Mesopotamia improved living standards - -dependable food supply
-population growth
--- overpopulation = much conflict
City States - -federation of states with common interest
-specialization of community due to resources (spiritual, crafts, manufacture)
---vast majority still agriculture
Cylinder Seals - -identifying seals
-holes in either end to roll across soft clay
-sunken relief --> relief
-3300 - 3100 bce
-less than 2 inches high, hard stone
-sign of stature/ appointment to a high admin position
, -often burried with
Religion and politics - -Theorocracy --> divine rule manifesting on earth
-Polydiastic --> many gods
-city states ruled by priest kings
-will of gods manifest on earth
-no seperation between state and religion
First Architecture on massive scale - -usually start from small shrine and keep growing
-eg: ziggurat
Sumer - -first "empire"
-where writting was created (3300 bce)
The Creation of Writting - -before there was markmaking and pictographs
-3300 bce
-first writting for record keeping
-drawing pictures = first --> con: when there is no physical thing
-Cuneiform = first system
--- wedge shaped tip (cunues) into soft clay tablet at various angles and depths
-stylized due to increasing complexity
-writting soon adapted by creatives
Epic of Gilgamesh - -first epic poem
-fullest version written by ackadians
-deals with men, god, essential life questions (why are we here, why do we die, etc)
Ur - -city center = ziggurat
---essentially first tower
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