’s
period of consolidation by warfare
– warfare chronic
The Period of the
Warring States,
ca. 500 B.C.
Intellectual development
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response to crisis and uncertainty
Confucianism
– a sort of philosophy
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Taoism
– a sort of religion
The Good Old Days
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breakdown of “traditional family values”
no trust or confidence in government
– filled with thieves, liars, and murderers
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no respect for the ancestors
“Why do the wicked flourish?”
Confucius (ca. 551-479 B.C.)
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poor family
well-educated in the “classics”
ambitious (wanted to be a bureaucrat...)
couldn’t get honest work...so he
became a teacher
Confucius, con’t
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wrote nothing--his followers wrote about
him
difficult to separate myth from fact
the Analects
– his “sayings”
The Analects
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looked back to the “good old days”
but favored some new ideas along with
the old
rejection of the idea of in-born nobility
proper training, education, and aptitude
make a “gentleman”
– not simply birth into a certain family
Marks of gentility
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goodness, wisdom, courage
moderation of outer and inner emotions
knowledge of traditional rites
dissociation from all men who did not
practice these things
– simple satisfaction in the practice of virtue
for its own sake
Circumstances favoring his
ideas
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lack of mythopoetic urge
lack of a strong religious tradition and
experience
lack of prophets
lack of anthropomorphic gods
The Zhou (Chou) and Qin
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rise of the Qin
new technology
gave land to peasants
new military draft
new bureaucracy
The Qin and the Legalist
tradition
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ideology of rule
absolute power of the ruler
people existed to serve the state
destroy Confucian philosophy?
The First Emperor
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Qin Shihuangdi (r. 221-210 BCE)
founds new dynasty as “First Emperor”
Dynasty ends in 207, but sets dramatic
precedent
Basis of rule: centralized bureacracy
Massive public works begun
– Incl. precursor to Great Wall
Shi Huangdi
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united China in 221 B.C.
ruled by the Legalist theory
massive conscription for labor
China under the Qin dynasty,
221-207 B.C.E.
Resistance to Qin Policies
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Emperor orders execution of all critics
Orders burning of all ideological works
Some 460 scholars buried alive
Others exiled
Massive cultural losses
Han dynasty
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rebellion of peasants
a successful failure
ruled for 400 years
new bureaucracy
emphasis on centralization
– weakening of the aristocracy
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imperial expansion
destruction of the Legalists
Population Growth in the Han
Dynasty
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60
50
40
30
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20
10
0
220 BCE
9 CE
Population (millions)
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General prosperity
Increased
agricultural
productivity
Taxes small part of
overall income
Produce
occasionally spoiling
in state granaries