Introduction to Ancient Near EastClass Syllabus

Historical Research

Location

Neolithic Near East

Historical Research(Keep in mind when studying)

• What is historical research

• Gathering facts v. understanding/explaining

• How do historians explain?

• Look for constants?

• Provide balance for the constants.

• Realize personal bias

• Recognize that even universally accepted facts can be wrong

Social Studies SkillsUsing Primary Sources

Define the following:

Primary Source-

A first-hand account of an event or an artifact created

during the period of history being studied.

Secondary Source-

A record of the past, based on information from primary

sources.

Prehistoric Times SourcesSecondary SourcesPrimary Sources

•Book about a time

period

•A reconstruction of an

event or artifact

•A second hand account

•Art

•Pottery

•Diary

•Cave drawings

•Bones

Timelines

BC Means- Time period that means “Before Christ” or a time period before the

year zero.

BCE Means- Time period that means “Before Common Era” or a time period

before the year zero.

AD Means- Time period that means “Anno Domini” or a time period after the

year

zero.

CE Means- Time period that means “Common Era” or a time period after the

year

zero.

HINTS:

BC/BCE years- BC and BCE address the same time period-before the year zero.

AD/CE years- AD and CE address the same time period-after the year zero.

Why Study the Near East

• Beginning of Civilization

• Understand Contemporary descendants

• Understand the Old Testament

Sources used for the Near East

• Absolute v Relative Chronology

• Archaeology

Artifacts

• Historical (written)

Subjective nature of concurrent sources

After the fact

Location of Near East• Also called the orient (east) during Middle Ages

• Asia Minor, Levant, Egypt, Arabia, Mesopotamia

• Borders:

Aegean/Mediterranean Seas

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Black Sea, Caucasus Mountains, Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan, Nile cataract, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf

Map

PrehistoryPaleolithic

Neolithic

Chalcolithic

Before Civilization• What is a civilization?

Administration centers Control of a specific territory Specialized jobs Status Monumental buildings Writing Trade and Technology and Art

• Where did they first arise? Asia (Tigris/Euphrates) Pakistan (Indus River) China (Yellow River) Egypt (Nile)

What terms do we use?

• Pre-History: before the written word

• Paleolithic (Old Stone Age): Ancient Man until 10,000 BC

• Neolithic (New Stone Age): Move to agriculture and a sedentary lifestyle 10,000- 3,000 BC

Cities develop during the Neolithic period

Civilization happens around 3,000 BC

Terms Con’t

• Bronze Age (Beginning of Civilization): 3,000-1,200 BC

• Collapse: 1,200-900 BC

• Iron Age: 900-500 BC

• Each of these dates are only for the Near East-they are much different in other parts of the world

Paleolithic• Old Stone Age

• Until about 10,000 BC

• Culture: Learned patterns of action and expression (clothing, art, religion, food, languages)

• History: passing down culture to next generations

• Foragers: gathering plants and hunting animals

• Moved with migrating animals

• Some medicine (plants), effective plant/animal based clothing, plant tools, music, art, dance, and religions (grave goods)

Cave drawings in Lascaux, France about 35,000 years ago.

Moving into the Neolithic Period:Agricultural Revolution• New Stone Age

• Sedentary Life Began c. 8,000 BC

Farming of plants and animals in Near East

• Why the change? Warmer weather

Made animals stay-put-they didn’t have to search for food or became trapped outside of new forest areas

Climate change altered types of wild plants

Allowed people to grow plants that were climate hardy

Food supply dependable

• Different parts of the world began at different times!

Neolithic Era

• Called the New Stone Age: 8300-6000 BC in Near East

• Increases in new tools, pottery, weaving, religious artefacts, art, agriculture

• Location in Near East: Related village cultures Northern Syria

Asia Minor

Hills north and east of Mesopotamia

• Two early cities (NOT civilization): Jericho:

Jordan River

Settled many different times; New evidence

Matches Biblical account using different dates

Catal Hϋyϋk: Turkey

Life in the Neolithic Period:• Health

Declined as populations lived closer due to disease (animal and human waste)

Hard work clearing and cultivating land

Less variety and nutrition in diet

Sand/rock created abscesses in teeth

Stature declined due to nutritional deficiencies

Short life-span

• Wealth Increased as trade and specialization increased

• Religion Ancestor worship (decapitated heads found in “shrines”)

Deities: earth mothers and sky gods

• Social Stratification Wealth increase social inequality

• Matriarchy v. Patriarchy Kinship relationships bound communities together