Ancient Iraq Eyewitness

[...]... MARKET FORCES Copper pots go on sale in a souk or market in modern Iraq Commerce has been the driving force of Middle Eastern cities for many thousands of years Copper was already being traded by merchants in the ancient city-states of Sumer over 5,000 years ago 17 Country life Archaeologists can build up a vivid picture of rural life in ancient Mesopotamia by studying excavated grain and the bones of... cities, they tried to picture how these would have looked in ancient times This engraving shows the city of Nimrud, on the east bank of the Tigris River The Assyrians called the city Kalhu, and it was their capital in about 880 bce Decorative moulding in our own times is from the countryside to the cities This process began over 5,500 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia People moved into the cities because... the city of Ur and its ziggurat were completely rebuilt Ur-Nammu also governed Uruk and Eridu and his influence spread far and wide 23 Ziggurats and temples A lasting symbol of ancient Mesopotamia is the ziggurat, a massive ANCIENT SITES This crumbling tower is all that remains of Borsippa’s ziggurat Archaeologists have identified 32 ziggurat sites Some of the structures are still impressive, but many... stretching from earth to the heavens The word ziqquratu is Assyrian and means “height” or ╆“pinnacle” Ziggurats looked similar to the stepped pyramids of ancient Egypt, which were used as royal tombs, but they served a different purpose Like the ancient pyramids of Central America, ziggurats formed part of sacred precincts, which were thought to be the earthly dwelling places of the gods These precincts... TOWNS The date palm may have been cultivated in Mesopotamia as early as 6000 bce Dates were used as a sweetener in cooking and for making drinks They were grown in urban plots, as they still are in modern Iraq Figs, pomegranates, and pistachio nuts were also grown in city gardens The water for these crops came from rivers and canals and was carried along irrigation channels Precious water for drinking was... 40,000 cuneiform tablets found in Girsu, which was once part of the kingdom of Lagash Other tablets record distribution of barley, vegetable oil, and other commodities The Girsu tablets offer a snapshot of ancient Mesopotamia’s economy, laws, and organization Pictogram 3100 bce Meaning Star Stream Barley Bull’s head Bowl Head and bowl God, sky Water, seed, son Barley Ox Food, bread To eat Cuneiform sign... important cereal crop, which grew well in irrigated soils Sturdy stalk 18 Full seed head Wild emmer Large grain REED HOUSES Large, barrel-roofed houses are still built of reeds in the wetlands of southern Iraq The region is home to the Madan people, who may be direct descendants of the Sumerians Their building tradition stretches back thousands of years The qasab reeds grow profusely and are also used to... probably part of an elaborate piece of furniture, such as a throne or offering stand Golden beech leaf ornament LEONARD WOOLLEY Charles Leonard Woolley was a British archaeologist who was fascinated by the ancient history of Western Asia Between 1922 and 1934 he excavated the city of Ur, uncovering the Royal Tombs and their fabulous treasures His discoveries captured the imagination of the public around... cracking the code Cuneiform script was decoded by an English soldier called Henry Rawlinson (1810–1895) He risked his life climbing a Persian rock face in order to compare inscriptions written in three ancient languages – Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian Gods and goddesses The Sumerians worshipped many gods and goddesses They believed A CRESCENT MOON The crescent moon was said to be the boat of... 4 cm (1½ in) high and engraved with designs They could be rolled across wet clay to leave an impression Their pictures of gods, animals, and kings reveal all kinds of details about life and beliefs in ancient Mesopotamia Seals could also be used by traders to produce ╆“signatures” for authorizing contracts Anzu the birdman being brought before Ea after stealing the Tablet of Wisdom Impression of seal .