Mesopotamia

During the course of this semester, we have been focusing on the earliest civilizations and what they have contributed to our society today. Although Mesopotamia (Sumerians) and Mesoamerica (Olmecs) are relatively near each other and there are numerous similarities, they still had distinct differences. Mesoamerica was more advanced than Mesopotamia despite the fact that archaeologists have found limited evidence. While the Sumers had a not-so-whopping population of 18,000 per city, the Olmecs…

When we think of Mesopotamia or Egypt we can automatically assume that these two civilizations were of prominence to today’s society. Mesopotamia and Egypt were two very different civilizations with very different values, beliefs, norms and even Religions. Yet both artistic styles and interests were somewhat similar and composed of common materials and resources used to make certain sculptures and paintings. Both civilizations contributed greatly to our art advancements and made it possible for…

In Mesopotamian society, priests and priestesses were equals to the king in power and honor. They were mediators between the gods and the people. Ordinary Mesopotamians looked to the priesthood to gain the favor of the gods, especially the patron god or goddess of their city. Priests and priestesses had many duties and responsibilities but in exchange they received respect, honor and creature comforts. Each city was organized around the god’s temple, which was a complex of buildings including…

In Ancient Mesopotamia, the concept of law was governed by what is known as the Law Code of Hammurabi. This code was established by Hammurabi of Babylon, after taking control of most of Mesopotamia circa 1792-1750 BCE. This law can best be described by its main principle of “Lex Talionis”, a legal principle of having the punishment fit the crime. It was believed that prior to its introduction, Babylon suffered from disorder and chaos. Its people were governed by little more than their rulers…

Ancient Egypt and ancient Mesopotamia are both examples of cultures that performed sexual acts as a form of worship. The intent for the utilization of these sexual encounters was to mimic events from their cultural myths to ensure the continuity of that event. This mimicry can be categorized as a form of sympathetic magic, or a type of magic predicated on the belief that an event can be affected through an object or act symbolizing it. For ancient Egyptians the purpose of these acts was to…

Summer was one on the civilizations in the southern Mesopotamia. They were pretty civilized for people that existed thousands of years Before Crist. They had constructions that will protect them from nature. In their case they lived in the desert so they had construction with low doors and small windows. This would protect them from the dust and will keep the interiors cool. People slept on the roof because they were cooler than inside their house. Merchants will try to do business in the early…

Mesopotamia is known as the “cradle of civilization” because it was the birthplace of many diverse civilizations that arose later on. I agree that civilization originated there because the rise of complex urban centers became a foundation for political and economic stability. The abundance of food grown in the fertile crescent made it possible for large numbers of people to live together. Because of the population growth and a stable food source, more people began to specialize and trade their…

China and Mesopotamia When you hear the words ancient china and Mesopotamia we think of two pretty similar civilizations that thrived in very similar ways around the same time period. However this is not totally the case, china and Mesopotamia have several very key differences that make them the unique civilizations that they were during their time. Both Mesopotamia and China rose and then fell but was it a similarity that caused this or something else. These similarities and differences spread…

The architecture and agriculture stood the test of time, but came from different civilizations. Mesopotamia and Egypt have innumerable similarities and differences that are incredibly valuable to historians and humans in general. Mesopotamia and Egypt have numerous religious similarities and differences. Both cultures of polytheistic, but they have a different number of gods and how they worship them. Mesopotamians only worshiped the gods like gods, but Egyptians also worshiped pharaohs as…

Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China developed religious, cultural, and political systems inherited by today’s generation. These three important civilizations centered around rivers, to form agricultural societies. The ideas and systems of these civilizations share many commonalities and differences. Through trade, the innovative ideas of these civilizations were diffused throughout the area. Many of these innovative ideas originated in Mesopotamia, recognized as the first civilization. The religions…