This is the blog for our Great Works class at Baruch College, Spring 2010. We will post multimedia projects and ideas/concerns about the reading materials.
I look forward to interacting with you in classroom and online!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Mesopotamia Writing:
ReplyDeleteThe style of writing is called "Cuneiform" which means "wedged-shaped" because the symbols are made up of wedge marks.For writing a "stylus" is used which comes from reeds that are grown by the river. Furthermore they use the stylus to write on clay tablets. After writing on the clay tablet they put it in the sun to dry. Finally, the tablets are used for record keeping. Mesopotamian scribes keeps a record of everything, from everyday events like how many animals were born, how many animals died, to what they give to the gods,etc. By doing so the priests are able to follow the patterns of the past and predict the future.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOc2YNnuBdU
Mesopotamia was also the first civilization to write down their laws.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe role of Sumerians.
ReplyDeleteIraq as we identify today was known as Mesopotamia. With Tigris and Euphrates on each side it flourished in terms of agriculture. This was possible by one of the inhabitants of the Mesopotamia called “The Sumerian”. The Sumerians introduced the idea of large scale farming. Moreover, they proved their potentiality by building canals and transforming a desert into a fertile delta. The Sumerian placed their temples in the center of the city life. In Ur, (a divided city of the Sumerians) a huge temple Known as the Ziggurat was located which was basically the house of the deity.
The Sumerian is believed to have been the first users of wheel and pottery. Furthermore, they also introduced the idea of arc. In addition, they were the ones that started writing in clay tablets. More than half of the ancient history is thought to be contained in these tablets. Cylinder seals were the first form of written communication used to communicate and identify about land ownership and water rights. The seals were rolled in the clay tablet and in this way the Sumerians recorded their documents. This style of tracing was later replaced by Cuneiform but even this new method could not keep away disputes. The Sumerians bought about development and ideas however at the end could not resist the power and population of the Semitics. Finally in 1900 B.C. the Sumerians and Semitics combined together under one ruler King Hammurabi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wksHEDgBRnM&feature=fvw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gopr-PrgMfw&feature=related
ReplyDeleteGigamesh-clip