Early CivilizationsEarly Civilizations• The Neolithic Period

• From perhaps 400,000 to 7,000 B.C.E., early human beings survived as hunter gatherers in extended family units, a period known as the Paleolithic, or “Old Stone Age.”

• At the start of the Neolithic period, around 7,000 B.C.E., a transformation began: some hunter-gatherer societies began to rely chiefly on agriculture for their subsistence.

• Neolithic peoples contributed a great deal to the development of human society, including systematic agriculture, writing, sedentary living, and improved tools and weapons.

• Stonehenge and other stone circles scattered throughout Great Britain, Ireland, and Brittany were built by Neolithic societies that must have been prosperous, well organized, and centrally led.

Indo-European Migrations: 4m-2m BCE

Indo-European Migrations: 4m-2m BCE

The Middle East: “The Crossroads of Three Continents”

The Middle East: “The Crossroads of Three Continents”

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area

The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

Mesopotamian CivilizationMesopotamian Civilization

• Invention of Writing and Intellectual Advancements • Writing appears to have begun at Sumer sometime around the

ninth millennium B.C.E.

• The Sumerian pictographic form evolved by the fourth millennium into cuneiform (“wedge-shaped”) writing.

• The signs in the cuneiform system later became ideograms and evolved into an intricate system of communication.

• The writing system was so complicated that only professional scribes mastered it.

• Scribal schools flourished throughout Sumer.

• Scribal schools were centers of culture and learning.

• Mesopotamians made great strides in mathematics, medicine, and religion.

SumeriansSumerians

Sumerian Religion - Polytheistic

Sumerian Religion - Polytheistic

Enki

Enki

Innana

Innana

Anthropomorphic Gods

Anthropomorphic Gods

Religion and SocietyReligion and Society

• Mesopotamian religion was polytheistic; Mesopotamian religion was polytheistic; gods and goddesses existed to gods and goddesses existed to represent almost everything in the represent almost everything in the cosmos. cosmos.

• The gods had many human attributes. The gods had many human attributes.

• The Mesopotamians created myths to The Mesopotamians created myths to explain the origins of the universe and explain the origins of the universe and of mankind. of mankind.

• The Sumerians produced the first epic The Sumerians produced the first epic poem, poem, The Epic of GilgameshThe Epic of Gilgamesh. .

• The arid and harsh environment of The arid and harsh environment of Sumer fostered a religion based on Sumer fostered a religion based on placating a pantheon of harsh and placating a pantheon of harsh and capricious gods and goddesses. capricious gods and goddesses.

• Shrines built in the center of Sumerian Shrines built in the center of Sumerian cities were focal points of Sumerian life cities were focal points of Sumerian life and religion. and religion.

• Sumerian society was organized into four Sumerian society was organized into four classes of people: nobles, free clients of the classes of people: nobles, free clients of the nobility, commoners, and slaves. nobility, commoners, and slaves.

• The king and lesser nobility had huge land The king and lesser nobility had huge land holdings. holdings.

• Clients were free people who were dependent Clients were free people who were dependent on the nobility. on the nobility.

• Commoners were free and were independent Commoners were free and were independent of the nobility. of the nobility.

• The Sumerian slave population included The Sumerian slave population included foreigners, prisoners of war, criminals, and foreigners, prisoners of war, criminals, and debtors. debtors.

Mesopotamian TradeMesopotamian Trade

“The Cuneiform World”

“The Cuneiform World”

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Cuneiform WritingCuneiform Writing

Deciphering Cuneiform

Deciphering Cuneiform

Sumerian ScribesSumerian Scribes

“Tablet House” “Tablet House”

Sumerian Cylinder Seals

Sumerian Cylinder Seals

GilgameshGilgamesh

Gilgamesh Epic Tablet:Flood Story

Gilgamesh Epic Tablet:Flood Story

Ziggurat at UrZiggurat at Ur

Temple

“Mountain of the Gods”

Temple

“Mountain of the Gods”

The Royal Standard of Ur

The Royal Standard of Ur

Mesopotamian HarpMesopotamian Harp

Board Game From UrBoard Game From Ur

Sophisticated Metallurgy Skills

at Ur

Sophisticated Metallurgy Skills

at Ur

Sargon of Akkad:The World’s First Empire

[Akkadians]

Sargon of Akkad:The World’s First Empire

[Akkadians]

The Triumph of BabylonThe Triumph of Babylon

– Unification Unification • The Babylonians united Mesopotamia politically The Babylonians united Mesopotamia politically

and culturally. and culturally. • Babylon’s best-known king, Hammurabi (ca Babylon’s best-known king, Hammurabi (ca

1792−1750 B.C.E.), forged a vibrant Sumero-1792−1750 B.C.E.), forged a vibrant Sumero-Babylonian culture through conquest and Babylonian culture through conquest and assimilation. assimilation.

Life Under HammurabiLife Under Hammurabi• Hammurabi also created one of the world’s earliest Hammurabi also created one of the world’s earliest

comprehensive law codes, which today provides much comprehensive law codes, which today provides much useful information on daily life in ancient Mesopotamia. useful information on daily life in ancient Mesopotamia.

• The Code of Hammurabi had two notable features: it The Code of Hammurabi had two notable features: it included different laws for people of different social included different laws for people of different social status, and it was based on the idea that the status, and it was based on the idea that the punishment should fit the crime. punishment should fit the crime.

• Individuals brought their own complaints before the Individuals brought their own complaints before the courts. courts.

• The Code dealt extensively with business practices, The Code dealt extensively with business practices, agricultural issues, and family life. agricultural issues, and family life.

The Babylonian Empires

The Babylonian Empires

Hammurabi’s [r. 1792-1750

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

B. C. E.] Code

Hammurabi, the JudgeHammurabi, the Judge

Babylonian MathBabylonian Math

Babylonian NumbersBabylonian Numbers

Egypt, the Land of the Egypt, the Land of the Pharaohs (3100−1200 B.C.E.)Pharaohs (3100−1200 B.C.E.)

– The Nile River The Nile River • Egyptian society revolved around the life-giving Egyptian society revolved around the life-giving

waters of the Nile River. waters of the Nile River. • The regularity of the Nile’s floods and the The regularity of the Nile’s floods and the

fertility of its mud made agriculture productive fertility of its mud made agriculture productive and dependable. and dependable.

• The Nile was Egypt’s primary highway and The Nile was Egypt’s primary highway and communication conduit. communication conduit.