Daily Life in Ancient Mesopotamia

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The ancient world of Mesopotamia (from Sumer to the subsequent division into Babylonia and Assyria) vividly comes alive in this portrayal of the time period from 3100 BCE to the fall of Assyria (612 BCE) and Babylon (539 BCE). Readers will discover fascinating details about the lives of these people taken from the ancients' own descriptions. Beautifully illustrated, this easy-to-use reference contains a timeline and a historical overview to aid student research.
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Overview

The ancient world of Mesopotamia (from Sumer to the subsequent division into Babylonia and Assyria) vividly comes alive in this portrayal of the time period from 3100 BCE to the fall of Assyria (612 BCE) and Babylon (539 BCE). Readers will discover fascinating details about the lives of these people taken from the ancients' own descriptions. Beautifully illustrated, this easy-to-use reference contains a timeline and a historical overview to aid student research.
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Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature - Kathleen Karr
Everything you ever wanted to know about Mesopotamia is neatly and readably organized in this useful work. Budding archeologists can learn how Babylon and Ninevah were rediscovered and cuneiform decoded, and from there how the entire society functioned. Most fascinating are the translations of poems, incantations and bits of epic stories that make these ancient peoples very alive and very human. For classes studying the Epic of Gilgamesh, this is the perfect one-stop reference work.
Booknews
This account brings the ancient world of Mesopotamia to life with details taken from primary texts such as economic records, scientific and mathematical texts, legal documents, official and personal correspondence, and magic and religious texts, drawing on the most recent discoveries of new excavation sites and artifacts. The focus is on historical Mesopotamia from 3100 BCE to the fall of Assyria (612 BCE) and Babylon (539 BCE). A glossary is included, plus b&w photos of artifacts. The author teaches at Yale University and has written other books on Mesopotamia. This is a paperbound reprint of a 1998 book published by Greenwood Press. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781565637122
  • Publisher: Hendrickson Publishers, Incorporated
  • Publication date: 2/1/2002
  • Pages: 368
  • Product dimensions: 6.00 (w) x 9.00 (h) x 1.10 (d)

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Time Line for Ancient Mesopotamia
1 Introduction 1
Rediscovery and Decipherment 1
Dating the Past (Relative Dating vs. Absolute Dating) 6
2 General Information 11
The Geographical Setting of Mesopotamia 11
The Peoples and Their Languages 13
3 Historical Overview 17
Permanent Settlement and Domestication 17
The Beginnings of Civilization: From Farming Villages to Cities 18
The Period of City-States and Nation-States: The Third Millennium 19
The Period of New Kingdoms: The Second Millennium 29
Empires in Mesopotamia: The First Millennium 35
4 Writing, Education, and Literature 47
Origins of Writing 47
Education and Professional Activity of Scribes 54
Archives and Libraries 62
Literature: Poetry and Prose 64
Nonliterary Texts 73
5 The Sciences 77
Medicine 77
Mathematics 82
Astronomy 87
Technology 91
Natural Sciences 91
Cartography and Geography 93
6 Society, Part I: City Life, Country Life, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Life 99
City Life 99
The Countryside 111
Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Life 112
Class and Society 116
7 Society, Part II: Private Life 121
Private Houses 121
Family Life 126
Property and Succession 147
Women's Roles 150
Fashions 153
Food and Drink 157
8 Recreation 163
Hunting 163
Sports 165
Board Games 165
Toys 166
Music 167
Dancing 170
Banquets 170
Performance of Literary Works 171
9 Religion 175
Religious Views of Early Man 175
Development of the Pantheon 178
The Composition of the Pantheon 182
Representations of the Gods 185
Service to the Gods 186
Places of Worship and Their Functions 187
Worshipers 189
Religious Personnel and Servants 190
Religious Festivals 194
Sorcerers, Exorcists, and Diviners 196
Prophets 212
10 Government 217
The King 217
Administration of Justice 221
Warfare 227
Consequences of War 236
International Relations 240
11 Economy 245
Farming 245
Canals and Irrigation 253
Land Management 256
The Domestic Economy 263
Foreign Trade 269
Crafts and Labor 282
12 The Legacy of Ancient Mesopotamia 305
Notes 309
Glossary 323
Selected Bibliography 335
Index 339
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