HIST 1011: Module 1 Quiz: Ancient Near East

Homo sapiens sapiens

"wise, wise humans," a species that appeared in Africa between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago; they were the first anatomically modern humans

Paleolithic

Old Stone Age, 750,000 BCE-10,000 BCE. Features of Paleolithic culture: hunter-gatherers, stone tools, no permanent settlements. Societies were less patriarchal/hierarchical.

Neolithic

New Stone Age, 10,000 BCE-8,000 BCE. Separated from Paleolithic period by introduction of the Farming Package (development of agriculture). Farming Package effects: domestication of plants/livestock, decreased nomadic tendencies/permanent settlements, creation of buildings to store grain, specialization of labor/social hierarchy.

Catalhȍyȕk

Early Neolithic town, fully settled (non-nomadic). Grew wheat and barley, bred cattle. Had gods, wall paintings, clothing, and makeup. Houses were underground, residents used ladders to get inside.

Cuneiform

A form of writing developed by the Sumerians using a wedge shaped stylus and clay tablets. Originally used to keep track of purchases/receipts.

Uruk

The largest city of ancient Mesopotamia, one of the most powerful city-states in Sumer by 2500 BCE. Gilgamesh's realm in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Epic of Gilgamesh

An epic poem from Mesopotamia, and among the earliest known works of literary writing. C. 2000 BCE. Context: Sumerian city-states fighting for control of the floodplain, competition yields innovation (the plow, irrigation, the wheel) Purpose: To instruct the Mesopotamian rulers on how to be a good ruler. Bias/perspective: Author is probably from Uruk, considers the city to be great/attraction to life in the city. Significance: There's always been bad rulers, society is always trying to find a way to come together

Ziggurat

An ancient Mesopotamian temple tower consisting of a lofty pyramidal structure built in successive stages with outside staircases and a shrine at the top. Had commercial, communitarian, and spiritual functions: merchants could store grain in ziggurats. Famous ziggurat: Ur's Temple of the Moon

Babylonian Empire

Empire in Mesopotamia formed by Hammurabi (1700s BCE).

Babylonian Captivity

50-year period in which the Israelites were exiled from Judah and held in Babylon. After the fall of Babylon to the Persian king Cyrus the Great in 539 BCE, exiled Judeans were permitted to return to Judah. Written form of the Torah was completed during this time.

Torah

First five books of the Hebrew Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Attributed to Moses. Committed to writing during the Babylonian Captivity.

Hyksos

a group of Semitic nomadic invaders from southwest Asia who ruled Egypt from 1640 to 1570 B.C. Hebrews may have migrated to Egypt during Hyksos rule.

Phoenicians

A maritime people who spread their alphabet to others including the Hebrews, Romans, and Greeks.

Minoans

A Mediterranean society formed on the island of Crete. Crete was the central hub of the International Bronze Age trade network, Minoans were "masters of the sea" 2000 BCE-1500 BCE. Major influence on Aegean islands. Knossos palace complex: had storerooms to keep trade goods

Old Kingdom

~2700 BCE-2200 BCE. United upper and lower Egypt. Pyramids at Giza built. Nile began flooding irregularly around 2200 BCE, commoners realized Pharaoh put more effort into Ma'at rituals than running the country; ended when civil war broke out.

Ma'at

Goddess of harmony/justice/peaceful societal relationships. Pharaoh's job was to keep Ma'at happy through rituals.

Isis

Egyptian goddess of fertility, wife of Orisis.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu

A king and a noble savage. Foils of each other.

Hebrew covenants with God

Noah: God promises to never destroy the earth with a flood again and creates the rainbow as a symbol of goodwill. Noah and his family are required to procreate. Abram/Abraham: God promises that Abraham's descendants will be as numerous as the stars, will inherit the land of Canaan, and will become a mighty nation. In return, Abraham and his descendants are supposed to walk with God and be circumcised. Moses: Renewed Abraham's covenant/handed down the Ten Commandments

Ten Commandments

A set of laws for responsible behavior, which, according to the Bible, were given to Moses by God. First 4 deal with proper worship of the Hebrew god, last 6 deal with worldly issues (murder, theft, adultery).

Abram/Abraham

The first of the Old Testament patriarchs. Started his journey in Ur of the Chaldeans. Ur to Haran, Haran to Canaan, Canaan to Egypt, Egypt to the Negev.

Moses

Led the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt; received the 10 Commandments. Egypt, across the Red Sea, Mount Sanai, died within sight of the Promised Land (Israel).

Code of Hammurabi

Set of laws drawn up by Babylonian king Hammurabi (~1780 BCE). Eye for an eye, but laws were class-based. Hammurabi ruled over a large area of unwieldy cities, needed a standardized law system. Introduction justifies his right to rule via tales of heroic deeds and blessings from gods

Genesis 4: Cain and Abel

Cain and Abel offer worship to God, who accepts Abel's sacrifice, but not Cain's (Abel gave him a good sheep, Cain gave him apples he found on the ground). Cain is jealous of Abel, God wars Cain against hurting Abel. Cain takes Abel out into a field and kills him with a rock. God protects Cain from anyone seeking to kill him (Mark of Cain) and curses him to be an outcast forever.