CHAPTER MESOPOTAMIA: 2 Cradle of Civilization ii the Tigris-Euphrates valley of present-day Iraq lay the ancient Sumerian city- state of Ur. Between 1924 and 1934, an archaeological team led by Leonard I Woolley conducted excavations that uncovered the ancient ruins. Among Woolley’s findings was an incredible discovery. In the tomb of Queen Shub-Ad, the team discov ered the remains of more than 60 female skeletons, Clothing remnants and jewellery indicated the likelihood that they had been women of the court. Nearby were the remains of soldiers with their spears, a harpist clutching his harp, and oxen still harnessed to wagons. The hands of most of the skeletons were raised towards their mouths. Little clay cups were scattered on the floor of the tomb. What could have happened here? Those observing the sceiie speculated that the servants of the dead queen had followed the body into the tomb. There, they had taken poison so that their mistress would not go on to the afterlife alone. Figure 2-1 Ur was just one of the great city-states of Sumer upon. Today, we still consider Mesopotarnia as a Harp /10111 a part of ancient Mesopotamia. Leonard Woolley’s “cradle of civilization.” Suiii er/an /0)11/) discovery points to some remarkable characteristics of the city and its people. During the period of Queen Shub-Ad’s reign, Ur was the seat of a Inag THE LAND BETWEEN nificent court nod a highly sophisticated society THE RIVERS with so]diers, court servants, musicians, and many others. The discovery also reveals an important Ancient Mesopotamia lay in what we know today as aspect of Mesopotarnian culture—a profound Iraq, northeast Syria, and part of southeast Turkey. belief in an afterlife, and a desire to take some It stretched from the Persian Gulf northwest earthly belongings to the world after death. through the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates For almost 3000 years, city-states and empires rivers. The ancient Greeks were the first to call the rose and fell in Mesopotainia. Among the empires region Mesopotarnia. The Greek word meso means were Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria, and Chaldea. middle and potamos means river—thus it was Although periods of disunity and war mark the “the land between the rivers.” Mesopotamia was history of ancient Mesopotamia, the peoples of the part of an area known as the Fertile Crescent which region made many important contributions that stretched in an arc from the Persian Gulf through other civilizations in the ancient world would build northeast Syria to the Mediterranean Sea and was MESOPOTAMIA: CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION 31 SaI]dbanks hindered travel :111(1 count i niti cation along the rivers as el The south had few it atural resou such as minerals or forests and, except for clay, few building materials. Abundant lislt and waterfowl lived in the marshes and rivers, however, and the silt deposited by the floodwaters was extremely fertile. As the people learned to control the flooding, drain the land, and irrigate the soil, the region produced excellent yields. In the north, rainfall was more reli able and helped produce superb farmland. Because the banks and riverheds of the Tigris and Euphrates are mostly rock in this area, rather than sand as they are in the south, the rivers run faster and rarely flood. Figure 2-2 Marsh scene in southern Iraq Forests covering the foothills and inoun— tains in tins area teemed with animal life. the site of some of the world’s first perma mud. The floods were unpredictable and Herds of wild cattle, gazelles, antelopes, nent farming villages. posed a serious hazard to the river valley and elephants roamed the plains, wild Throughout its ancient history, Mes settlements. Sometimes floodwaters and boars rooted through the valleys, and sheep opotamia was home to different peoples and cultural groups. It lay at the crossroads c 1g..’; of three continents: Africa, Asia, and ASIA4 Europe, Semitic, Asian, and Indo-European peoples all moved into the region at various periods. The mountains to the north and Ufl / east were not high enough to isolate the Moun 4, 0 . .hur area or protect it from invading or inigrat I PERSIA ing peoples. Nomads living in the deserts to .Akkad - PHOEW I the west also attacked the river valley settle 1loii Bab Kisir SYRIA tgi• I ments periodically. A1et/Icrranean Sea Syrian DaerI Lrch At first glance, the land and climate of t’ALESTI Ur ES the region hardly seem ideal for the devel opment of a thriving civilization. The south ARABIA was primarily a flat flood plain. Summers were very hot and dry; droughts could kill Fertile Crescent crops and cause famines. In spring, melt- 0 200km waters from the nearby Zagros Mountains I I could cause flooding, and sudden down- Figure 2-3 pours in winter could turn the plains to Mesopotamia. The shaded area is the Fertile Crescent 32 MIDDLE-EASTERN CIVILIZATIONS and goats grazed on [1w foothills of [1w ing region, such as tin 1mm the east and During times of conflict, the king of a niountains. The people of the north were gold arid Silver from the west. Sumerian city—state acted as the head of the also closer to the resources of the surround- army, raising troops and training them. At first, these armies wei’e quite small, con sisting of the local men who were fit eflOLigh REFLECT AND ANALYZE to wield an axe or throw a spear. I.ater, the Surnerians added wheeled chariots pulled hy 1. Referring to Figure 2.3. describe the location of Mesopotamia and donkeys to their forces. (‘l’he Sumerians the features of its surrounding area. were the fIrst people to develop and use the 2. In a chart, outline the positive and negative features of the environ— wheel.) 11w chariots held two men, a driver ment in southern Mesopotamia. Was the environment favourable to and a soldier Who stood behind, equipped the development of a productive and secure civilization? Be prepared with a javelin to hurl at the enemy. to defend your final position. In about 2800 lICE, Etana of Kish managed to unite the city—states of Sumer, 3. Was the environment of the north more favourable to the develop but his success was short-lived. After his ment of a productive civilization than the environment of the death, the city-states vied again for control, south? Explain your answer. leaving the weakened Sumerians ripe for 4. Suppose the area of Mesopotamia shown on the map in Figure 2.3 conquest. Their wealth also made them were to expand. In which direction do ‘ou think ii would grow? attractive to outsiders. The Akkadians, Why? Draw a sketch map to illustrate sour answer. Semitic mountain folk and desert nomads from the north, succeeded in overpowering the Surnerians. Sumer and Akkad were HISTORICAL OVERVIEW The Sumerians considered Eridu, an an then united into the single empire known cient religious site in Sumer, to be the first as the kingdom of Sumer, under Sargon of Four main peoples dominated Mesopota city founded by their gods. By 3500 BCE, it Akkad (2340 I3CE—2305 BCE), niia in turn: the Suinerians, the Babylon had a population of about 4000. Over the Sargon became known as Sargon the ians, the Assyrians, and the Chaldeans. neXt thousand years, other city-states devel Great. He was a government official in lUsh oped, and several grew to he much larger when he led a revolt to establish himself as SUMER than Eridu. LJr, for example, reached a king. As ruler, he attacked the Sumerian The Surnerians came down to the banks of’ population of 24 000 by 3000 BCE. city-states to the south, capturing all of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers sometime For centuries, the city-states of Sumer them, including the strongest, [Jr. During around 3500 BCE from the mountains to maintained their independence. On occasion, his 35-year reign, lie also invaded both the northeast. Their small farming corn different city-states fought for control over Egypt and Ethiopia, extending his holdings inunities eventually grew into the first great land or irrigation rights, but these disputes from Palestine to the Persian Gulf and cities of the world. During the first thou did not develop into major wars as we under building the first true empire in history. sand years of their history, the Surnerians stand the term. They were more like skir After the death of Sargon, Sumer fell lived in independent city-states, ruled by mishes that often continued only until one into decline with only a brief resurgence separate kings. Each city-state, which city succeeded in imposing its will over the during the reign of Naramsin (2291 BCE— included the city and surronnding country other. As a result of’ these shifts in power, city- 2255 BCE). Only the city-state of Er contin side, had its own government, laws, and states iii Sumer rose and fell. For example, as ued to thrive, enjoying one last century of military, and managed its own affairs inde power declined in Kish, it rose in Erech. prosperity. During the reign of lJr-Namrnu pendently from other city-states nearby. Finally, it shifted to (Tr, and then to Lagash. (2 112 BCE—2094 BCE), Sumerian culture - MESOPOTAMIA: CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION 33 Figure 2-4 Figure 2-5 Figure 2-6 This bronze mask may be a portrait of Inlaid statuette of a ram and a plant The headdress of Queen Shub-ad, from the King Sargon royal tomb of Ur reached its peak. The Sumerians developed ture.