City Structure
Homes in Mesopotamia
Most homes had dirt floors, and had flat roofs. Many homes also often had courtyards to relax, cook, and eat. People usually used the upper level as living space, and the bottom floor was used to welcome guests, and many times people painted on their door to keep evil spirits away. |
Clothing
Sumerian men typically wore skirts made of animal skins or wool, and women wore shawls. Assyrian men and women wore shawls and used belts to keep them in place. It is unknown what Babylonians wore, but it is thought that men wore skirts and shawls. |
Trade
Turquoise, copper, obsidian, and salt were all common items of trade. Traders sometimes even traveled up to 500 miles. Harbors were also used to trade jewelry, clothing, food, and other goods. Harbors were located on the side of rivers for ships to load and unload goods. |
Division Of Labor
Social Ranking
The code of Hammurabi divided the Babylon society into 3 groups, similar to the diagram above. The Amelu: kings, government officials, and the wealthy, the Muskinu: most likely landless workers, but is unclear, and the Ardu: Slaves.
The code of Hammurabi divided the Babylon society into 3 groups, similar to the diagram above. The Amelu: kings, government officials, and the wealthy, the Muskinu: most likely landless workers, but is unclear, and the Ardu: Slaves.
New Jobs
When Mesopotamian's started using irrigation canals, there became a surplus of food. They then didn't need as many people working on the fields, this caused new occupations to rise. The jobless people started working as religious leaders, government workers, and craftsmen.
When Mesopotamian's started using irrigation canals, there became a surplus of food. They then didn't need as many people working on the fields, this caused new occupations to rise. The jobless people started working as religious leaders, government workers, and craftsmen.
Achievements
The first form of writing used in parts of Mesopotamia were called pictographs. This form used pictures to represent words, but the problem with this was that you could only write about objects. A new form of writing was created, where a symbol represented a word. They were called phonographs, and allowed you to write about things other than objects. In 1500 B.C. a lettering system was created, having a sound represent a symbol, or letter, rather than a word. By 1000 B.C. a new alphabet was created, called cuneiform, that was used throughout almost all of Mesopotamia.
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Clay tablets were typically used to write messages and words, Although, almost any hard surface could be used. People used the stem of a water reed, called a stylus to write into the clay. The tablets were able to be baked hard enough to last thousands of years. This way, the tablets could also survive fires.
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Astronomy
Many priests of Mesopotamia observed and studied the sky, and found new information about space. they also believed that the planets, stars, and phases of the moon were omens. An omen is an influence of good or evil on an event. For example, it is believed that pointing at the moon is bad luck. They also divided the sky into 12 parts, and then grouped stars within the parts to form constellations. |
Counting
One way the Mesopotamians counted was by sixties. People even use this system today, with time. There are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and so on. Another way was counting by tens, like the decimal system we use today. |
Glass was also created by Mesopotamians, in 3000 B.C. They also learned how to hollow, and color glass later on, too. Pottery was also important to the Mesopotamians. People used fingers first, but a potters wheel was created that made it much easier. Mesopotamians learned how to glaze pottery as well, making it stronger and waterproof.
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