[B] MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION (copy)

Mesopotamian Civilization

Known as the CRADLE OF CIVILIZATIONS because of its enormous advances including domestication of animals, trade and coinage, legal government, potter's wheel, wagon wheel, alphabet, architecture, mathematics and astronomy, monotheism and monogamy

4300-331 BC

When was the Mesopotamian Civilization?

Iraq

Mesopotamia is modern day

The Fertile Crescent

Mesopotamia is also known as

Middle of Two Rivers

Meso + potamos means

(1) Tigris
(2) Euphrates

The two rivers found in Mesopotamia

True

True or false: Persia was the only foreign civilization that conquered Mesopotamia

Sumerian

Contributed the cuneiform and ziggurat architecture. They invented writing and produced the world's first literature

Sumerian

Which historical period in the Mesopotamian Civilization invented the wheel?

Ur

The capital of Sumeria

Epic of Gilgamesh

World's FIRST LITERATURE; similarities with Noah's Ark

Cylinder Seals

A small round cylinder, engraved with written characters or figurative scenes or both, used during the Sumerian period to roll an impression onto a two-dimensional surface, generally wet clay. Used to authenticate documents

Cuneiform

One of the oldest systems of writing. Meaning “wedge-shaped," because people wrote it using a reed stylus cut to make a wedge-shaped mark on a clay tablet

Votive Sculptures

Objects offered to a god or goddess at a sacred place that represents a person

Tell Asmar Figures

Votive sculptures; twelve statues found by archaeologist Henri Frankfort in the Early Dynastic temple of Tell Asmar

Cire-perdue or Lost Wax Method

A process used in metal casting that consists of making a wax model (as of a statuette), coating it with a refractory (as clay) to form a mold, heating until the wax melts and runs out of small holes left in the mold, and then pouring metal into the space left vacant

Glyptic Art

Carvings or engravings (especially on precious stones)

City of Uruk

Given its name to a period known as proliterate (glyptic art) because of the earliest writing developed

Ziggurat

Sumerian temple that is 6-7 stories high, raised upon a platform and situated at the town center. It is provided for civic, commercial, and industrial activities

Akkadians

First Mesopotamian rulers to call themselves kings. First to cast hollow life-size bronze sculptures (stele of naram-sin)

Sargon I

The founder of the Akkadian period

Head of An Akkadian Rider

An example of the cire-perdue or lost wax method

Stele of Naram-sin

The earliest known monument dedicated to the glory of a conqueror

Neo-Sumerian

Constructed one of the largest ziggurats in Mesopotamia at Ur

Babylonian or Chaldean

Period of Hammurabi and the Amorites

Hammurabi

Said to be the greatest and most famous king of Babylon; king of Amorites

Code of Hammurabi

Well-preserved Babylonian law code of ancient Mesopotamia where the phrase "an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" came from. Consists of 300 STATUES on 51 COLUMNS written in Akkadian

The Amorites

SEMITIC SPEAKING PEOPLE from Arabia. Ruled Mesopotamia and established the capital at Babylon

Assyrian

Period wherein palaces were FORTIFIED CITADELS with LAMASSU GUARDIANS. The period of Ashurnashirpal and Sargon II

Assur and Nineveh

Capital of Assyria

Syria

Assyria is modern day

Sargon II/Ashurnasirpal

The founder of the Assyrian Empire

Sargon II/Ashurnasirpal

The 1st Assyrian king

Assyria

Had transactions with Egypt

Lamassu

A celestial being from ancient Mesopotamian religion which is a human-headed winged lion with 5 legs. Located in the Palace of Sshtar (Palace of Sargon ii, Khorsabad)

Neo-Babylonians

Nebuchadnezzar II captured Jerusalem and has been associated with the architectural wonders of Babylon

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Great palace built by nebuchadnezzar for HIS WIFE, AMYTIS because she missed the green hills and valleys of her homeland. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World listed by Hellenic culture

Tower of Babel

A 300ft. tall tower with a temple at the apex. An origin myth and parable meant to explain why the world's peoples speak different languages

Ishtar Gate

The original structure was a double gate with a smaller frontal gate and a larger and more grandiose secondary posterior section. The walls were finished in glazed bricks mostly in blue, with animals and deities (also made up of colored bricks) in low relief at intervals. It was part of a grand walled processional way leading into the city

Persian Period

Period of Cyrus the Great wherein he defeated the Babylonians and achieved an enormous empire

Iran

Persia is modern day

King Cyrus II or Cyrus the Great

The founder of Persia

Teachings of Zoroaster

Taught that the world’s central forces were light and dark

True

True or false: There were no temples during the Persian empire because rituals were held outdoors

Palaces

The most important piece of architecture during the Persian empire

Palace Complex at Persepolis

Built by Darius I; meaning “city of the Persians.” It was built on a platform so that it will be difficult for enemies to conquer the city. It also introduced the use of columns using the bull capital

Xerxes

He built a huge palace complex with an audience hall that can accommodate 10,000 guests

Cuneiform

System of writing; use of characters formed by arrangements of SMALL WEDGE-SHAPED ELEMENTS

Lamassu

A great stone statue of a human-headed winged bull that preceded the Palace of Ishtar, Palace of Sargon II, City of Khorsabad

Ziggurat

ARTIFICIAL MOUNTAINS made of TIERED RECTANGULAR LAYERS which rose from 1-7 in the course of Mesopotamian history

Palaces

Were made of polychrome ornamental brickwork with high plinths and dadoes made of great stone slabs placed on edge and carved with low relief sculpture

Ishtar Gate

Entrance gate to the Palace of Sargon named after goddess of love, fertility and war. Structure is faced with glazed bricks with rows of bulls and dragons, flanked with great towers and lamassu figures, supported a semi-circular arch covered with colored tiles

Palace Complex at Persepolis

Built on stone platform, consisted of multi-columned buildings with long double stairway access to platform. It was began by Darius and finished by Xerxes, used mainly for great receptions by kings. This hall contained 72 columns and 3 monumental stairways

Apadana

Audience hall found in Palace complex at Persepolis

Crenellation

The battlements of a castle or other building

Bull Capital

Columns in the persepolis were adorned with