WRITING AND CITY LIFE

Mesopotamian Civilisation:
Introduction, Sources, Geography
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION: METAL AGES
INTRODUCTION: BRONZE AGE CIVILISATION

Technological

Emergence of Changes - Human

Urban Life relationships

Developments

Political Economic
Urban Revolution
INTRODUCTION: SOURCES

Buildings

Written
Statues
documents

Sources
Seals Ornaments

Tools Graves
INTRODUCTION: MESOPOTAMIA
MESOPOTAMIA: MESOS + POTAMOS
URBAN LIFE

LITERATURE

MATHEMATICS

ASTRONOMY
MESOPOTAMIA: GEOGRAPHY
North:
1. A stretch of
upland called a
steppe
2. Animal herding
offers people a better
livelihood than
agriculture (after the
winter rains, sheep
and goats feed on
the grasses and low
shrubs)
MESOPOTAMIA: GEOGRAPHY
North-east:
1. Green,
undulating plains
2. Tree-covered
mountain ranges
with clear streams
and wild flowers
3. Enough rainfall
to grow crops.
Agriculture (7000 -
6000 BCE)
MESOPOTAMIA: GEOGRAPHY
 East: Tributaries of the Tigris - routes of communication
(mountains of Iran)
MESOPOTAMIA: GEOGRAPHY
South:
1. Desert – first cities
(Urbanism) and writing
2. Desert - support cities
because the rivers Euphrates
and Tigris (carry loads of silt:
fine mud)
Cities - Ur, Uruk, Baylon
MESOPOTAMIA: GEOGRAPHY
Availability:
1. Sheep and Goat: meat,
milk, wool
2. Rivers: fish
3. Summer: date-palms

RURAL PROSPERITY
MESOPOTAMIA: GEOGRAPHY
Southern Land: Sumer and
Akkad
After 2000 BCE
Southern Land: Babylonia
1100 BCE
Northern Land: Assyrian
MESOPOTAMIA: LANGUAGES

Language

Sumerian Akkadian Aramaic Hebrew

First 2400 BCE 1400 BCE 1000 BCE

Greek Rule: 336 – 323 BCE
(Regional Variations)
HUMAN CIVILISATION
Early Settlers: Small Villages/ Towns (Learnt
Irrigation)

Growth of towns (in size):1. Increase in

population, 2. Demand for goods & Services

Large Cities

Trade centres (Human civilisation)

SECRET OF URBANISATION
Bronze Tool
Villages Food Grains
maker
• Food • Other • Transported
resources supplies: from Farming
(basic Needs) Metals, stones Village –
• Other Needs for carving, Highly
(Products) fuel populated
cities
• Regular food
Supplies:
1. Proper
storage,
2. Distribution
Channels
SECRET OF URBANISATION

No. of Organised Division of

Activities

Activities

Social structure
Transaction Trade Labour
(Supervision, (Supervision, (Core of
record) record) Urbanisation)
HOW URBANISATION DEVELOPED IN MESOPOTAMIA?????????????

Middle east, two rivers: Fertile Land (Rich Agr. resources,

Abundant water)

Economic Transaction: Barter system (Mesopotamia: Agr.

Products –Ancient Western Asia: tools, seals, jewels, wood,
copper, tin, silver, gold, shell, coloured stone) Systematic
Business Organisation

Efficient Transportation: Backbone of Mesopotamian Trade -

Waterways: Cheapest mode, Canals and Channels of Euphrates
(World Routes)

Religious Temples: Centres of trade (Process and

distribution: Produce), development of cities
Earliest Temples: Clay
Bricks Large
Temples: Moon God, Goddess of Love and War (Inanna)
Offerings: Grain, Fish
Temples: Prime Institution
 CONDITION IN MESOPOTAMIA

Agriculture: Did not yeild

Natural Calamity: Floods
favourable results

Human Mistakes: Conflicts Constant wars: victorious

(Land, Share of water for Chief (distributed looted
irrigation) – Disrupted wealth – followers), (War
daily lives victims- Servants)

Powerful People (High

status, Command over the
community): spent wealth
– temples (Beautification,
Offerings), hardly spent on
community wellbeing