Chapter 2

Chapter 2Chapter 2

MESOPOTAMIAMESOPOTAMIA

1. Geography1. Geography

1. Geography1. Geography

EtymologyEtymology::

mesos (Gk: middle) potamos (Gk: river)mesos (Gk: middle) potamos (Gk: river)

Meso-potamiaMeso-potamia: “land between rivers”: “land between rivers”

The area between the rivers Euphrates and The area between the rivers Euphrates and TigrisTigris..

Approximately modern IraqApproximately modern Iraq

2. Historical Overview2. Historical Overview

- A succession of different peoples occupying A succession of different peoples occupying the same territory and assimilating the same territory and assimilating elements of the previous culture.elements of the previous culture.

3000- 2350 BCE Sumerian (Gilgamesh)3000- 2350 BCE Sumerian (Gilgamesh)

2350-2000 BCE2350-2000 BCE AkkadianAkkadian (Sargon)(Sargon)

2000-1600 BCE2000-1600 BCE Neo-Sumerian (Gudea)Neo-Sumerian (Gudea)Babylonian (Hammurabi)Babylonian (Hammurabi)

2. Historical Overview2. Historical Overview

1600- 850 BCE1600- 850 BCE HittitesHittitesElamitesElamites

850- 612 BCE850- 612 BCE Assyrian Assyrian (Ashurnasirpal II)(Ashurnasirpal II)

612-538 BCE612-538 BCE Neo-Babylonian Neo-Babylonian (Nebuchadnezzar)(Nebuchadnezzar)

538-327 BCE Persian 538-327 BCE Persian (Cyrus, (Cyrus, Darius)Darius)

3. Sumerian Civilization3. Sumerian Civilization

Their economy was Their economy was based on agriculture.based on agriculture.

They introduced They introduced technological technological innovations:innovations:

PlowPlow Channels of Channels of

irrigationirrigation WheelWheel Sailing boats (trade Sailing boats (trade

through the river)through the river)

3. Sumerian Civilization3. Sumerian Civilization With the successful development of With the successful development of

agriculture only a portion of the population agriculture only a portion of the population had to engage in food production.had to engage in food production.

This made possible the specialization of This made possible the specialization of labor: while some farmed the land, others labor: while some farmed the land, others took care of manufacturing, trade and took care of manufacturing, trade and administration.administration.

Excess crops were used for trade or as goods Excess crops were used for trade or as goods for recreational/ ritual consumption (i.e. beer) for recreational/ ritual consumption (i.e. beer)

3. Sumerian Civilization3. Sumerian Civilization

Their agricultural success allowed the Sumerians Their agricultural success allowed the Sumerians to grow and establish the first great urban to grow and establish the first great urban centers: centers:

Uruk, Lagash and Ur (10,000-50,000 Uruk, Lagash and Ur (10,000-50,000 inhabitants) inhabitants)

3. Sumerian Civilization3. Sumerian Civilization

Standard of Ur (2600 BCE)Standard of Ur (2600 BCE)

3. Sumerian Civilization3. Sumerian Civilization

3. Sumerian civilization3. Sumerian civilization

Politics:Politics:– Monarchy with extreme divisions between Monarchy with extreme divisions between

social classessocial classes RulerRuler Aristocracy (rich landowners, wealthy Aristocracy (rich landowners, wealthy

merchants, priests, military chiefs)merchants, priests, military chiefs) Small business people, traders, artisans…Small business people, traders, artisans… Small landowners and tenant farmers.Small landowners and tenant farmers. Slaves (captured in war or prisoners)Slaves (captured in war or prisoners)

4. Religion4. Religion Gods personified the forces Gods personified the forces

of nature which threatened of nature which threatened human existence.human existence.

Anu: heaven godAnu: heaven god Enlil: air godEnlil: air god Ea/Enki: water godEa/Enki: water god Ninhursag/ Belitini: mother Ninhursag/ Belitini: mother

goddessgoddess Sin: Moon godSin: Moon god Shamash: Sun godShamash: Sun god Innana/Isthar: planet Venus, love Innana/Isthar: planet Venus, love

and war goddessand war goddess Marduck: Patron of BabylonMarduck: Patron of Babylon

Kudurru (boundary post) of Melishihu, Kudurru (boundary post) of Melishihu, BabylonBabylon 1202-1188 BCE 1202-1188 BCE

4. Religion4. Religion

Mesopotamian religion Mesopotamian religion was:was:

- Polytheistic (many gods)Polytheistic (many gods)- Anthropomorphic (gods Anthropomorphic (gods

have human traits)have human traits)- Humans are seen as Humans are seen as

imperfect and obligated to imperfect and obligated to some higher being. some higher being.

4. Religion. 4. Religion.

To placate these To placate these powers religion powers religion becomes a system of becomes a system of transaction between transaction between humans and gods.humans and gods.

As propitiatory devices As propitiatory devices Sumerians used Sumerians used prayer, sacrifice, and prayer, sacrifice, and ritualritual..

5. Architecture5. Architecture

Ziggurat at Ur (2100 BCE)Ziggurat at Ur (2100 BCE)

5. Architecture5. Architecture

Function and visual meaningFunction and visual meaning

5. Architecture5. Architecture

Used clay bricks as the primary material for their Used clay bricks as the primary material for their buildings.buildings.

They used post-and-lintel constructions for They used post-and-lintel constructions for entrancewaysentranceways

Overseeing the city there was a Overseeing the city there was a zigguratziggurat (platform topped by a temple)(platform topped by a temple)

5. Architecture5. Architecture

KhorsabadKhorsabad, the fortified city and palace of Sargon II (721-705 BCE), the fortified city and palace of Sargon II (721-705 BCE)

Mesopotamian cities where surrounded by a wall.Mesopotamian cities where surrounded by a wall.

6. Writing6. Writing Sumerians were the Sumerians were the

first people to create a first people to create a system of symbols system of symbols representing a human representing a human language: they language: they invented writing.invented writing.

Their writing system is Their writing system is called called cuneiform.cuneiform.

It consisted of It consisted of incisions made with a incisions made with a wedge-shaped reed on wedge-shaped reed on clay tablets.clay tablets.

6. Writing6. Writing

The first writing The first writing system was system was pictographicpictographic..

Later it became Later it became ideographicideographic..

Finally Sumerians Finally Sumerians used used phonogramsphonograms and created a syllabic and created a syllabic writing system.writing system.

= = eyeeye = = Look! Look!

== I I

6. Writing6. Writing

Archives and extensive librariesArchives and extensive libraries

7. Literature7. Literature

Epic of Gilgamesh Epic of Gilgamesh

An epic is a long narrative poem that An epic is a long narrative poem that recounts the deeds of a hero in quest of recounts the deeds of a hero in quest of meaning and identity.meaning and identity.

Gilgamesh probably ruled over the Sumerian Gilgamesh probably ruled over the Sumerian city of Uruk around 2700 BCE.city of Uruk around 2700 BCE.

Originally a Sumerian tale, preserved in Originally a Sumerian tale, preserved in Akkadian.Akkadian.

8. Sculpture and crafts8. Sculpture and crafts

Lyre and goat from the Royal Lyre and goat from the Royal Cemetery of Ur (2600 BCE)Cemetery of Ur (2600 BCE)

8. Recapitulation8. Recapitulation

3,000- 2,350 BCE 3,000- 2,350 BCE Sumerian (Gilgamesh)Sumerian (Gilgamesh)

2,350-2,000 BCE2,350-2,000 BCE AkkadianAkkadian (Sargon)(Sargon)

2,000-1600 BCE2,000-1600 BCE Babylonian Babylonian (Hammurabi)(Hammurabi)

1600- 850 BCE1600- 850 BCE HititesHitites

ElamitesElamites

9. 9. Akkadian Civilization Akkadian Civilization (2,350-2,000 (2,350-2,000 BCE)BCE)

Sargon I (2332-2249 BCE)Sargon I (2332-2249 BCE) Adopted Sumerian cultureAdopted Sumerian culture

Head of an Akkadian RulerHead of an Akkadian Ruler, , from Nineveh (Kuyunjik) from Nineveh (Kuyunjik) Iraq. c. 2300-2200 B.C Iraq. c. 2300-2200 B.C Bronze, height 12” (3.7 Bronze, height 12” (3.7 cm). Iraq Museum, cm). Iraq Museum, Baghdad. Lost wax Baghdad. Lost wax technique.technique.

10. Babylonian Civilization 10. Babylonian Civilization ((2,000-1600 BCE)2,000-1600 BCE) Code of Hammurabi Code of Hammurabi

(Babylon, 1700 BCE)(Babylon, 1700 BCE) First code of lawFirst code of law Includes criminal and civil Includes criminal and civil

law (protection of law (protection of property).property).

To some extent it To some extent it interprets justice as interprets justice as retaliation (punishment = retaliation (punishment = crime).crime).

Law resides in the written Law resides in the written code rather than on the code rather than on the king’s wishes.king’s wishes.

11. Recapitulation11. Recapitulation

850- 612 BCE850- 612 BCE Assyrian Assyrian (Ashurnasirpal II)(Ashurnasirpal II)

612-538 BCE612-538 BCE Neo-Babylonian Neo-Babylonian (Nebuchadnezzar)(Nebuchadnezzar)

MedeanMedean

538-327 BCE Persian 538-327 BCE Persian (Cyrus, (Cyrus, Darius)Darius)

12. Assyrian Civilization 850- 612 12. Assyrian Civilization 850- 612 BCEBCE

- Use or iron for Use or iron for weaponry.weaponry.

- Extensive empire Extensive empire (all the Middle East (all the Middle East including Egypt).including Egypt).

Lamassu or winged lionLamassu or winged lion

Palace of Ashurnasirpal II, Nimrud (883-Palace of Ashurnasirpal II, Nimrud (883-859 BCE)859 BCE)

12. Assyrian civilization 850- 612 12. Assyrian civilization 850- 612 BCEBCE

Ashurnasirpal II, Nimrud (883-859 BCE)Ashurnasirpal II, Nimrud (883-859 BCE)

12. Assyrian civilization 850- 612 12. Assyrian civilization 850- 612 BCEBCE

13. Hebrews13. Hebrews Originated in Mesopotamia Originated in Mesopotamia

(garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, (garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, Abraham of Ur).Abraham of Ur).

Moved to Canaan, then Egypt, Moved to Canaan, then Egypt, settled in the Sinai/ Dead Sea settled in the Sinai/ Dead Sea region.region.

Later founded Jerusalem Later founded Jerusalem (Solomon- 961-933 BCE).(Solomon- 961-933 BCE).

Split kingdom: Samaria/ Split kingdom: Samaria/ JerusalemJerusalem

587 BCE -Jerusalem captured 587 BCE -Jerusalem captured by Nebuchadnezzar by Nebuchadnezzar (deportation to Babylon)(deportation to Babylon)

520 BCE. Return to Jerusalem 520 BCE. Return to Jerusalem and reconstruction.and reconstruction.

13. Hebrews13. Hebrews

CovenantCovenant Ten Ten

CommandmentsCommandments Ethical Ethical

monotheismmonotheism

12. Neo-Babylonian 612-538 BCE 12. Neo-Babylonian 612-538 BCE

Babylon of Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar, 604-Nebuchadnezzar, 604-562 BCE562 BCE

Ishtar Gate and the throne room, from Babylon, Iraq. C. 575 B.C. Glazed brick, height Ishtar Gate and the throne room, from Babylon, Iraq. C. 575 B.C. Glazed brick, height of gate originally 40’ (12.2 m) with towers rising 100’ (30.5 m., Staatliche Museen zu of gate originally 40’ (12.2 m) with towers rising 100’ (30.5 m., Staatliche Museen zu

Berlin).Berlin).

12. Neo-Babylonian 612-538 12. Neo-Babylonian 612-538 BCEBCE

13. Persian Empire 13. Persian Empire 538-327 538-327 BCE BCE

PersepolisPersepolis

13. Persian Empire 13. Persian Empire 538-327 538-327 BCEBCE

Winged lions and column capital Persepolis.Winged lions and column capital Persepolis.