Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
8/15/2014 Essential Question Rise of Civilizations and Mesopotamia • What is a Civilization? August 15th, 2014 What geographic features do all of the colored areas share? • Water for crops • Yearly floods left fertile soil behind • Animals are drawn to water • Fish • Mode of transportation • Made trade easier • A group of people living and working together for the purpose of creating an organized society. • Complex systems or network of cities that emerge from pre-urban culture. 1. Advanced Cities a. Public Works – bridges, roads, etc. 2. Specialized Workers a. Social Classes 3. Complex Institutions a. Government/Laws b. Religion 4. Writing 5. Technology 1 8/15/2014 •Mesopotamia was the location of a series of empires, each building on the previous one. •Sumerian (2900– 2340 BCE) •Babylonian (1753 – 1593 BCE) •Assyrian (1200 – 612 BCE) •Persian (539 – 334 BCE) • Mesopotamian cities were organized in distinct sections. Excavated Remains of the Ziggurat of Ur. • Sacred area • Residential area • Commercial area • Most important structures included ziggurat, palace, and defensive wall. • Houses made of mudbricks. Artists rendition of what we believe the Ziggurat looked like during use. •Farmers •Musician •Potters •Weavers •Boatman •Basket maker •Brick maker •King 2 8/15/2014 • Mesopotamian religion was polytheistic • Ziggurats were large temples built to honor the city’s god. • While the names of the deities changed though the years they were basically the same for thousands of years. Sumerian Babylonian Function Abzu Apsu Sweet waters under earth, the abyss An Anu Dumuzi ("sacred son") Tammuz Sky, Firmament, Father of gods Shepherd, god of grain, beer, dying god (Inanna / Ishtar's husband) Enki Ea Controller of sweet waters, god of wisdom (trickster) Enlil Enlil or Ellil Lord of wind and air Ereshkigal Ereshkigal Geshtinanna ("Lady of the Vine") Gugalanna (Bull of Heaven) Nergal Imdugud bird ("heavy rain") Anzu or Zu bird Queen of Underworld Goddess of grapes, wine, "the leafy grapevine," sister of Dumuzi Ereshkigal's husband Thunderbird, later assimilated to Ninurta Inanna Ishtar Goddess of love, fertility, storehouse, war Namtar Namtar Fate, death messenger Nammu Tiamat Primeval ocean-mother Nanna Moon Ninhursag (Nintu) Sin Mami, Belet-ili, Aruru Ninurta (Ningirsu) Ninurta War, thunder god Utu Shamash Sun, judge, law-giver Mother goddess (Ki?) •First system of writing developed around 3500 BCE •Tablets are clay and a wedge shaped stylus was used to create the pictograms. •Writing is called cuneiform. •This writing was in use for about 3000 years. • While the original type of government is unknown, quickly a single, autocratic ruler gained power. • Best known example of laws is the Code of Hammurabi from about 1792-1750 BCE. • Stelae were placed throughout the Babylonian Empire to show that justice would be administered to everyone. •Inventions included • the plow • the sailboat • the arch • the wheel • Potter’s wheel • Base 60 number system 3