3. Geography of Mesopotamia
Living
Culture pattern
Religious practices
4. Mesopotamia was the first civilization of history called Sumerian
civilization. It appeared about 3500 BC ago.
The word “Mesopotamia” means the land between rivers
It was spread over an area 300 miles long and 150 miles wide
It was cradle of homogenous yet diverse cultures
It included modern day countries of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordon,
Palestine and others
Its northern areas consisted of plains while southern area
consisted of jungle and marine life. It is also called fertile
crescent
5.
6. Living in larger communities offered a number
of advantages:
Physical security like protection against both internal and
external aggression
Material security like sustained supply of food and other
items of daily use
Freedom to observe and perpetuate their ethical, moral and
cultural values
7. Mesopotamia had a rich history of trade and warfare
The first writing system cuneiform originated from
Mesopotamia
They built dams to keep the rivers from flooding their fields
Sumerians were the first to :
• Irrigate fields
• Develop mathematics
• Invent wheel
• Work with metal
• Devise a written law code
• Develop trade system
8. It had many cites like Uruk, Aridu, Ur, Larsa and Habuba
Each city had its own government, rulers, warriors and its
own patron god
At the center of each city was a temple called ziggurat
( massive pyramid structure). Temple was city’s religious and
economic center
9. Sumerians were religious people
They believed in number of Gods
They believed that the universe was ruled by these gods,
who were anthropomorphic and who represented various
natural phenomenon, for example, the city of Ur constructed
a ziggurat for Nanna, the god of the moon.
