Mesopotamia - The Land Between Two Rivers
The world of the first civilization is the land between two rivers - the Tigris and Euphrates. It is a land of contrasts - of violence - and a search for understanding. It is a land deep in heritage and we in the west trace our very essense to this region of the world. This is the land of Eden.
Our search for understanding of Mesopotamia should begin with the search for Eden. The following is a article by Brian Fagan that illuminates this search:
Our very sense of what it means to living in a "civilization" is based on what archaeologists have discovered in this land between two rivers. It is cities; it is writing; it is monumental architecture; and all of these things are found in Mesopotamia for the first time. Scenario for the birth of civilization - Overview of Sumer
The Sumerians were the first to create writing and other things that we identify as part of what we call civilization. One of the things that we see is the development of urban life - life in cities. This is a major theme of Mesopotamia that contrasts with a more rural life base that we see developing in other civilizations. The move for village to town to city is a major part of what we can see happening in Mesopotamia. Cities were magnents for population here.
One of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all times comes from the land of Ur. We discover the power of the first rulers.
The Sumerians defined civilization through the God of Wisdom - Enki. To understand Mesopotamia it is necessary to explore the world of the Gods and Goddesses that are a
part of what the Sumerias created as their legacy.
To better understand the Land of Ur, read some of these and try to summarize one of these topics (e.g. Ishtar, Thoth, Gilgamesh and the Flood and Everlasting Life versus Death, Forces of Chaos) and discuss it's impact on other cultures and/or the world. Ask yourself, do these impact us today?
The Story of Gilgamesh
The Sleep of Ishtar - a poem
The Descent of Ishtar to the Netherworld
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