Pe Vaia Civilizations in Mesopotamia(GILGAMESH THE KING RETOLD AND ILLUSTRATED BY LUDMILA ZEMAN Sumer was one of the world’s firs! civilizations, The people of Sumer believed in many gods. They also believed that their kings were part god and part human. The following story is about Gilgamesh, a real king who ruled over the ancient Sumerian city-state of Uruk. Over years, many legends formed about Gilgamesh and all that he supposedly did. These legends were passed on as oral tradition for many centuries. The story me of the oldest in the world.cong ago in the land of Mesopotamia, a king by the name of Gilgamesh was sent by the Sun God to rule over the city of Uruk. Gilgamech was part god and part man, He looked human, but he did not know ‘what it was to be human. He had power and wealth but he was not happy. He had everything except friends. He was always alone. Because of this he grew bitter and cruel. (One day, he decided to show how strong and powerful he was and make the people remember him forever. So it was that Gilgamesh ordered a great wall to be built around the city, He ordered the men to leave their jobs and families to work on it. He made the ‘women bring food. Children were kept away s0 no one would stop to play with them. At first, the people helped willingly. Theis king must have good ‘reason for wanting the wall. Was an ‘enemy planning to attack the city? But as the wall got higher and higher, the people grew restless. How high did ithave to be? It went up higher than any wall in the world, but Gilgamesh pushed on day and night. Men fainted from work and hunger. Food grew scarce. ‘The people cried out for mercy, begging. Gilgamesh to stop but he would not listen. In despair, they prayed to the Sun God for help.# The Sun God heard their prayers and ordered the ereation of ancther 4) man as strong as Gilgamesh. His name was Enkidu. He was made from the clay of the earth. Since Gilgamesh had learned nothing from living with B people, Enkidu was sent to live with A the animals ofthe forest. As he got to know the animals, he learned to care for them. But he did not know human kindness for he had never seen ©) another person. ‘The first man Enkidu saw hedid not J like. Itwas a hunter chasing animals through the forest, trying to kill them. Way would anyone want to do that? Enkidu wondered. He rushed to help his friends, He threw the hunter from his chariot and rescued the wounded animals. The hunter ran back to Uruk to warn Gilgamesh about the new danger in the forest. He called Enkidu “the strongest man in the world.” Gilgamesh was furious."There is no one as strong as I am/"he said."Bring this creature to me so I can proveit. will destroy him in front of all the people of Uruk”Gilgamesh prepared to fight Enkidu to the death of one of them. Gilgamesh was certain that it would be Enkidu who met defeat. ‘However, all those who listen to or read the complete legend are in for a surprise. Here's» hint—history tells us that Gilgamesh did not die. Infact, he became a well-liked leader. How do you think the legend ends? How do you think both Gilgamesh and Enkidu change as the legend continues? Write an ending tothe legend. Then find out how the legend really ends, Compare your ending tothe legend'sfxtine lee , : ‘5000 B.C. 4000 Bc. ‘3500 B.c,, ete framgide Eien erininsortara Geouphovtsouber in Sunes Maropsona Masopamia PCy epee The Land eee ae Between Two pene ee Rivers oer) ee fou OURO (A) i 4000 8. witha herd of goats, you and Pe iparieineteedl ieee Serer the ear light of dawn you ee house inthe detance G51 ‘Smoke from cooking fires rises lazily in the warm air renee are of grain blow gently in the breeze. Men are checking rinse thelr tcols for the day’s work and children run here and, Yow: there, playing a game. ioe Thisis the village you and your family have been og seeking, When you reach the nearest house, your father Lid gives the hand signal for “peace” to the people of the ue village. Will your family be welcome to settle here? In Pe Bs feast razr or ‘81700 miles infer, the Eu iver isthe longest sv in southestem Asia ocause ofthe ‘agit. ory climate, he Eupres River inses ‘alage amount of wate tush rapa nd irgeton On at btiomed boat cn wave the shall waters ofthe Expats Re ‘as women prepare their morning meals. Nearby, fields niesTire and Fuphrates Valley chization Ei indus vay enitation > Leasie Seeone stony ry coro Eire vacation mt” , Seon these early farmers learned to Importance of Major | grow supiose oterope Todo ts, they River Systems had to develop new agricultural tech. niques. With food surpluses, some people The world’s major river systems formed could do activities besides farming. This valleys that held a special attraction for allowed people to create more-advanced many early people. The physical settings cultures, leading to early civilizations. of these river valleys supported permanent The enlist civilizations developed in settlements and, in time, eary civilizations, the valleys of four major river systems In these valleys, people found plenty of the Tigris and Euphrates (yoo FRAY=tecz) water fr drinking cooking, and bathing. Rivers in southwestern Asia, the Nile River Fishers speared hooked, and neted fish in northern AVtica, and the Indus River in from the rivers and farmers raised crops southern Asia. Later, one formed along the and give he esockonthewide fr Huang He (WAHNG HUM) of enter Aa fle plains. With so many resources, these D SsuMMARZE Brealey provided peopl with good | ow mie een ep peor _ ple to build permanent settlements setlemere?‘Ancent coasting ofeesian cult (GBB Analyze Maps An early map of Mesopotamia tet was carved ofthe same opin. © Regions What psa festaressuround the Fete Crescent? The Tigris and Euphrates (One of the world’s first civilizations formed in the valley between the Tigris and_| Euphrates Rivers. This civilization arose | Ina land that came tobe known as Sumer (600+me. ‘The land of Sumer lay in the southern part of a region calle the Fertile Crescent Ona map, the Fertile Crescent appears tobe shaped like a crescent moon. Fertile refers tothe rich sol found there. From the Taurus Mountains, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow southeast across the Fertile Crescent. Many tibutaies, or rivers that flow into larger river, join the Tigris. Eventually, the Tigris anc Euphrates Rivers join and flow into the Persian Gulf. | 96 © Unit2 Long ago, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers was known as Mesopotamia, meaning “the land between the rivers.” Northern Mesopotamia sat on the high, lat land of a plateau. Southern “Mesopotamia lay on the lov, flat land of an ‘atuvial plain, a plain formed from fine sol left behind by streams or rivers. In the spring, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers offen overflowed their banks. AS the floodwaters drained, they deposited soil and tiny rocks on the land to form a ‘new layer of sit. It was on this fertile soi in southern Mesopotamia that the people of Sumer built their civilization. Ssummanze land of southern MesopotamisThe Need for Irrigation ‘The annual flooding of the Tigris and. Euphrates Rivers ensiched the soil, but it ‘could not be counted on to water the farm- ‘es’ crops. When the unpredictable floods ‘came, floodwaters often rushed over the land, destroying crops and livestock as well as sweeping away villages. ‘While northem Mesopotamia received enough rainfall for farmers to grow crops, southern Mesopotarria did not. People in this hot, dry climate had to deal with frequent droughts. Daring these times, the heat of the sun baked the clay soil. Imagine how frustrated the people of southern Mesopotamia must have been, ‘They had plenty of river water near them. but no way to use it to farm the dried-out land. They were at the mercy of the hot sun and unpredictable floods and rainfall. In time, someone realized that itigation Would help solve this problem. So, people in southern Mesopotamia dig canals to carry water from the rivers 0 the land, They also stored water in amas of low land called basins to supply them with water in times of drought. To protect their lands from floods, they put up dies, or walls of dirt, along riverbanks. They also built dams to help control the flow of water. The development ofthese agricultural techniques changed the lives of the people in southern Mesopotamia It allowed ther. to take up farming as a way of life and provided them with ways to produce surpluses of cops. With more than enough food, these carly people developed new, more comple cultures EEO Ssummanze How id he prope tearm odes! wt rough and foods?Ubaid Culture | ‘PPPS 5000 0.c.-1000 v.c. ‘Southern Mesopotamia ‘The first known settlements §in southern Mesopotamia formed in about 5000 8. ‘This culture is known teday as the Ubaid (00*BY-ud) culture. For the most part, the people of the Ubaid culture lived simply, > Ub raising just enough crogs to survive. They used stone hoes to work their fields and lay sickles to harvest their wheat and barley crops. The Ubaid people lived close to their fields in huts made of reeds and mud. They worshipped their gods in small, ‘one-room temples. By about 4500 B.C, this ancient culture had spread across much of the Fertile Crescent. (Over time, the way of life of the Ubaid people began to change The people built Marsh Arabs Today the Maden, or Marsh Arabs, ive ‘near tho lakes and marshes of southern rag, The Marsh Arabs have something In common with the Ubaid people. They depend on many of the sare natural eSources that tne ancient people once ci ‘The wetlands on which the Marsh Arabs. lve have shaped their way of fe. The Marsh Arabs fish, herd water buffalo, and collect reeds for making mats. These mats are used to make canoes, roofs fr their smud-brick houses, and plas to suppor their homes, The Marsh Arabs dry fish for {ood snd for export to other areas where fish are less plentiful, They also depend on ‘waar buffalo for meat and mik production 2s part of ther velinood. SE peter, ‘more-advanced irrigation systems and produced surpluses of crops, “The simple life gave way to one that required rules and organiza~ tion. Leaders were needed, and ‘one person in each commu- nity served as village chief. The Ubaid people began living in larger homes and. building larger temples to honor their many gods. “Atabout this time, the Ubaid people began creating painted pottery. Boats carried the pottery and other trade ‘goods to villages throughout the region. In about 4000 B.C, a new more-advanced culture developed from the Ubaid culture. Stil, the Ubaid culture formed the foun- dation for the civilization that eventually developed in southern Mesopotamia. How did life change forthe people of the culture?From City to Civilization ‘After the Ubaid culture, the people known as the Sumerians developed many ‘new ideas in southern Mesopotamia. These {deas led to complex cultures in the region. By 40(0 a, farming villages had spread in southern Mesopotamia, Using agricultural techniques to produce food ‘surpluses, some villages emerged as the first cities. The cities of Eridu, Uruk, Kish, and Ur tad developed by 3500 B.C. Soon, the Sumerians formed one of Ue world’s first civilzations in Sumer. om ‘What was necessary forthe development ofthe first cities? Lice some other major river systems, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers gave rise to 1 early civilization. Between these rivers In southern Mesopotamia, the Sumerians developed new ideas for more complex cul- tures there, This lod to one of the werla’s first civilizations in Sumer aa v of early civilizations? 2. Use the torms alluvial pan and sit totoll how agriculture developed in Mesopotam ‘3. What role did the Ubaid people play in the development of Mesopotamiar civilization? ‘CRITICAL THINKING 4. © bo you think that» civilization would have developed in the Tigris and Euphrates Valle if irigation had not been developed there? Explain. '5. From what you have read, how do you think vilagers probably reacted when their villages were washed away? Using maps and reference books, locate and describe the four major river systems discussed inthis lesson. For each river, write down its souree ts length, the body of wator it cempiies into, and the present-day countries it flows through. Ze On a seperate sheet of paper, copy aind ‘complete the graphic organizer below.Map and Globe Skills Read a Land Use and Products Map D> WHY IT MATTERS Like the early Mesopotamians, the people who live in southwestern Asia today depend on their land and natural resources to survive. How do they use the land? What kinds of natural resources does the region have? What kinds of products do southwestem Asians make with those Source! of thearewersyoumigh tase a map that shows how land is used and where produets are made ‘D WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ‘The map on the next page is a land use and products map of present-day south- ‘western Asia, This is the same area that > Aman hrs his ack of sheep in nthe kag ‘was once home to some of the world’s cearliest towns and cities. Colors on the map show land tse, or ‘what is dore with most of the land in a particular place or region. Study the map key to learn which color stands for each kind of land use. ‘The picture symbols on the map show ‘some of the products made in southwest- ‘em Asia today. Study the map key to lear. which aymbol stands far each product. ‘The map cennot show exactly how all land in southwestern Asia is used or every prod- ‘uct made there. Instead, the map shows the main uses of the land and the major produets ofthe region.D PRACTICE THE SKILL (HRY Look at the map and the map key to answer these questions. © What are two crops that farmers grow in southwestern Asia? © What kinds of products are manusac- tured in southwestern Asia? © Where is most of the litle-used land in southwestern Asia? Why do you think itis tle used? © Where is most of the petroleum found in southwestern Asia? © Which land uses and products shown in the map key might be the same on a land use and products map of early ‘Mesopotamia? Ciena INDIAN OCEAN Farming and graing (Ea Forests i Uitte used and ‘Chemis Cotton Coal Dates lecrones Food processing Grapes Metaiworks Natural gas le 0 mS >-0G0e88 De i dé D APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED (GiB Do research at the library or on the Intemet to find a land use and products, ‘map for the United States. Compare the resources found in southwestern Asia to the ones found in the United States. How do you think life is different in these two parts ofthe world, based on the resources ‘and land uses in each? UY ETRE 8 Co) eas CLS et @ meee Chapter 3» 101Lesson @ ae Independent Sumerian City-States eS ‘The year is 1933, and you're hard at work on an archaeological dig in Iraq. Uncovering the the ancient Sumerian city of Ur is exciting ». work. So far, you and your team have found what seem . to be royal tombs. You have identified beautiful head- Pent dresses of gold and jewels, golden cups, and even bones Poo of people w lived there. You wonder what the | people's lives were like, what they thought about, how | they dressed, and what they ate. You know that the art facts you are finding may help answer these questions. This phot, ake in 195, shows the excevaton ofthe ety of Ut(BB Anlyce Maps Sumerian city-states were tocated within the lergerrgion of ‘Mesopotamia, Mesopotamia sparta the Fri Crescent. ‘© What pysial features made Sumer» good place to sete? The Emergence of Cities In southern Mesopotamia, Sumerian ‘ities such as Us, Kish, Uruk, and Eridu Proved to be very successful. Economic ‘surpluses allowed these and other cities ‘to emerge as centers of culture and power. By 3000 B.C, about 12 cities in Sumer had developed into the world's frst city-states. In ancient times, a eity-state included a walled city and the land around it, such as farmland, Each also had its own government: Inside clearly marked bor- ders, most early city-states covered several square miles and had populations of about 5,000 people. Over time, some city-states grew to more than 1,500 square miles, with Populations of as many as 60,000 people. Although each Sumerian city-state was independent, the people shared a common culture. They followed similar religious practices, spoke the Sumerian language, and developed a writing system. They also created buildings, art, and crafts that were lunique to Sumerian society. ‘The Sumerians and earlier people ofthe region made achievements in technology as well. Many advances, such as irrigation, helped them produce economic surpluses. All this ied tothe development of an ‘early civilization in Sumer. Overtime, this civilization would spread throughout “Mesopotamia. EDULE Ssummanize ‘What were to man fetures of Sumerian ely sit? Chapter 3 » 103Government and Religion ‘The first political, or government, struc- ‘tre of each city-state was made up of a ‘small group of leaders and a chief leader ‘chosen by the group. Together, they made laws, decided what work had to be done, and dealt with disputes over land or water rights. While some disputes were settled peacefully, others led to war. When faced with war, the different lead- ‘ers who ruled a city-state could not always agree about what to do. It became clear that a single leader was needed. This led the Sumerians to form the world’s first ‘monarchy, or governing system ruled by ‘a king ora queen. In Sumerian city-states, the rulers were always kings. ‘When a king died, his son became the new king. This change made Sumerian morarchles more stable than previous kinds cf government. From a walled palac, the king gov- cemed firmly. He had complete authority, or power, over religion, the economy, and everyday life. The king appointed officials to carry out his orders, often concerning economic surpluses and building projects. Below the king priests were the most important people in society. Sumerians practice polytheism, the belief in many gods, They believed that each natural event. had its own god and that one god pro tected each diferent city-state. A temple was builtin the center ofthe city-state to ‘worship that god. At temples, the priests held ceremonies to please the gods, espe- cially those connected to agriculture. This religious structure was central to life. ‘What naw governing sytem came tobe used in Sumer?A Commercial Society ‘The cities of Sumer buzzed with activity. ‘Their economic structures were based on economic surpluses. The ability to create ‘surpluses led to new kinds of jobs, to the production of new goods, and to trade. Surpluses of crops enabled some Sumer- ians to perform work other than farming, In each city, some people became craft- workers, metalworkers, and builders. Finding raw materials for these workers was not always easy—neither metals nor trees could be found in Sumer. To get raw ‘materials, the city-states exported agricul- tural surpluses such as grains and dates. In exchange, Sumerians impor‘ed metals, ‘wood, and other resources. ‘Sumerians depended on long-distance trade. Groups of traders traveled together ‘on long journeys. These earavans carried ‘trade goods by donkeys throughout the Fertile Crescent and beyond. Later, traders ‘used sailboats to carry goods on waterways to distant places. By 2300 B.C,, Sumerian trade extended from Fgyptand the east- em Mediteranean to paps asf the Indus Valley in whats now Pakistan ‘The Sumerians neededa way to keep track of what they traded They began to use clay tokens to record iade. Later they recorded such information on cay tablets. EEGIEIED cause ano errecr ‘Why were the Sumerians ableto perform work Caravan Caravans traveled between sotoments to supply m with needed goods. © Coravans tat one place ‘otrave tothe next.Discoveries at Ur PPEIID 5000.8. to 2008.0. Ur Long ago, the city of Urlay close to the Euphrates River, but the river has changed its course many times through the years. ‘Today, the land where the ity once stood is now 12 miles from the Euphrates, and its once fertile fields are partof a desert. Even s0, the ruins of Ur offer clues to life in the area from about 5000 B.C. to 2000 B.C, Beginning in the 1920s, British archae- ‘ologist named Leonard Woolley led an ‘excavation at Ur. He and his team uncov- ered many different layers in the ruins. Each layer held artifacts from a different period of Ur's history. In the deepest layer, archaeologists found the remains of an Ubaid village. Above that 106 © Unit 2 ‘When Leonard Wooley and ‘may frentlayrs. Each layer provided a gimpos ito the lies of iferont people who lived at diferent tines atthe location. ‘Ub community Eight fete mad © Wat canbe learned from staying each ayer? um dug up te ruins of Us thoy found ‘Tae Royal Tombs of Ur Pain of med ik buildings layer was 8 feet of mud, evidence that a flood destroyed Ur soon after it was built. After the flood, the Sumerians rebuilt Ur. In the ruins of the rebuilt city, Woolley and his team found the Royal Cemetery of Ur, ‘which held tombs from the 2500s B.C. ‘The tombs at Ur reveal a highly devel- coped society. Artifacts from the tombs showed the skill of Sumerian craftwork- cers and the existence of long-distance trade. Tombs of royalty and high priests contained valuable items made of pre- cious metals and stones. Tombs of other Sumerians often held such items as jewelry and weapons. Discoveries at Ur included a large temple that was dedicated to the Sumerian moon god, Nanna, The temple's architecture, or building style, followed that of temple ruins found at the sites of other city-states.oe I fi rey nN Team Sire) ‘The rest ofthe city consisted of small mud- brick houses built along narrow alleys ‘The highest layer of ruins dates from about 2000 F.C. At that time, the Euphrates changed course and Ur was abandoned, 0 tonbs at Ur reveal about the city’s the world’s frst city-statas liko? 2. Write a senton:e that includes the terms ‘itystate and monarchy. ‘3. When and why was Ur abandoned? ‘4. What tools did the Sumerians use to keep tack of trade, and how do you think they used them? (CRITICAL TaMKING ‘5. EB What clues do you think led archaeologists to conclude thet a terrible flood had destroyed Ur? 6. How might archaeologists have krown which tombs at Ur were thase of royalty Or priests and which tombs were nol? Sener ty Seen Some Sumerian cities grew into city: states, which led to an early civilization in Mesopotamia, The Sumerians had an advanced government, economy, and society. The discoveries at Ur show much about how the Sumerians lived. 7% Using th \ information about Ur in this lesson, write an essay that explains the importance of religion in Sumerian city-states. Tell how archaeological discoveries at Ur support ‘your explanation, On a separate sheet of paper, copy and complete the graphic organizer below. 107