I. Emergence of CivilizationII. Control of Civilizations
IDs: Gilgamesh, Standard of Ur, Horus
ArgumentIn the riverine cultures of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the
Indus River and China, civilization was based upon unions of kingship and religion and social hierarchies, in which elite groups controlled surplus production, building programs & writing.
I. Emergence of Civilization
A. 7000-3500 BCE: Village agriculture & pastoral nomadism
B. Six “First” Civilizations, 3500-1400 BCE
C. Riverine Cultures (River Valley Civilizations)
• Mesopotamia: 3500 BCE (Tigris & Euphrates)
• Egypt: 3000 BCE (Nile)• Indus Valley: 3000 BCE
(Indus)• China: 2200 BCE (Yellow
& Yangzi)
Why there?
Old argument – rivers
New argument – dense population
D. Characteristics of Civilization1. Cities
City walls & gates
BabylonIshtar Gate
2. Occupational Specialization
Highly productive agriculture
ArtMonumental Buildings
3. Complex Religious & Political Structures
a. Temples and palaces
Mesopotamian ziggurat
b. Bureaucracies of Priests & Specialized Officials
2. Union of Religion & KingshipMesopotamian city gods
3. Divine legitimacy for king’s rule
GilgameshEnkiduEnlil
4. Building Programs
BabylonIshtar Gate
5. Writing
Cuneiform
Epic of Gilgamesh
Later: States
Sargon the Great of Akkad
(reigned 2334-2279 BCE)
B. Egypt
1. Union of Kingship & Religion
OsirisIsisHorusdead pharaoh =
Osirislive pharaoh =
Horus
2. Divine legitimacy
HorusKing as shepherd
3. Building Programs
4. WritingHieroglyphics & Demotic Script
Argument• In the riverine cultures of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the
Indus River and China, civilization was based upon unions of kingship and religion and social hierarchies, in which elite groups controlled surplus production, building programs & writing.