Early Civilizations

Learning Target 7e

Early Civilizations

Learning Target 7e

Goal: Understand the characteristics of the early Sumerians and their influence on later civilizations.Focus Question: Why did the first civilization emerge here?

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area

The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

MesopotamiaMesopotamia• GeographyGeography

- Fertile Crescent- Fertile Crescent

- “Land Between Two Rivers”- “Land Between Two Rivers”

- Tigris & Euphrates flooded - Tigris & Euphrates flooded fertile mud known as siltfertile mud known as silt

- Surplus crops- Surplus crops

Euphrates River

SumerSumer

Jordan River

SumeriansSumeriansFirst arrived in Sumer in 3300 First arrived in Sumer in 3300 BCBC

ChallengesChallenges SolutionsSolutions

Unpredictable flooding, little/no rain

No natural barriers for protection/defense

Limited natural resources

Dug irrigation ditches to carry water to fields

Built city walls for defense

Traded surplus goods, cloth, & crafted tools with other people

Advanced CitiesAdvanced Cities• By 3,000 BC, Sumerians > 12 citiesBy 3,000 BC, Sumerians > 12 cities

- Ur, Uruk, Kish, Lagash, & Umma- Ur, Uruk, Kish, Lagash, & Umma• City & surrounding land = city-stateCity & surrounding land = city-state• Built out of sun-dried mud-brickBuilt out of sun-dried mud-brick

• Trade important for Sumerian citiesTrade important for Sumerian cities

- Traded surplus crops for needed goods- Traded surplus crops for needed goods

- Barter system- Barter system• Cultural Diffusion = spread & exchange of ideas & Cultural Diffusion = spread & exchange of ideas &

products among culturesproducts among cultures

Ashur was a main trade center

Artifacts from Ur

Mesopotamian TradeMesopotamian Trade

“The Cuneiform World”

“The Cuneiform World”

Record-KeepingRecord-Keeping• Cuneiform – Sumerian writing (“wedge-Cuneiform – Sumerian writing (“wedge-

shaped”)shaped”)• Stylus – Sharpened reed was used to press Stylus – Sharpened reed was used to press

symbols into the clay tabletssymbols into the clay tablets• Why was writing necessary?Why was writing necessary?

Sumerian relief sculpture ~ cuneiform writing

Cuneiform Wedge shaped Cuneiform Wedge shaped writingwriting

Sumerian Signature SealSumerian Signature Seal

The seal was used to sign a cuneiform tablet

Cuneiform WritingCuneiform Writing

Deciphering Cuneiform

Deciphering Cuneiform

Specialized WorkersSpecialized Workers• Artisans = skilled workers, made goods by Artisans = skilled workers, made goods by

handhand• Scribes = professional writersScribes = professional writers

– Prestigious position in Sumerian societyPrestigious position in Sumerian society– Years of training Years of training

• Priests, shopkeepers, tradersPriests, shopkeepers, traders

Scribe

Edubba, school or “tablet house”

TechnologyTechnology • Wheel Wheel • SailSail• PlowPlow• IrrigationIrrigation• Lunar calendarLunar calendar• Number system (geometry, Number system (geometry,

trig)trig)• Arch, post-and-lintel Arch, post-and-lintel

constructionconstruction

Sumerian WheelSumerian WheelUsed first for pottery making and later for

transportation

Complex InstitutionsComplex Institutions• 11stst to develop governments w/officials & to develop governments w/officials &

lawslaws

- Theocracy – rule by gods or their - Theocracy – rule by gods or their priestspriests

- Priest-kings (“lugals”)- Priest-kings (“lugals”)• Tax systemTax system

Sumerian votive figures

Sumerian priest

• Sumerian religion = polytheisticSumerian religion = polytheistic– gods represented forces of naturegods represented forces of nature– gods acted like humans, but immortal & all-gods acted like humans, but immortal & all-

powerfulpowerful– Humans were merely servants to godsHumans were merely servants to gods

• Offerings at ziggurats (temples)Offerings at ziggurats (temples)• Demons (Demons (ugalluugallu))

Ziggurat (temple)

• The gods protected The gods protected Sumerians in lifeSumerians in life– No help in afterlifeNo help in afterlife

• Souls went to “land of no Souls went to “land of no return”return”

• The richest accounts of The richest accounts of Mesopotamian myths and Mesopotamian myths and legends appear in a long legends appear in a long poem known as the poem known as the ““Epic of Gilgamesh”Epic of Gilgamesh”

Sumerian Class StructureSumerian Class Structure

Kings, Priests, Wealthy Landowners

Wealthy Merchants

Artisans & Farmers

Slaves

• Become slave by…Become slave by…

- Captured as prisoner of war- Captured as prisoner of war

- Sold by parents to pay debts- Sold by parents to pay debts• Slaves could earn their freedomSlaves could earn their freedom• Sumerian women were somewhat equal to menSumerian women were somewhat equal to men

– could be artisans, could be artisans, merchants, farmers, merchants, farmers, lower priesthoodlower priesthood

Sumerian sculptures

Sumerian classroom

Sumerian ArtSumerian Art

Jewelry of a Sumerian attendant

Headdress of a Sumerian Queen

Sumerian dagger and Sumerian dagger and earrings earrings

Standard of Ur – from the royal Standard of Ur – from the royal tombstombs

The Banquet side

The War sideThe War side

Detail from the royal tombsDetail from the royal tombs

Sumerian Lyre from the royal Sumerian Lyre from the royal tombs of Urtombs of Ur

Game board from the royal tombs Game board from the royal tombs at Urat Ur

Sargon of AkkadSargon of Akkad• Sumerians conquered by Sumerians conquered by

Sargon of AkkadSargon of Akkad• Sargon created kingdom-Sargon created kingdom-

empire (Babylonian)empire (Babylonian)• Long series of invasions by Long series of invasions by

barbaric nomadsbarbaric nomads– Amorites, Hittites, Assyrians, Amorites, Hittites, Assyrians,

Chaldeans, PersiansChaldeans, Persians

• Culture was Culture was adoptedadopted & & adaptedadapted by invadersby invaders

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code• Babylonian Empire reached Babylonian Empire reached

its peak during the reign of its peak during the reign of HammurabiHammurabi

• Written collection of laws Written collection of laws known as Hammurabi’s known as Hammurabi’s CodeCode

• These laws regulated all These laws regulated all aspects of lifeaspects of life

Statue of Hammurabi

Principles of Hammurabi’s CodePrinciples of Hammurabi’s Code

1) Retaliation (eye for eye)1) Retaliation (eye for eye)

2) Applied to all (except different 2) Applied to all (except different punishments) punishments)

3) Gov’t responsible for maintaining order 3) Gov’t responsible for maintaining order (impartial referee)(impartial referee)

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code

• #3: If any one may bring an accusation of #3: If any one may bring an accusation of any crime before the elders, and does not any crime before the elders, and does not prove what he has charged, he shall, if it prove what he has charged, he shall, if it be a capital offense charged, be put to be a capital offense charged, be put to death.death.

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code

• #15: If any one take a male or female #15: If any one take a male or female slave of the court, or a male or female slave of the court, or a male or female slave of a freed man, outside the city slave of a freed man, outside the city gates, he shall be put to death. gates, he shall be put to death.

• #16: If any one receive into his house a #16: If any one receive into his house a runaway male or female slave of the court, runaway male or female slave of the court, or of a freedman, and does not bring it out or of a freedman, and does not bring it out at the public proclamation of the major at the public proclamation of the major domus, the master of the house shall be domus, the master of the house shall be put to death.put to death.

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code• #21: If any one break a hole into a house #21: If any one break a hole into a house

(break in to steal), he shall be put to (break in to steal), he shall be put to death before that hole and be buried.death before that hole and be buried.

• #22: If any one is committing a robbery #22: If any one is committing a robbery and is caught, then he shall be put to and is caught, then he shall be put to death. death.

• #23: If the robber is not caught, then #23: If the robber is not caught, then shall he who was robbed claim under shall he who was robbed claim under oath the amount of his loss; then shall oath the amount of his loss; then shall the community, and…on whose ground the community, and…on whose ground and territory and in whose domain it was and territory and in whose domain it was compensate him for the goods stolen.compensate him for the goods stolen.

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code

• #142: If a woman quarrel with her #142: If a woman quarrel with her husband, and say: “You are not husband, and say: “You are not congenial [kind; polite] to me,” the congenial [kind; polite] to me,” the reasons for her prejudice must be reasons for her prejudice must be presented. If she is guiltless, and there presented. If she is guiltless, and there is no fault on her part, but he leaves is no fault on her part, but he leaves and neglects her, then no guilt attaches and neglects her, then no guilt attaches to this woman, she shall take her dowry to this woman, she shall take her dowry and go back to her father’s house.and go back to her father’s house.

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code

• #143: If she is not innocent, but #143: If she is not innocent, but leaves her husband, and ruins her leaves her husband, and ruins her house, neglecting her husband, this house, neglecting her husband, this woman shall be cast into the water. woman shall be cast into the water.

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code

• #195. If a son strike his father, his #195. If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off.hands shall be hewn off.

• #196. If a man put out the eye of #196. If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put another man, his eye shall be put out. [An eye for an eye]out. [An eye for an eye]

• #197. If he break another man’s #197. If he break another man’s bone, his bone shall be broken. bone, his bone shall be broken.

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code

• #198. If he put out the eye of a freed #198. If he put out the eye of a freed man, or break the bone of a freed man, or break the bone of a freed man, he shall pay one gold mina.man, he shall pay one gold mina.

• #199. If he put out the eye of a #199. If he put out the eye of a man’s slave, or break the bone of a man’s slave, or break the bone of a man’s slave, he shall pay one-half of man’s slave, he shall pay one-half of its value.its value.

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code

• #230. If it kill the son of the owner, the #230. If it kill the son of the owner, the son of that builder shall be put to death.son of that builder shall be put to death.

• #231. If it kill a slave of the owner, then #231. If it kill a slave of the owner, then he shall pay slave for slave to the owner he shall pay slave for slave to the owner of the house.of the house.

• #282. If a slave say to his master: “You #282. If a slave say to his master: “You are not my master,” if they convict him are not my master,” if they convict him his master shall cut off his ear. his master shall cut off his ear.