Sumerians and their Civilization Explained in 7 Minutes
Summary
TLDRThe ancient Sumerians, originating around 6500 BC in southern Mesopotamia, were the earliest civilization with significant influence on the ancient Middle East. They pioneered writing, schooling, organized religion, and lawmaking. Their society was highly religious and agricultural, with early forms of democracy. They developed various technologies, including the wheel and cuneiform script, and contributed to mathematics, introducing arithmetic and geometry. Their mythology, with its unique view of the afterlife and gods, influenced many world myths.
Takeaways
- 🏛️ The Sumerians are recognized as the earliest developed civilization in recorded history.
- 🌟 They are credited with many 'firsts' including the first kingdom, city-states, and writing system.
- 🗓️ The Sumerian civilization existed from around 6500 BC to 4100 BC.
- 🌾 They were a highly religious, agricultural society that valued art, culture, and the written word.
- 🏙️ The Sumerians originated in southern Mesopotamia, in parts of modern-day Iraq and Kuwait.
- 🔍 Their early political structure included a form of democracy with elected officials.
- 👥 Sumerians had a diverse range of professions, from scribes to craftsmen, but some jobs were less desirable.
- 🛠️ They were innovators in technology, inventing the wheel, pickaxe, and early forms of transportation.
- 📚 The Sumerians had a developed education system that included mathematics, with contributions to arithmetic and geometry.
- 🌐 Their foreign policy was complex, involving conflicts and influences with neighboring regions.
- 🌌 Sumerian mythology and religion had a significant impact on world culture, including creation myths and the concept of an afterlife.
Q & A
Who are the Sumerians and what is their significance in history?
-The Sumerians were one of the earliest civilizations in recorded history, starting around 6500 BC and ending around 4100 BC. They are known for pioneering many areas of expertise such as the first kingdom, city-states, writing, schooling, organized religion, lawmaking, art, and literature. Their accomplishments and innovations influenced the entirety of the ancient Middle East and beyond.
What geographical region did the Sumerian civilization occupy?
-The Sumerians lived in southern Mesopotamia, in parts of modern-day Iraq and Kuwait. Their civilization was situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and the Persian Gulf to the southeast.
What was the political structure of the Sumerian city-states?
-The Sumerian city-states initially enjoyed a level of democracy with most major government positions being elected. However, as warfare and clashes with neighboring tribes increased, a need for a single ruler arose, leading to the establishment of a king or 'lugal' in Sumerian.
What were the various professions available to an ancient Sumerian?
-Ancient Sumerians had a wide array of professions to choose from, including priests, scribes, members of royalty, minor noblemen, sculptors, jewelers, lapidaries, carpenters, smiths, leather workers, Fullers, basket makers, and builders.
What is the significance of the cuneiform script developed by the Sumerians?
-The cuneiform script is one of the earliest writing systems and was highly influential, becoming widespread throughout the ancient Middle East. It was in use for over five millennia after its invention.
How did the Sumerians contribute to the field of mathematics?
-The Sumerians were instrumental in the development of arithmetic and geometry, primarily for practical uses such as measurement and accountancy.
What was the Sumerians' lunar and solar calendar used for?
-The Sumerians were among the first to use a lunar and solar calendar, which was later implemented in cultures both east and west of Mesopotamia.
How did the Sumerians' foreign policy affect their relationships with neighboring nations?
-The Sumerians had a complicated relationship with their neighbors, marked by battles, hostile takeovers, and other conflicts. Despite this, nearly all of these groups were significantly influenced by Sumerian civilization.
What were the key aspects of Sumerian religion and mythology?
-Sumerian religion and mythology included a pantheon of gods, creation myths, the concept of an afterlife in 'Kur', and the judgment of the dead by the Sun God Utu and the Moon God Nanna. Many elements of Sumerian mythology correspond to myths found in other cultures around the world.
What was the Sumerians' view of the afterlife?
-According to Sumerian mythology, after death, a person would go to 'Kur', the underworld. Interestingly, it was not a place of eternal darkness but was illuminated by the moon, providing daylight to the dead.
What is the significance of the Sumerian civilization in the context of world culture?
-The Sumerian civilization is significant to world culture as many elements of their myths, religious beliefs, and innovations have influenced and are present in numerous cultures globally.
Outlines
🏛️ Origins and Achievements of Sumerian Civilization
The Sumerians, originating around 6500 BC and lasting until 4100 BC, are recognized as the earliest developed civilization in recorded history. They are credited with numerous 'firsts' such as the first kingdom, city-states, and even early forms of democracy and autocracy. They significantly contributed to writing, education, religion, law, art, and literature. Despite being an agricultural society with a focus on art and the written word, they were also highly religious. Their civilization was located in southern Mesopotamia, between the Tigris, Euphrates rivers, and the Persian Gulf. The Sumerians started as city-states with a democratic system where positions were elected. However, due to warfare and external threats, a need for a single ruler emerged, leading to the rise of kings. The society was stratified, with upper classes including priests, scribes, royalty, and craftsmen such as sculptors and builders. Their technological advancements included the wheel, pickaxe, and early forms of writing known as cuneiform. Mathematics was integral to their education system, and they developed arithmetic and geometry for practical applications. They also introduced the lunar-solar calendar.
🌌 Sumerian Mythology and its Global Impact
The mythology of the Sumerians is integral to understanding world culture. Many elements of Sumerian myths, such as creation stories, the great flood, and the concept of gods, are echoed in various world mythologies. The Sumerians envisioned the heavens as domes made of precious stones and believed in an afterlife in 'Kur,' their underworld. Uniquely, Kur was not eternally dark but was illuminated by the moon, allowing daylight. The dead were judged by the Sun God, Utu, and the Moon God, Nanna. Those judged righteous would live in bliss, while the unfavorably judged would suffer eternally. This paragraph also promotes a book on Sumerian history and mythology and encourages viewers to like, subscribe, and claim a free ebook on mythology.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Sumerians
💡Mesopotamia
💡City-states
💡Democracy
💡Cuneiform
💡Innovations
💡Religion
💡Agriculture
💡Mathematics
💡Calendar
💡Mythology
Highlights
Ancient Sumerians were the earliest developed civilization in recorded history.
They pioneered writing, schooling, organized religion, lawmaking, art, and literature.
The Sumerian civilization started circa 6500 BC and ended around 4100 BC.
They influenced ancient Middle East and cultures such as Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Ethiopia.
Sumerians were highly religious and agricultural, with an emphasis on art and the written word.
They originated from simpler hunter-gatherer societies based on the Bronze Age.
Sumerians were innovative, inventive, and imaginative, with parallels to modern societies.
Sumerians lived in southern Mesopotamia, in parts of modern Iraq and Kuwait.
Their civilization was a collection of city-states between the Tigris, Euphrates rivers, and the Persian Gulf.
Sumerian city-states initially enjoyed a level of democracy with elected government positions.
The rise of a single ruler was necessitated by warfare and clashes with barbaric tribes.
Sumerians had a wide array of professions, including priests, scribes, royalty, and craftsmen.
Academic and theological professions were highly sought after among Sumerians.
Sumerian technology and inventions included the wheel, pickaxe, and various land and water vessels.
Cuneiform script was the earliest writing system and was widespread throughout the ancient Middle East.
Mathematics was a major part of Sumerian schooling, with arithmetic and geometry for practical uses.
The Sumerians were the first to use the lunar solar calendar, later implemented in other cultures.
Sumerian foreign policy involved complex relations with neighbors, including battles and cultural influence.
Sumerian religion and mythology are of vital importance to world culture.
Sumerian mythology included the creation of man, the great flood, and the concept of an afterlife in kur.
The Sumerians envisioned the heavens as domes made of precious stones.
The Sumerian underworld, kur, was illuminated by the moon, allowing daylight for the dead.
Transcripts
this video is brought to you by
captivating history most scholars around
the world agree that the ancient
Sumerians were the earliest developed
civilization in our recorded history
they are the culture that gave us a lot
of firsts the first kingdom and then
Empire the first city-states the 1st
democracy the first autocracy they
pioneered writing schooling organized
religion lawmaking art and literature
yes the Sumerians were the first in many
areas of expertise who were the
Sumerians the Sumerians were a
civilization that started circa 6500 BC
and ended around 40 100 BC this
civilization would go on to influence
the entirety of the ancient Middle East
and their accomplishments and
innovations echo and diverse ancient
cultures such as Egypt Greece Rome
Ethiopia and more from a practical
mundane standpoint they were highly
religious agricultural society they put
great emphasis on art culture and the
written word as is the case with all
cultures they developed from simpler
hunter-gatherer societies based on the
Bronze Age site scattered about the area
that comprised ancient Sumer they were
an innovative inventive imaginative
people and interestingly enough had
parallels with even modern day societies
in both positive and negative aspects of
their daily lives where did the
Sumerians live the area where the
earliest civilization lived took up the
territory of southern Mesopotamia in
parts of modern Iraq in Kuwait
it is nestled between two important
rivers for the region the Tigris and the
Euphrates as well as the Persian Gulf to
the southeast their earliest countries
were numerous city-states that depending
on the time period either dominated the
region were enslaved by other cities or
even other people's or acted
independently rule from their earliest
days the Sumerian city-states actually
enjoyed a level of democracy not unlike
the one we have today in the Western
world most major government positions
were elected rather than
in a council made important decisions
regarding critical state matters it was
only during increasing warfare between
the city states as well as clashes with
the barbaric tribes from both the east
and the west of Sumer that the need for
a single ruler arose and this was when
the King or lougle big man and Sumerian
would take control an ancient Sumerian
had a vast array of professions to
choose from
we should differentiate between two
groups the first includes the Sumerian
upper classes in the second includes
their plebs depending on how you were
born or what you did during your life in
Sumer you could jump between these two
groups jobs and professions the high
class Sumerians for the most part who
are other priests scribes members of
royalty or minor noblemen in terms of
craftsmen we find a wide array of
professions there were sculptors
jewelers lapidaries carpenters Smith's
leather workers Fuller's basket makers
builders et cetera based on the works of
ancient Sumerians crimes these were not
sought-after professions and most
children and their parents with high
aspirations were encouraged to pursue
academic or theological professions
Sumerian technology and inventions vast
and diverse areas of Technology
including transportation tools war
hunting agriculture and brewing have
their origins in ancient Sumer the wheel
the pickaxe and the different types of
land and water vessels are only the tip
of the iceberg the crew nough formed
script is by far the earliest writing
system and it was so influential that it
became widespread throughout the ancient
Middle East and was even in use until
around the 1st century BC a whole 5 plus
millennia after its invention
mathematics was a major part of the
Sumerian schooling system they
single-handedly birthed arithmetic and
geometry largely for practical uses like
measurement in accountancy I also need
to mention the first use of the lunar
solar calendar later to be implemented
in cultures both east and west of
mesopotamia sumerian foreign
policy relations with other nations as
is the case with modern-day nations the
sumerians relationship with their
immediate neighbors was a complicated
one there was no shortage of bloody
battles coos hostile takeovers hostile
Liberation's submissions and
destructions however nearly all of these
groups were influenced by the Sumerians
in no small way and considering how
geographically distant they were from
the prominent Sumerian city-states that
speaks volumes of just how influential
the first civilization of the world
really was the religion and mythology of
ancient Sumerians understanding this
particular aspect of the ancient
Sumerians is of vital importance to
world culture in general and no this is
not a statement made lightly most of
what we see in the ancient myths of
Sumer either directly or partially
corresponds to numerous world myths the
hierarchy and behavior of gods the
creation of man the great flood the
Giants the creation myths all of these
were present in Sumerian mythology first
the Sumerians envisioned the heavens as
domes made of different precious stones
whenever a Sumerian would die according
to mythology they would go directly to
kur an interesting concept that is
almost unique to the Sumerians is that
their underworld isn't necessarily the
place of eternal darkness as the Sun
sets and gives way to the moon on the
surface it would actually illuminate kur
essentially bringing daylight to it
within the realm of ur s giggle the dead
would be judged by the Sun God
mu tou and at times even his father the
moon got Nana those judged righteous
would go on to live in bliss for
eternity those judged unfavorably would
suffer for an eternity there you have it
Sumerian civilization explained in seven
minutes obviously a lot went on toll
here so to discover more about this
fascinating civilization check out our
new book Sumerians a captivating guide
to ancient Sumerian history Sumerian
mythology in the Mesopotamian Empire of
the sumaré civilization also please hit
the like button if you enjoyed the video
it's subscribe if you want more videos
like this lastly don't forget to pick up
your first mythology bundle ebook for
free just visit the link below enjoying
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