Sumer & Akkad: Notable Concepts (including Political, Social, and Economic Concepts and Systems such as Government, Class Hierarchy, etc.; Technologies, Systems, Religions, Languages, etc.)

Sumerian Classes (Fact 1)

Ancient Mesopotamian economic system that consisted of the "Priest-Kings" who held both religious and political authority and were at the top and then followed in importance (wealth) by the royal priests, then the nobles and their families, then the specialized laborers (farmers, fisherman, craftsmen, scribes, etc.), and then slaves at the bottom

Sumerian Government (Fact 1)

Ancient Mesopotamian political system in which the equivalent of taxes were gifts given for the gods by the people who went to the temples to offer them such as wheat, barley, pottery, textiles, statuettes, etc.

Sumerian Government (Fact 2)

Ancient Mesopotamian political system in which the gifts given to the gods by the people were redistributed by the religious and political organizations of the time, which were made up of priests and priestesses and whom conduced such affairs within the central temple complex of a particular city and whom led and conducted religious rituals there

Sumerian Government (Fact 3)

Ancient Mesopotamian political system initially led by priests (and then eventually by Priest-Kings) whose responsibility was to organize the general population, collect taxes, and distributing goods and services

Sumerian Government (Fact 4)

Ancient Mesopotamian political system initially led by priests (and then eventually by Priest-Kings) whose power was thought to have come from the fact that they were believed to have directly represented the Gods (or at least know them)

Sumerian Government (Fact 5)

Ancient Mesopotamian political system initially led by priests that eventually turned into Priest-Kings due to the need for leaders to provide physical security from one's foreign enemies, a threat of which eventually grew over time and was at last necessary and thus the leader need not just be religious (priest) but a good warrior or military strategist (king)

Sumerian Government (Fact 6)

Ancient Mesopotamian political system initially led by priests that eventually turned into Priest-Kings which initially was temporary in which the Priest-Kings only led during times of war, but eventually this position became permanent and then soon after that it became hereditary

Writing (Fact 1)

Technology invented in Sumer that came about as a result of a need to track and systematize all of the economic activity occurring in Sumer at the time, specifically the redistribution of goods given to the Gods by the people via the cities' priests and priestesses within the temple complexes

Proto-Cuneiform (Fact 1)

First known written language involving a whopping 700 signs or pictographs that were drawn into clay tablets that kept track of exchanges of grains, beer, etc. in Sumerian cities around 3300 BCE

Cuneiform (Fact 1)

Early written language developed in Sumer consisting of pictographs/signs of which is made by using a reed stylus to make wedged impressions onto wet clay which is then set in place after the clay is set out in the sun where it would dry and harden

Cuneiform (Fact 2)

Early written language developed in Sumer consisting of pictographs/signs that is based off its namesake predecessor except it is more codified in that the signs are faster to write and also easier to read

Cuneiform (Fact 3)

Early written language developed in Sumer consisting of pictographs/signs in which all words were just one syllable in length and thus there was a pictograph for every word

Cylinder Seals (Fact 1)

Device developed in Sumer in which pictographic designs would be carved into a cylinder of stone, clay, metal, bone, or ivory; which then rolls over another slab of wet clay in order to create a continuous impression

Cylinder Seals (Fact 2)

Device developed in Sumer used to seal containers of all sorts such as vases, jars, boxes, and baskets; as identification seals for owners, senders, or receivers of an item - especially belonging to those in positions of power such as priests

Sumerian Kings (Fact 1)

Etymology: "En" means "Lord", "Ensi" means "governor" (ruler of a city), "Lugal" means "big man" (bigger than a king/governor but smaller than an emperor)

Sumerian Kings (Fact 2)

Responsible for taking care of and consecrating the temples of their city, especially the temple of their city's patron deity

Sumerian Cities (Fact 1)

Characterized by having high walls to protect city dwellers from foreign invaders that protected everyone within them

Ziggurat (Fact 1)

Most important building within a Sumerian city - it is the place of worship and considered by the Sumerians to be the literal terrestrial home of the patron deity of the city to which a particular one belonged to; it was run by the priests and was the wealthiest institution