Ms SaintPaul Controlling the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates

Ms. Saint-Paul

Controlling the Rivers • Tigris and Euphrates • Alluvial rivers • Flood annually AND deposit fertile silt • Irregular flooding • Rivers flood at different times • Flooding is unpredictable • Flood a different times of the year • Flash floods • Developed canals, dams, dikes & levees • Canals divert water (later used for irrigation) • Dams hold water back • Dikes allow you to open the “flood gates” to allow water to flow when it is needed. • Levees are built up banks

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

Sumerians First to develop advanced civilization

Sumer: Land of Firsts • First to develop civilization • 12 cities • Division of labor specialization trade • Advanced technology • Wheel/axle, plow, potter’s wheel, loom, sail • Complex institutions • • Gov: King-priest (theocracy) Religion: polytheistic ziggurats Military Schools • Record Keeping cuneiform

Mesopotamian Trade “The Cuneiform World”

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Cuneiform Writing

Deciphering Cuneiform The Rock of Behistun discovered by Henry Rawlinson

Deciphering Cuneiform Rock of Behistun

Deciphering Cuneiform

Deciphering Cuneiform

Sumerian Scribes Eduba: “Tablet House”

Sumerian Cylinder Seals

Gilgamesh • Oldest piece of literature…an epic • Story similar to… …the story of the flood

Gilgamesh Epic Tablet: Flood Story

Ziggurat at Ur § Temple § “Mountain of the Gods” § Served as an observatory & granary § Tower of Babel

Empires of Mesopotamia Sargon of Akkad: The World’s First Empire [Akkadians] Assimilation

The Babylonian Empires

Hammurabi’s [r. 1792 -1750 B. C. E. ] Code

Hammurabi, the Judge

Babylonian Math

Babylonian Numbers

The Mesopotamians