ANCIENT SUMER - History
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| ACTIVITY: The Two Rivers were important for transport in Ancient Sumer. As rivers flow downhill, boats may easily travel in this direction. But how did Sumerians travel upstream (against the current)? Can you think of how this could have been done thousands of years ago? Try to answer this by writing or drawing the solution. (When finished, go to explanation) |
More information on Ancient Sumer
Abraham (of the Old Testament) lived at Ur, on the Euphrates River, before being called by God to move westward. This is believed to be about 2000 years BC. Ur was already old by this time, having been founded several thousand years before Abraham's time. For a time it was an important trade and cultural centre.
The king of a Sumerian city-state was called an 'ensi'. He represented the people dealings with the city's god - thus the position included religious functions.
Babylon was a city that reached great importance in the 18th century BC (under Hammurabi) and later in the 6th century (under Nebuchadnezzar - who built the Hanging Gardens).
Ancient Mesopotamians were aware that their land was rich in oil (as the present-day area is also) - oil and related substances seeped to the surface in places. Oil was used as fuel for lamps. Pitch (for building and waterproofing boats) is a form of bitumen.
Sumerians wrote on clay tablets in script called cuneiform. This script developed from pictographs into wedge-shaped figures made in soft clay with a cut-off reed. There were no curved lines in cuneiform writing - the use of a reed permitted only wedge-shaped lines). Many of the tablets have lasted until the present time - the writing records stories and legends, as well as information on astronomy, mathematics, religion and government records. At some sites tablets were kept in large numbers, thus forming the first libraries.
It is believed that beer was being made by 6000 BC from barley. Ninkasi was the god of strong drink.
Without the water of the two rivers, plants would not have grown and agriculture and civilisation would not have been possible in that area which receives little or no rain and is extremely hot in summer.
Wealthy and powerful Sumerians were buried with their wealth and their slaves.
Uruk may have been the first 'city' (as distinct from a 'settlement' or a 'town').
Sumerians grew crops which included dates, corn, onions and other vegetables. They kept animal herds and carried out fishing in fresh (river) water and salt (Persian Gulf) water.
Sumerians had a belief in a supreme god, Enlil, and written stories suggest the idea of a search for eternal life.
Schools existed in Sumer - a sign of civilisation! Students sat on mud brick benches and copied the teacher's writing on clay tablets. They also had to learn long lists of words and terms. Poor behaviour was punished with a beating.
Gilgamesh was the hero of many stories. The stories deal with great adventures, battles and encounters. Sumerian records also tell of a great flood, and of one man's deliverance from it in a boat.
After the fall of Sumer, other empires grew (and fell) within the area occupied by Sumer and adjacent to it. Assyria and Babylon are two of the (many) subsequent empires of Mesopotamia.
A king of Babylon, Nabonidus (about 556 - 539 BC) was an early archaeologist. He excavated buildings which were old and ruined (from the Sumerian age long before Babylonian times). He restored the great ziggurat of Ur, built many centuries before.
Most of Ancient Sumer would fit within present day Iraq. The Two Rivers still flow, but their courses have changed somewhat, and they now meet the sea (Persian Gulf) further eastwards than in past ages.
Explanation: River
Transport
In upland areas (where timber was available) boats were built of wooden
frames covered by animal skins. The cargo was placed in the boat, along with a donkey. The
boat (and its cargo) was carried downstream by the river current until it reached its
destination. Here the cargo (including donkey) was unloaded. The boat was pulled apart,
with the wooden frame being reused in this lowland area where wood was scarce. The skins
were folded by the crew and carried by the donkey back upstream to the starting point -
where the process would be repeated.Did you think of this solution, or any other solution?
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