Western Asia

3500 – 500 B.C.

Chapter 2

النهرين بين ما

USA

Western Asia: Middle East

USA

Western Asia: Middle East

ASIAASIA

AFRICAAFRICA

arc-shaped area from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf:

Fertile Crescent

Fertile Crescent

Mediterranean Sea

Persian Gulf

Mediterranean Sea

Persian Gulf

“land between the rivers”

M e s o p o t a m i a

MESOPOTAMIA T i g r i s

R i v e rE u p h r a t e s

R i v e r

Euphrates River

Tigris River

Mediterranean

Sea

Persian Gulf

Euphrates River

Tigris River

Persian Gulf

MESOPOTAMIA Modern nation of:

I r a q

Baghdad, Iraq

SUMERIANS Cities: Eridu, Ur, Uruk

SUMERIANS Religion: p o l y t h e i s t i c

Government: t h e o c r a c y

SUMERIANS

Society: noble

commoner slave

SUMERIANSWriting: c u n e i f o r m

cuneiform

cuneiform

When heaven above was not yet named, nor earth below pronounced by name, Apsu, the first one, their begetter and maker Tiamat, who bore them all, had mixed their waters together, but had not formed pastures, nor discovered reed-beds. When yet no gods were manifest, nor names pronounced, nor destinies decreed, then gods were born within them.

Sumerian Art: ziggurat

ziggurat

sundial

arch

dome

bronze

wagon wheel

potter’s wheel

Number system based on 60Number system based on 60

SUMERIAN ART ziggurat sundial arch dome bronze

The Epic of Gilgamesh

wagon wheel potter’s wheel number system based on 60