Mesopotamia IV

Culture

"Listen to my instruction: By our will a flood will sweep over the cities to destroy the seed of mankind And put an end to the rule of kings... Tear down your house, forget your belongings, build a large ship and take with you the seed of all living creatures Ziusudra began work the next day building a huge ship with seven decks sealed with bitumen. He then loaded on gold, silver, wild beasts and farm animals. He loaded on his family, relations and workmen and only then boarded up the hatch. Then came the powerful wind from all Directions and attacked the land at once. At the same time the flood swept the cities. After the flood had covered the land for seven days and seven nights And the huge boat had been tossed by the wind on the great waters, The sun-god Utu, came out.“

- Sumerian Legend on a clay Tablet from Nippur

Burial

Part of the reason we know so much about the Ancient Mesopotamians is their religious practices Belief that the afterlife was much like regular life, just worse No real reward for good beviour, everyone had to go to the

‘Land of No Return” Everyone, even commoners, was buried with

objects they figured they’d need in the Underworld Artwork Treasures Food (belief that undernourished corpses would return as

ghosts) Weapons

Burial

The tomb of the Akkadian queen Puabi in Ur contained jewelry, seashells with cosmetics, a four-foot gold drinking straw, pins, wreaths, gold tweezers, translucent alabaster bowls, food and weapons

They also figured she need company in the underworld, so sacrificed and buried with her were oxen, handmaidens, musicians and servants 26 servants in her tomb Another 74 in an adjacent “Death Pit”

Puabi’s headdress

Social Organization

The king is at the top of the social ladder Derives authority from god Or… is a god himself

The importance of religion puts priests at the highest level of society The priesthood interprets the will of god Also administered land, ran education system

Scribes had the rare ability to read and write, so had a lot of prestige and were highly valued in society Usually from the wealthy class

Social Organization

Merchants and traders brought in goods from the region and beyond, and could amass considerable wealth doing so

Artisans produced pottery, jewelry, and other items The common people were farmers Slaves were at the bottom of the ladder

Property of their masters No family name Could be prisoners captured in battle, or debtors sold to

pay a debt

A Day in the Life

Read page 47-50 and write a short paragraph describing a typical day in your life as a… Priest Scribe Merchant Artisan Commoner Slave