World Civilization Lecture- Early Civilizations: Paleolithic, Neolithic, Mespotomian, and Egyptian. Immaculata University, History 115

1. Lecture One: HistoryLecture One: History
115115
Early Civilizations: Paleolithic, Neolithic,Early Civilizations: Paleolithic, Neolithic,
Mesopotamian, and EgyptianMesopotamian, and Egyptian

2. What does it mean to beWhat does it mean to be
a civilization? (commona civilization? (common
characteristics)characteristics)
• System of communicationSystem of communication
• Stable locationStable location
• Rules of governance (that is a commonRules of governance (that is a common
code/set of laws)code/set of laws)
• Production of non-necessities (art, surplusProduction of non-necessities (art, surplus
goods for trade)goods for trade)

3. What factors allowWhat factors allow
for the development offor the development of
civilizations?civilizations?• Access to a riverAccess to a river
• AgricultureAgriculture
• Good defensive positionGood defensive position
• Enough population to defend the group and to continueEnough population to defend the group and to continue
to growto grow

4. All civilizations require enough timeAll civilizations require enough time
and resources that they can developand resources that they can develop
beyond mere sustenancebeyond mere sustenance
44

5. PeriodizationPeriodization
• Paleolithic Era: 400,000-7000 BCEPaleolithic Era: 400,000-7000 BCE
• Very early peoplesVery early peoples
• No written historyNo written history
• Archaeology/AnthropologyArchaeology/Anthropology
• No civilizations (as previously defined)No civilizations (as previously defined)
• Rudimentary toolsRudimentary tools

6. Venus of Willendorf
28,000-23,000 B.C.E.
Upper Paleolithic

7. Hall of the Bulls, 15,000-13,000 B.C.E

8. Map of the Ancient World

9. Neolithic EraNeolithic Era
• 7000 -3000 BCE7000 -3000 BCE
• Anthropology to HistoryAnthropology to History
• Stone toolsStone tools
• Stable Agriculture and HusbandryStable Agriculture and Husbandry
• Moved to organize in units larger than familiesMoved to organize in units larger than families

10. Neolithic DevelopmentsNeolithic Developments
• LawLaw
• TownsTowns
• Accumulation ofAccumulation of ““wealthwealth””
• ReligionsReligions
• Defense (walls, etc..)Defense (walls, etc..)
• IdentityIdentity

11. StonehengeStonehenge

12. Mesopotamia 3200-1200Mesopotamia 3200-1200
BCEBCE

13. MesopotamiaMesopotamia
• GeographyGeography
• Rivers (Tigris/Euphrates)Rivers (Tigris/Euphrates)
• Fertile CrescentFertile Crescent
DevelopmentsDevelopments
• IrrigationIrrigation
• Writing (Cuneiform)Writing (Cuneiform)

15. First Mesopotamians:First Mesopotamians:
SumeriansSumerians

16. CuneiformCuneiform
• MeaningMeaning ““wedge shapedwedge shaped””
• Clay, sun-baked tabletsClay, sun-baked tablets
• Ability to communicate the abstractAbility to communicate the abstract
• Developed from pictograms to ideograms to sonicDeveloped from pictograms to ideograms to sonic
symbolssymbols
• Only employed by professional, male scribesOnly employed by professional, male scribes

17. MesopotamianMesopotamian
ReligionReligion
• PolytheisticPolytheistic
• Humanistic stories, otherworldly talentsHumanistic stories, otherworldly talents
• Feared godsFeared gods
• Fostered creation of Epic of GilgameshFostered creation of Epic of Gilgamesh

18. Mesopotamian Society:Mesopotamian Society:
The SumeriansThe Sumerians
• GodsGods
• KingsKings
• Nobles (royal family, important clerics, officials)Nobles (royal family, important clerics, officials)
• Lesser noblesLesser nobles
• CommonersCommoners
• ClientsClients
• Slaves (different type of slavery)Slaves (different type of slavery)

19. BabylonBabylon
• Sumerians were conquered by Akkadians inSumerians were conquered by Akkadians in
2331 BCE2331 BCE
• Unable to deal with unifying vast landUnable to deal with unifying vast land
BabyloniansBabylonians
• from Arabiafrom Arabia
• settled near confluence of rivers (why?)settled near confluence of rivers (why?)
• strong leadership in Hammurabi (1792-1750 BCE)strong leadership in Hammurabi (1792-1750 BCE)

20. Ziggurat at Ur, Neo-Sumerian, 2100-2000 B.C.E.

21. Stele of Hammurabi
Susa, 1780 B.C.E.

22. Code of HammurabiCode of Hammurabi
• Great model for lawsGreat model for laws
• Helped with unity/fairnessHelped with unity/fairness
• Gradation of punishmentGradation of punishment
• Punishments aimPunishments aim
• Reveals priorities of Mesopotamian/BabylonianReveals priorities of Mesopotamian/Babylonian
lifelife

24. Impact of Mespotamia
• Laws
• Settlements
• Culture
• Trading routes and traditions
• Eventually overshadowed by Hittites
• Later conquered for a short time by Assyrians (8th
and 7th centuries BCE)
• Finally defeated by Persians in 540 BCE

25. Ancient Egypt
• 31 dynasties / 4 groups:
– Old Kingdom (2660 B.C.E.)
– Middle Kingdom (2080 B.C.E.)
– New Kingdom (1570 B.C.E.)
– Late Period (1185-500 B.C.E.)

26. EgyptEgypt
• ResourcesResources
• Nile RiverNile River
• StoneStone
• ClayClay
• GoldGold
• NearbyNearby
• CopperCopper
• TimberTimber

27. Unification andUnification and
Political SystemPolitical System
• PharaohPharaoh
• United Upper and Lower EgyptUnited Upper and Lower Egypt
• 3100 BCE3100 BCE
• Centralized power systemCentralized power system
• Connected with GodsConnected with Gods
• Pharaoh= embodiment of the god HorusPharaoh= embodiment of the god Horus

28. Egypt: ReligionEgypt: Religion
• PolytheisticPolytheistic
• Amon (skygod)Amon (skygod)
• Ra (sun god)Ra (sun god)
• Afterlife beliefsAfterlife beliefs
• Book of the DeadBook of the Dead
• OsirisOsiris
• IsisIsis
• Weighing of heartsWeighing of hearts

29. Egypt: PyramidsEgypt: Pyramids
• SignificanceSignificance
• PowerPower
• WealthWealth
• Connections to godsConnections to gods
• LegacyLegacy

30. Great Sphinx and Pyramid of Chefren 2575-2525

31. New KingdomNew Kingdom
• 1570-1075 (following brief interlude of Hyksos)1570-1075 (following brief interlude of Hyksos)
• Egyptian Empire (conquering Palestine and Syria)Egyptian Empire (conquering Palestine and Syria)
• Time of King TutTime of King Tut

33. Akhenaten (r.1367-1350)Akhenaten (r.1367-1350)
• During New KingdomDuring New Kingdom
• Highly religionsHighly religions
• Wife: NefertitiWife: Nefertiti
• MonotheismMonotheism
• UnpopularUnpopular
• PeoplePeople
• PriestsPriests
• Did not last past his ruleDid not last past his rule

37. Fall of EgyptFall of Egypt
• Sea PeoplesSea Peoples
• FragmentationFragmentation
• Rise of PhoeniciansRise of Phoenicians

38. Impact of EgyptImpact of Egypt
• Influenced cultural developments in GreeceInfluenced cultural developments in Greece
• System of hieroglyphsSystem of hieroglyphs
• Unified empireUnified empire
• ArchitectureArchitecture
• Trading routes and relationshipsTrading routes and relationships