Mesopotamia (part one)

How would you characterize the environments of northern Mesopotamia?

rocky land with good drainage

How would you characterize the environments of southern Mesopotamia?

flat plains, intense flooding, and dry conditions 

How was it possible that the first urban centers arose in dry, desecrated southern Mesopotamia?

advanced irrigation systems

What did irrigation in Mesopotamia cause?

a surplus of food production, larger populations, and specialized labor

What are some of the cultural achievements of the ‘Ubaid Period?

irrigation systems, villages and towns, pottery and craft advancements

What important city dominated Mesopotamian at this time?

Uruk

Why was the temple institution so important to the rise of Mesopotamia city-states?

a central hub for various aspects of life

What role did the temple institution play in society?

hub for religion, economics, politics

What is a ziggurat?

a rectangular stepped tower, with temple

What is cuneiform?

one of the earliest forms of writing

How did cuneiform evolve out of an earlier form of marking economic transactions?

once representing goods or services, symbols became stylized

What is the Warka carved stone vase?

a carved stone vase

What is Warka like compared to the Standard of Ur?

simpler in construction and imagery

Where was Queen Puabi’s burial ground?

Royal Cemetery of Ur

What is Eridu?

An ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city

How was the emergence of civilization different in the Indus Valley Civilization?

planned urban development, trade, and lack of large monuments

What kinds of goods were produced by Indus craft specialists?

pottery, textiles, jewelry, metalwork, and seals

What evidence do we have for shellworking?

shell bangles, presence of shell workshops

Where did the sources of raw materials like copper, lapis lazuli, shells, carnelian and steatite come from?

Afghanistan, Iran, Baluchistan

What is the evidence for trade with Mesopotamia?

Indus Valley objects at Mesopotamian sites, texts about Indus Valley and their trade goods.