SEPT. 7:  EARLY MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATIONS

The Environment:

SumerSwamp.jpg (480767 bytes)

 

Flooding:

flooding.jpg (262623 bytes)

 

 

The Development of Writing:  clay tokens in hollow balls

Tokenballs.jpg (13865 bytes)

 

 

Pre-cuneiform pictographic writing, late fourth millennium BC:

Precuneiform.jpg (69464 bytes)

 

Cuneiform:

Cuneiform.jpg (386656 bytes)

 

Cylinder seals:

Cylinderseal1.jpg (140372 bytes)

 

Law Codes (Hammurabi, c.1750 BC)

Hammurabi Stele.jpg (108826 bytes)

 

 

Religion:  votive offering from Lagash

Lagash Votive.jpg (234284 bytes)

A worshipper:

Worshipper1.jpg (20485 bytes)         Worshipper2.jpg (33716 bytes)

 

RamThicket.jpg (179828 bytes)

 

A Ziggurat:

ziggurat.jpg (90466 bytes)

 

Warfare and the rise of monarchy:

The "Standard of Ur" (2600 BC)

Standard of Ur.jpg (439226 bytes)

 

The lugal, "Big Man"

bigman.jpg (20277 bytes)

 

Gudea, "Big Man" of Lagash

gudea.jpg (59475 bytes)

 

The Propaganda of Victory:  Naram-Sin, c.2250

Naram-Sin Victory.jpg (75793 bytes)

 

The costs of monarchy:  the "Great Death Pit" of Ur

GreatDeathPit.gif (26433 bytes)

 

The First "Empire" in History:  Sargon of Akkad, 2370 BC

Sargon_of_Akkad.jpg (138211 bytes)

 

The source of his power:  loyal soldiers

soldiers.jpg (18691 bytes)

SumerInfantry.jpg (278026 bytes)