Transcript Mesopotamia

Modern Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
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The oldest of all civilizations
Land between the two rivers
(The Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers)
BUT = land between the rivers
was inhospitable. Sudden
flooding could cause death.
It was in this area that humans
first gave up their nomadic
lifestyle and settled down into
permanent settlements.
Mesopotamia
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It stretches
northwest from the
Persian gulf to
Baghdad
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North (Sumer)
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South (Akkad)
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The two regions
are also known as
Babylonia
Geography of Mesopotamia
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Land: Alluvial Plain
Low rainfall
Climate is hot and dry
No minerals
No trees/stone for
building
Why would anyone
live here?
Mesopotamia “The People”
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Mesopotamian civilization
was the result of the
mixture of 3 distinct
groups
1. Summerians –
developed writing,
language, first cities
2. Assyrians – Fighters
Babylonians – scribe,
Hummarabi laws
Levees
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Occur along the banks of
the Euphrates
Natural levees are the
result of thousands of
years of flooding which
deposits sediment along
the bank
These levees are highest
next to the river and
slope gently away
Sumer (Sumar)
Sumerian Society 2900-2400 BC
The Sumerians were the first
civilization to occupy the TigrisEuphrates river valley called the
Mesopotamia
 Each of their separate city-states
had its own ziggurat, which
contained governmental offices as
well as a temple. The temple was
located on the highest platform
(now eroded in the example).
 Since the Mesopotamia had no
geographical barriers, it was open
to attack from other developing
civilizations. Thus, its history is
one of continual invasions. With
each successive ruler, new artistic
influences were absorbed.
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The Assyrians
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When the Assyrians conquered the
Babylonians in the 9th century B.C.E.,
they erected citadels to protect their
temples and palaces from further
invasions.
On the huge stone walls were carvings
depiting winged deities, which was
emblematic of the power of their king.
At the entrance to the citadel of
Nimrud were a pair of winged bulls.
The face is believed to be a portrait of
the king, Ashurnasirpal II. His cap
indicates his divine status.
There is an interesting peculiarity
about this statue: They felt it was
necessary that both front legs were
visible on approaching it, but also
wanted it to appear as if it was
walking when viewed from the side.
This problem permitted them to make
a compromise by giving the creature 5
legs.
Writing
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Mesopotamians invented
writing around 3500 BC.
Their writing was called
cuneiform. It was done
by pressing a stylus into
soft clay.
It represented a shift
from pictograms to
ideograms. The symbols
represented ideas
The Babylonian Empire
The Babylonians
Hammurabi reigned Mesopotamia
between 1792 and 1750 B.C.E.
His code of laws was probably the
first written rule of conduct
governing property rights,
financial transactions, and
domestic matters.
 At the top of the stele,
Hammurabi is shown, receiving
divine inspiration from the sungod - who sits on his heavenly
throne, with light rays radiating off
of his shoulders. Below this is a
complex inscription of laws. Its
entire height is 7'4", though only
the top portion is pictured here
 Lasting impact was his law code:
where the “eye for an eye”
concept comes from here.
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