Ancient Near East

1591 Words4 Pages

Ancient Near East

Millions of years ago the procreant low lands in the river basins of Euphrates and Tigris was probably the home of some animal life, but no great civilizations. However, things change over time, and just a few thousand years ago the same fertile low lands in the river basins of Euphrates and Tigris became the home of a very rich and complex society. This first high society of man was located in what some still call "Mesopotamia". The word "Mesopotamia" is in origin a Greek name meaning "land between the rivers." The name is used for the area watered by the Euphrates and Tigris and its tributaries, roughly comprising modern Iraq and part of Syria. South of modern Bagdad, this alluvial plain was called the land of Sumer and Akkad. Sumer is the most southern part, while the land of Akkad is the area around modern Bagdad, where the Euphrates and Tigris are closest to each other. This first high, Mesopotamian society arose as a combined result of various historical, institutional, and religious factors. The reality of these factors occurring at a specific place within the fabric of space / time indeed established the basis for this first high civilization. Items like irrigation, topography, and bronze-age technical innovations played a big part along with the advent of writing and the practice of social conditioning (through the use of organized religion) in this relatively early achievement of man.

The factors of irrigation, inherent topography, and useful bronze-age technical innovations paved the way for the agricultural revolution to occur in the land of Sumer and Akkad. The people of the Tigris and the Euphrates basin, the ancient Sumerians, using the fertile land and the abundant water supply of the area, developed sophisticated irrigation systems and created what was probably the first cereal agriculture. This historical factor resulted in an excess of production of cereals, dates, and other commodities. The consequence of excess is the emergence of a productive peasant agricultural system and a redistributive economy that fuels the progress of civilization.

Without a doubt, the Sumerians were highly innovative people who responded creatively to the challenges of the both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Not just any spot on the planet is a good prospect for irrigation, and it is the topography of the land and the intelligence of the people that allowed efficient irrigation systems to develop.

Show More
Related

  • Incantation Bowl History

    1511 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mesopotamia, the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, was and is still an extremely important region for the water it provides. For this and its ability to support agriculture, it’s known also as the Fertile Crescent. It’s also been called the Cradle of Civilization for providing the earliest existence of a civilization.

    Read More

  • Mesopotamia Dbq

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    The ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt began to develop circa 3,000 B.C. Located near rivers, the lands offered fertile soil and an excess of crops that drew in many people. As more people arrived, the small settlements flourished into large, thriving civilizations. Many aspects of Mesopotamia and Egypt, such as their cities, their strongly organized government, and their religion, greatly contributed to the success of these two civilizations.

    Read More

  • Comparing Mesopotamia and Egypt

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    Before the beginning of history, people from across the land gradually developed numerous cultures, each unique in some ways while the same time having features in common. Mesopotamia and Egypt are important to the history of the world because of religious, social, political and economic development. Mesopotamia was the first civilization, which was around 3000 B.C., and all other countries evolved from it. Mesopotamia emerged from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The soil was rich and agriculture was plentiful. The Semitic nomads occupied the land around Akkad. The Sumerians established the city-states. Villages became urban centers. Because of the formation of the city-states everything flourished. However, Mesopotamian agriculture lacked stones; therefore mud brick became their major building block. Their diet consisted of fish from the rivers. The rivers were flooded frequently destroyed the cities. Mesopotamians made their living from crops and pottery.

    Read More

  • Gertrude Stein’s Masking: Convention and Structure

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rowe visits North’s assertion that the role of the mask, as applied to visual art, is “convention embodied, the sign of signs,” which exposes the structure of art b...

    Read More

  • Analyzing Early Mesopotamian Civilization

    1087 Words  | 3 Pages

    When analyzing ancient civilization and how it began, there are many elements and aspects that should be considered. Questions such as how did civilization begin? What lead to its creation? Where did it begin, and why in that particular location? Many of these questions can be examined and answered by researching what many believe is the world’s earliest civilization, Mesopotamia. It is widely believed that this region was chosen and supported one of the world’s first civilizations. This area was settled over 10,000 years ago by a group of people known as the Sumerians (Cunningham & Reich, 2010).

    Read More

  • The Truman Show vs Rear Window

    1709 Words  | 4 Pages

    Scopophilia is taking other people as objects, subjecting them to a controlling and curious gaze by allowing the spectator to look into a secret diegetic world, a projection of desire onto the former. For example, Peeping Tom (1960) stimulates a direct connection with the audience between eye and phallus, through the form of a camera wielded by protagonist and serial killer Mark Lewis (Carl Boehm). He is equip...

    Read More

  • Health Care Reform Implementation Of The State Of Ohio

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    The purpose of this paper is to examine the status of health care reform implementation in the state of Ohio. Throughout the paper, I will discuss if the health care reform has been effective as well as name some of the positive and negative outcomes. Furthermore, I will discuss how the health care reform is impacting community health. Discussion on the effect of health care reform on the economics in Ohio will conclude this paper.

    Read More

  • Comparing Oku no Hosomichi and Tosa Nikki

    1466 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Japan, the pine tree(matsu) is an important symbol of longevity as well as a symbol that appears very often in Japanese poetry(waka) and Japanese literature as a double meaning, one being the literal meaning of a pine tree, and the other meaning to wait or to long for, as the word matsu written in different kanji can mean 'to wait'. Like a pine tree, Japanese travel journals are eternal, providing amazingly well-detailed glimpses into the travel and life experiences of the writers of these diaries to modern readers long after these authors have passed on. Furthermore, these travel journals can also be compared to a flower pressed into the pages of a book, which reveals its beauty and unique qualities each time it is looked upon. Two examples of such travel journals that were very famous in Japanese literary history are Tosa nikki, written by Ki no Tsurayuki during the Heian period in the year 935, and Oku no hosomichi(The Narrow Road to the Deep North) written by the acclaimed haiku and renga(linked verse) poet Matsuo Bashō from the spring of 1689 to December of 1691 during the Tokugawa period. Despite the separation of these two works by over seven hundred years, these works have many similarities, such as the use of poetry as a way to show the thoughts and feelings of the people on the journey and the detailed accounts of the travels of the authors and their companions. This paper will also describe the differences between these two travel journals.

    Read More

  • Cultural Dynamics of Heian Japan in the Tale of Murasaki

    1578 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Tale of Murasaki, by Liza Dalby, is about Murasaki, a young woman who lived in the Heian period (794-1185) of Japan. She writes a story called The Tale of Genji, and earns so much recognition for it that she is invited to court to attend the empress. Not only was she known for her writing, but she drew attention by learning Chinese. In the story, a Chinese education is essential for a man hoping to be a high-ranked member of society. Because the Japanese considered Chinese culture as superior, waka, a popular form of Japanese poetry, carries less cultural value in the novel. Therefore, both high-class women and men have to learn about wakas and use them daily. A woman who can compose good wakas and is beautiful would have the best chances of going to court, which is the best way to guarantee a comfortable life. Liza Dalby’s The Tale of Murasaki accurately portrays the abilities of each sex, the importance of Chinese learning, and the role of Japanese poetry in the Heian period of Japan.

    Read More

  • Tales of Heike

    1902 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Tale of Heike." Traditional Japanese Literature: An Anthology, Beginnings to 1600. Ed. Haruo Shirane. New York: Columbia UP, 2007. 736-39. Print.

    Read More

  • The Neolithic Period: One Of The Most Important Revolutions

    816 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ompletely wiped out and the droughts caused famines, which limited the population. Even though Babylonians could not predict the rivers, it was still a benefit to the area. Like the Egyptians, the people used the rivers as transportation of goods and food, perfect for selling and trading; it was also a good source of communication. Another very negative aspect of Mesopotamia’s geography was their lack of mountains. This made the country very unsecure and prone to attack. The only positive geographical aspect of the land was the hills. Northern Mesopotamia is made up of several hills and plains. The land is quite fertile due to seasonal rains, and the rivers and streams flowing from the mountains. Early settlers farmed the land and used timber, metals and stone from the mountains nearby. Other than the hills, Mesopotamia was very unfortunate in ancient civilization.

    Read More

  • Affordable Care Act: Portfolio

    1740 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (March 26, 2010), Summary of New Health Reform Law, http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/8061-021.pdfC(P.L.111-148)

    Read More

  • The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

    1248 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, (March 2010). Focus on Health Reform, Summary of New Health Reform Law, Retrieved on Feb. 1, 2011, from http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/8061.pdf

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Teen Alcoholism

    1267 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Alcoholism” is a chronic disorder characterized by dependence on alcohol, repeated excessive use of alcoholic beverages, the development of withdrawal symptoms on reducing or ceasing intake, morbidity that may include cirrhosis of the liver, and decreased ability to function socially and vocationally (“Alcoholism”). Teens have dealt with alcohol and alcoholism for a long time. There are many reasons why teens get addicted to alcohol and many things that happen because of it. There are ways to get treatment. There are many things that teens can do themselves to avoid alcohol and there are many things we and our society can do to prevent teen’s access to alcohol. Peer pressure and teens access to alcohol can lead to the destruction of their lives, the lives of the people around them, and their relationships with the people around them. We need to take measures to prevent this from happening so that they have a chance to better our society, not worsen it.

    Read More

  • Ancient Egypt

    1880 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ancient Egypt was a very important time in our time period. They had their own way of life. Egyptians had their own writing, burials, government, religion, cooking, and games. They were educated people with many talents. They were good with their hands and brains. Ancient Egyptians were a magnificent race of people.

    Read More

More about Ancient Near East

Open Document