Transcript Mesopotamia
Unit III, Section 1 Section Overview This section will allow students to develop a basic understanding of one of the World’s earliest civilization, Mesopotamia. We will look at physical features, historical events, and artistic attributes. Through this foundation we will develop further into the region as we look at the Middle East & North Africa as a whole in Unit III, Section 2. Section Objectives Define the geographic make up of the Fertile Crescent region. Analyze the cultural significance of the peoples of the region. Understand how the region is a cradle of agriculture, learning, and civilization. Geographic Features Known as the Fertile Crescent Between Tigris & Euphrates Rivers Arable lands on flood plains Dangerous & unpredictable floods Southern Border Persian Gulf Northern Border Zagros Mountains Urban Centers Babylon Uruk Ur Excavated by Sir C. Leonard Woolley Discovered over 1800 graves and 16 royal tombs Vast wealth Gold, silver, electrum, lapis lazuli, & carnelian Animal and human sacrifice Art Royal tombs gave insight into Mesopotamian artistic features Highlights Bearded Bulls Big eyes Curly hair Clasped hands Fringed garments Votive figures “Ram Caught in a Thicket” Women’s Headdresses Jewelry of Queen Puabi Bull-headed Harp Silver Lions Head Gold Vessels The Standard of Ur Ceremonial Dagger Sumerians 3000 B.C.E. 1st Civilization City-States Central administrative city Smaller surrounding villages Farm/pasture lands Developed arch & architecture Ziggurats City Center Tombs, temples, & storehouses Development of Writing Pictograms- Pictures Ideograms- Ideas Phonogram- Sound Cuneiform Wedge shaped Stylus used to make markings Pressed into wet clay Baked to become permanent Library of Nineveh Cylinder Seals Form of formal signature …Continued Used practically and decoratively Scribes Highly trained Read and write for a fee Henry C. Rawlinson Translated cuneiform in 1835 Rock of Behistun Edubbas School for boys ages 5-15 Memorized law, poetry, & history Other Classes: Divination, medicine, mathematics, & astronomy Math based on 60, used decimals, spheres/cubes used Year round schooling 25 days a month Extremely strict Religion Polytheistic Pantheon of gods, demons, and monsters Patron gods/goddesses of cities, trades, and natural aspects Major deities Enlil- god of wind, ruler of heaven and Earth’s people Ishtar- goddess of fertility, love, and war Nabu- god of wisdom and learning Ereshkigal- goddess of the underworld Daily Life Male dominated society Women’s place was in the home Own property and obtain a divorce Farming vital part of life Onions, barley, turnips, grapes Beer and wine widely available Highly trained class of artisans, priests, and craftsmen Caste of slaves Homes built of sun-dried mud brick System of credit and loans (banking) Intermittent Periods 2500 B.C.E. Sumer falls to Akkad’s King Sargon 2050 B.C.E. Immigration Indo-Europeans (Southern Russia) Amorites & Semites (Arabia) Hittites (Turkey) Introduced horse drawn two-wheel chariots Replaced donkey/oxen driven four-wheeled wagons Hammurabi Babylonian king Ruled from 1792-1750 B.C.E. Code of Hammurabi Written on a stele 282 laws “Eye for an Eye” policy Assyria Founded around 2000 B.C.E. City-states under multiple imperial rulers through early history Begins expanding outward in 1392 B.C.E. Grew into great military power throughout known world Ruthless warriors and leaders Unmerciful and severe rulers Deport/importation of people groups throughout expansion periods Post-Assyrian World Destroy in 612 B.C.E. Nebuchadnezzar of the Chaldeans Re-established Babylon (Neo-Babylonian Empire) Ishtar Gate/Hanging Gardens King of the Book of Daniel Neo-Babylonians fall under Belshazzar’s control Persia takes power Ishtar Gate Hanging Gardens of Babylon Persia Rose in 539 B.C.E. Cyrus the Great Expanded empire Largest world empire to date Bureaucratic system Four capitals Ecbatana Susa Babylon Persepolis