Sumerian Civilization

at the fertile crescent

where is mesopotamia located?

mesopotamia

arc of fertile land between two rivers

tigris and euphrates rivers

what are the two rivers that can be found in mesopotamia?

seven city states

how many city states are in mesopotamia?

sumerian

famous city state in mesopotamia

provides fish and other water resources, makes the land fertile for agriculture, provides drinking water, and facilitates transportation, communication, and commerce in the region

importance of rivers in mesopotamia

sumer civilization

cradle of civilization

pre-historic age and historic period

two periods of history

when writing was invented

when did the historic period begin?

cuneiform

world’s first system of writing

pictographs

picture symbols

scribe

writer

epics

long poems that tell the stories of heroes

epic of gilgamesh

world’s first epic

more than 5000 years ago

when did writing appear in mesopotamia?

own government, rulers, warriors, and patron god

what did each city have in mesopotamia?

ur, uruk, kish, lagesh

mesopotamian cities

ziggurat

a massive, tiered, pyramid-shaped structure

zigguratu

this word means height

brick

what are ziggurats made out of?

because sumerians believed the gods preferred to live there

why were ziggurats built to look like a mountain?

so gods and goddesses can hear the rituals more

why were ziggurats tall in height?

slaves > craftsmen and peasants > scribes > priests > king and nobility

hiarchy of mesopotamia

polytheism

the worship of many gods

enlil

god of air

enki

god of wisdom

inanna

goddess of love and war

uta

god of the sun

sin/nanna

god of the moon

performed religious ceremonies at the temple, helped people gain favor with the gods, interpreted wishes made by the gods, made offerings to the gods at the temples

what did the priests of ziggurat temples do?

held political positions, made laws, educated

characteristics of men in sumer

took care of the home and children, some wealthy women got an education, some educated women became priestesses in the temples

characteristics of women in sumer

wheel, vehicles with wheels, potter’s wheel, plow pulled by oxen, clock which used falling water to measure time, sewers under streets, bronze tools and weapons, makeup, and glass jewelry

sumerian civilization is the first civilization to develop what?

the number 60

what number is sumerian math based on?

sumerian science

tablets with names of thousands of plants, animals, and minerals

according to sympotoms and body parts

how were treatments cataloged in sumerian science?

cylinder seal

what is this?