Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent Civilizations Vocabulary

Mesopotamia

Greek origins meaning “between two rivers”

Irrigation

Using canals, ditches, pipes, and streams to deliver water to dry land

City-state

An independent city and the farmlands that surrounded it

Empire

A nation and the other nations it has conquered (taken over)

Cuneiform

An ancient (old) written language that has wedged shaped characters (letters). A reed (writing tool) was used to write the characters

Scribe

A professional writer or record keeper

Artisan

A skilled craftsman that makes things using their hands

Manual laborer

Physical work done “by hand” instead of machines or animals

Polytheism

A religion that believes in many (more than one) god

Monotheism

A religion that believes in one god

Ziggurat

Large temples built by the Sumerians that had ramps, stairs, and several levels