Ancient River Valley Civilizations

Today’s Goal

• Analyze the similarities and differences among the ancient river valley civilizations.

• Essential Question: Why did the earliest civ’s begin around rivers, and how did they develop into distinct cultures?

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area

The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

Sumer

Jordan River

Sumerians first arrived in 3300 BC

Mesopotamia• Geography

- Fertile Crescent- “Land Between Two Rivers”

- Tigris & Euphrates flooded silt- Surplus crops

Challenges SolutionsUnpredictable flooding, little/no rain

No natural barriers for protection/defense

Limited natural resources

Dug irrigation ditches to carry water to fields

Built city walls for defense

Traded surplus goods, cloth, & crafted tools with other people

Advanced Cities• 3,000 BC, Sumerians > 12 cities• City & surrounding land = city-state• Built out of sun-dried mud-brick

• Trade important for Sumerian cities- Traded surplus crops for needed goods- Barter system

• Cultural Diffusion = spread & exchange of ideas & products among cultures

Ashur was a main trade centerArtifacts from Ur

Record-Keeping• Cuneiform – Sumerian writing (“wedge-shaped”)• Stylus – Sharpened reed was used to press symbols into

the clay tablets

Sumerian relief sculpture ~ cuneiform writing

Specialized Workers• Artisans• Scribes

– Prestigious position in Sumerian society– Years of training

• Priests, shopkeepers, traders

Scribe

Edubba, school or “tablet house”

Technology • Wheel • Sail• Plow• Irrigation• Lunar calendar• Number system (geometry,

trig)• Arch, post-and-lintel

construction

Sumerian WheelUsed first for pottery making and later for

transportation

Complex Institutions• 1st to develop governments w/officials & laws• Dynasty – ruling family

- Theocracy – rule by gods or their priests- Priest-kings (“lugals”)

• Tax system

Sumerian votive figures

Sumerian priest

• Sumerian religion = polytheistic– gods represented forces of nature– gods acted like humans, but immortal & all-powerful– Humans were merely servants to gods

• Offerings at ziggurats (temples)

Ziggurat (temple)Demons (ugallu)

• The gods protected Sumerians in life– No help in afterlife

• Souls went to “land of no return”• The richest accounts of

Mesopotamian myths and legends appear in a long poem known as the “Epic of Gilgamesh”

Sumerian Class Structure

Kings, Priests, Wealthy Landowners

Wealthy Merchants & Soldiers

Artisans & Farmers

Slaves

• Become slave by…- Captured as prisoner of war- Sold by parents to pay debts

• Slaves could earn their freedom• Sumerian women were…originally given many rights

– Status decreased over time– Became dominated by men– No education

Sumerian sculptures

Sargon of Akkad

• Sumerians conquered by Sargon of Akkad

• Sargon created kingdom-empire (Babylonian)

• Culture was adopted & adapted by invaders

Hammurabi’s Code• Babylonian Empire reached its

peak during the reign of Hammurabi

• Written collection of laws – These laws regulated all aspects of

life

Statue of Hammurabi

"Hammurabi is a ruler who is as a father to his subjects, who holds the words

of Marduk in reverence, who has achieved conquest for Marduk over the

north and south, who rejects the heart of Marduk, his lord, who has bestowed

benefits for ever and ever on his subjects, and has established order in the land." 

Principles of Hammurabi’s Code1) Retaliation (eye for eye)2) Applied to all (except different punishments) 3) Gov’t responsible for maintaining order

(impartial referee)

EGYPT

Egyptians – EnvironmentNile River

Challenges• Flooding

– Too little/much flooding = starvation (can’t farm)

• Deserts– Could lead to

isolation

Solutions & Advantages • Flooding

– Irrigation– Fertile silt– Predictable

• Deserts – Defense– Nile = transportation

& contact

Egyptians – Political Structure • Theocracy (religions &

political ruler) called a Pharaoh

• Upper & Lower Egypt united by Narmer

Egyptians – Belief Systems/Religion• Polytheistic – gods of nature

– Similar to Sumerians• Afterlife

– Mummification • At first only for kings, wealthy

– Pyramids• Buried w/possessions

for afterlife

Egyptians – Social Structure• Similar hierarchy to Sumerians

– Mobility – rose up in ranks if literate• Women = limited rights, dominated

by men– Better than in Sumer or Shang Dynasty

• Slavery existed– BUT…slaves did not necessarily build

the pyramids

Egyptians – Economics/Trade

• Based on agriculture & trade• Why not isolated?

- Access to Mediterranean Sea- Access to Sinai peninsula

Egyptians – Science & Technology

• Papyrus• Calendar• # system• Architecture pyramids, obelisk• Medicine!

Egyptians – Art & Culture

• Religion (polytheism) was big part of life• Jewelry• Pyramids

– Architectural achievement• Valued truth &

justice

Egyptians – Writing & Literature• Hieroglyphics

– Pictographic (pictures to represent objects)

• Primary Document– Book of the Dead (tells of

afterlife)

India – EnvironmentIndus River & Ganges River

Challenges• Monsoons (wind storms)• Flooding

– Unpredictable• Rivers changed course• Too little/much rain• Mountains/deserts =

isolation

Solutions & Advantages• Irrigation – levees built to

control water • Citadels (fortified

structures) for defense/divert flooding

3300 BCE - 2400 BCE

Earliest Civilization = Harappan

Harappan (India) – Political Structure• Planned cities

- Centralized & organized government• Theocracy (religious &

political rule)

Harappan (India)Belief Systems

• Polytheistic• Priests, no temples• Fertility goddesses

Social Structure• No class divisions

Economics/Trade• Extensive trade• Brightly colored

cloth, jewelry

Harappan (India) – Science & Tech• Organized cities (grid system)• Plumbing!

Harappan (India) – Art & Culture

• Toys • Small statues & pottery• Animal figurines• Lacked weapons

- No need for warfare?

Harappan (India) – Writing & Literature• Writing is not deciphered (decoded)• No known primary documents

Decline of Harappan Civ.???• Cities fell into decay – but why?• Possible earthquakes & floods• Over-used soil• Invasion of Aryans

Shang & Zhou China – EnvironmentHuang He (Yellow) & Yangtze Rivers

Challenges• Flooding• Mountains & deserts =

isolation• Only 10% land farmable

Solutions & Advantages• Irrigation• Supplied own goods• Protective walls

Shang & Zhou China – Political Structure• Single ruler - dynasty

Shang & Zhou China – Belief Systems

• Polytheistic• Spirits of ancestors• Oracle bones to interpret gods• Mandate of Heaven = approval

of gods to rule (justified overthrow of dynasties)

Shang & Zhou China – Social Structure

• Elder men superior• Women inferior• Divided btwn nobles & peasants

Shang & Zhou China – Economics/Trade

• Roads & canals for transportation• Coined $• Internal trade

Shang & Zhou China – Science & Tech

• Irrigation• Roads & canals• Coined $• Cast iron

Shang & Zhou China – Art & Culture

• Saw selves as “center of civilization” – superior– Looked down on outsiders

• Strong family bonds• Emphasized order & obedience

Shang & Zhou China – Writing

• Pictographic characters• Not linked to spoken language• Unified the people • No known primary documents