The Sumerian The Sumerian CivilizationCivilization

Chapter 2 section 3Chapter 2 section 3

Review Section 2Review Section 2

What happened to you in the What happened to you in the afterlife?afterlife?

Who was the Afterlife for?Who was the Afterlife for? What was special about the Nile What was special about the Nile

flooding?flooding?

The land: its Geography and its The land: its Geography and its importanceimportance

In contrast with Egypt, South West Asia In contrast with Egypt, South West Asia was not geographically isolatedwas not geographically isolated

Invaders were able to cross the land freely Invaders were able to cross the land freely and take over the settled civilizationsand take over the settled civilizations

This land Known as the {This land Known as the {Fertile crescent Fertile crescent started at the Isthmus of Suez and arched started at the Isthmus of Suez and arched around to the Persian Gulfaround to the Persian Gulf} }

Around 5,000 BC Neolithic farmers began Around 5,000 BC Neolithic farmers began to build civilizations in the Fertile crescentto build civilizations in the Fertile crescent

The original societies were built around The original societies were built around cooperation needed to irrigate fieldscooperation needed to irrigate fields

The Geography continuedThe Geography continued The Fertile Crescent consisted of two The Fertile Crescent consisted of two

major rivers the Tigris and the Euphratesmajor rivers the Tigris and the Euphrates These two rivers started in the mountains These two rivers started in the mountains

of Turkey and flowed into the Persian Gulfof Turkey and flowed into the Persian Gulf This area between the two rivers has also This area between the two rivers has also

been known as Mesopotamia and the been known as Mesopotamia and the southern part known as Babyloniasouthern part known as Babylonia

Both rivers flood the valley often but Both rivers flood the valley often but {{unlike the Nile the rivers floods were unlike the Nile the rivers floods were unpredictableunpredictable}}

Thus the gods of these civilizations were Thus the gods of these civilizations were also seen as harsh and unpredictablealso seen as harsh and unpredictable

People of the Fertile CrescentPeople of the Fertile Crescent

Tribes of wondering herders lived off of the Tribes of wondering herders lived off of the plant life found in this river valleyplant life found in this river valley

They often would invade, conquer, and They often would invade, conquer, and establish empires.establish empires.

Over time these invaders would weaken Over time these invaders would weaken and new invaders would take overand new invaders would take over

This pattern would repeat itself as This pattern would repeat itself as nomadic tribes came in and conquerednomadic tribes came in and conquered

The Sumerians were the first civilization The Sumerians were the first civilization known to live in this areaknown to live in this area

SumeriansSumerians

SumerSumer Neolithic people settled in the fertile land Neolithic people settled in the fertile land

between the Tigris and Euphratesbetween the Tigris and Euphrates Not much is known about the origins of the Not much is known about the origins of the

Sumerians Sumerians They had mingled with another group of They had mingled with another group of

people that lived there around 3,000 BCpeople that lived there around 3,000 BC This new civilization used metal and had This new civilization used metal and had

developed a way of writing developed a way of writing This writing using pictures was the earliest This writing using pictures was the earliest

known form of writingknown form of writing

Sumerian writingSumerian writing

This Sumerian writing was different from This Sumerian writing was different from the Egyptian hieroglyphicsthe Egyptian hieroglyphics

Instead of symbols carved in stone or on Instead of symbols carved in stone or on paperpaper

{{Sumerian writers used a stylus to carve Sumerian writers used a stylus to carve wedge shapes into clay tablets that they wedge shapes into clay tablets that they let dry in the sunlet dry in the sun}}

{{This wedge shaped writing came to be This wedge shaped writing came to be known as cuneiformknown as cuneiform} and included 600 } and included 600 signssigns

Architecture and scienceArchitecture and science The Sumerians had developed several The Sumerians had developed several

important architectural designsimportant architectural designs The Arch or the curved shape over an The Arch or the curved shape over an

opening, this is one of the strongest forms opening, this is one of the strongest forms in buildingin building

{{The Sumerian temples were known as The Sumerian temples were known as Ziggurats which were made of baked Ziggurats which were made of baked bricksbricks}}

These Ziggurats were layered and shaped These Ziggurats were layered and shaped something like wedding cakessomething like wedding cakes

The top was a shrine for a Sumerian godThe top was a shrine for a Sumerian god

ZigguratZiggurat

ContinuedContinued The Sumerians might have been one of The Sumerians might have been one of

the first to use the wheelthe first to use the wheel {{They used a number system based on They used a number system based on

6060} using a circle and dividing it into 360 } using a circle and dividing it into 360 degrees and dividing by 6degrees and dividing by 6

This is where we got the system we use for This is where we got the system we use for watches and the compass used todaywatches and the compass used today

They also developed a calendar that was They also developed a calendar that was based on the moonbased on the moon

To be accurate they added a month every To be accurate they added a month every few yearsfew years

Government and SocietyGovernment and Society Priests were important in the Sumerian Priests were important in the Sumerian

society because they thought the land society because they thought the land belonged to the godsbelonged to the gods

{{The Sumerians created City-statesThe Sumerians created City-states} that } that competed for water and land war became competed for water and land war became more important and the rulers began to more important and the rulers began to rule as kingsrule as kings

Kings, high priests, and nobles were at the Kings, high priests, and nobles were at the top of society followed by lower priests top of society followed by lower priests merchants and scholarsmerchants and scholars

The lowest class were the farmers and The lowest class were the farmers and peasants that had been kidnapped from peasants that had been kidnapped from other regionsother regions

Sumerian KingsSumerian Kings

Farming and tradeFarming and trade Most of the Sumerian people farmed Most of the Sumerian people farmed They grew dates, grains, vegetables, and They grew dates, grains, vegetables, and

raised domesticated animalsraised domesticated animals The Sumerian farmers grew enough The Sumerian farmers grew enough

surplus to allow other people be artisans surplus to allow other people be artisans and tradersand traders

Before 3,000 BC they had begun to trade Before 3,000 BC they had begun to trade with other people in Southwest Asiawith other people in Southwest Asia

The traders would travel by land or boats The traders would travel by land or boats to far away places in order to sell to far away places in order to sell Sumerian goodsSumerian goods

Education and ReligionEducation and Religion Education was considered important in the Education was considered important in the

Sumerian cultureSumerian culture The right to education however was The right to education however was

reserved to the upper class boysreserved to the upper class boys Students learned to write and spell and Students learned to write and spell and

also learned drawing and arithmeticalso learned drawing and arithmetic They were Polytheistic and their gods were They were Polytheistic and their gods were

identified with the sun and moonidentified with the sun and moon The Sumerians buried food and tools with The Sumerians buried food and tools with

the dead {but did not believe in rewards the dead {but did not believe in rewards and punishment in the afterlife, they and punishment in the afterlife, they believed in a shadowy afterlife}believed in a shadowy afterlife}

Gilgamesh the Sumerian KingGilgamesh the Sumerian King

?’s?’s

What is the name of the symbol What is the name of the symbol based writing?based writing?

What was used to create this form of What was used to create this form of writing?writing?

What was different about the rivers What was different about the rivers in this area?in this area?

The EndThe End