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”

Fertile Crescent• Mesopotamia

=• Land between

TWO rivers–Tigris–Euphrates

SumeriansSumerians

This is now Kuwait

Sumerian Religion - Polytheistic

Sumerian Religion - Polytheistic

Enki

Enki

Innana

Innana

Anthropomorphic Gods

Anthropomorphic Gods

Polytheism

Poly• More than

one• Many

–Polygamy–Polygon

Theism • God• Religious

–Christian–Islam–Budhaism

Mesopotamian TradeMesopotamian Trade

“The Cuneiform World” “The Cuneiform World”

Cuneiform (Writing)• Stylus (stick)• Wedges

–Symbols–Sounds–Pictures

• Scribes=writers• Clay tablet (wet)

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

http://

Gilgamesh Epic Tablet:Flood Story (Noah)

Gilgamesh Epic Tablet:Flood Story (Noah)

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]

Present day Iraq

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

“An eye for an eye”

Babylonian MathBabylonian Math

Base 60—think clocks, triangles

Babylonian NumbersBabylonian Numbers

No 0’s