Early Civilizations A civilization is a state level society with the following characteristics A stratified hierarchical society Food and labor surplus controlled by the elite Dense population centers cities or urban centers Control of a territory A formal government and a military force Specialization of labor Monumental public architecture A system of record keeping How can we tell in the archaeological record A stratified hierarchical society Mortuary treatment People of same age sex class not treated the same Infants buried like adult of high achievement Settlement pattern Hierarchy of settlement types with one or a few showing some power over others Food and labor surplus controlled by the elite Large granaries Stores of goods System of record keeping to record taxes A system of record keeping Early writing was for keeping accounts How can we tell in the archaeological record Dense population centers Find a city dense population may have streets in a grid pattern Monumental public architecture Buildings or spaces for the population at large Pyramids ziggurats large granaries plazas Specialization of labor Neighborhoods or villages of specialists Evidence that not everyone farms How can we tell in the archaeological record Control of a territory by settlement pattern and similarity of artifacts A military force Places where housed trained Equipment There are a number of early civilizations Here are the earliest in the Old World The oldest was ancient Mesopotamia occupied by Sumerians by 5 500 ya Present day Iraq and Syria Hierarchical settlement pattern cities villages and hamlets Social stratification Sumerian civilization City of Uruk Warka at 5 000 ya was the largest city in the world covered 1 square mile Over 20 000 people within its 6 mile long encircling wall This urban center was dominated by two large compounds 1 Public and economic compound surrounded by a wall 2 Religious temple complex Later temples became ziggurats temple on top of massive mud brick platform These are examples of monumental architecture Rice Moloney 2005 318 Estimate it took 7 million bricks to make ziggurat at Ur Earliest writing called cuneiform Used to keep records On left records transfer of land Found on cylinder seals tablets Many independent walled states in Mesopotamia About 4 350 ya Sargon of Akkad conquered other city states and unified southern Mesopotamia One major change was legitimization of kingship through military conquests Earlier king had power through divine authority Extensive trade networks including with Harappan civilization in Indus Valley of Pakistan India Even set up trading colonies in foreign states Craft specialization Some crafts produced in domestic households Some under strict control at palace temple workshops wood and ivory workers goldsmiths and silversmiths stoneworkers carpenters leather workers rope makers workers in reed wool flax textile making Development of pottery wheel led to mass produced pottery Egypt by 5 500 ya www crystalinks com Rice Moloney 2005 314 Most people lived in rural communities But also began building towns with administrative buildings and palaces Linear up and down river Towns and villages along Nile Temples often at edge of desert connected to river by canals Univ of PA Museum Early period called Pre Dynastic specialists in pottery Predynastic Pottery Distinctive black topped red ware jars were produced 5000 3000 B C This type of pot was formed by hand Before the pot was fired it was burnished with a smooth pebble until it was polished After the pot was fired the upper part of the vessel was immediately placed in organic material which resulted in the blackened rims characteristic of this type of pottery Many other specialties developed Craft traditions passed down through a family Most specialists worked for royal or temple workshops producing items for prestige and ritual use Some used teamwork and assembly line production Long distance trade networks Also sent out trading parties Predynastic Burial Prior to the invention of artificial mummification the ancient Egyptians buried their dead in shallow pits in the sand These burials produced a process of mummification in which the bodies became desiccated naturally The deceased individuals were usually buried in a contracted position that may have imitated sleep Evidence for a belief in an afterlife is suggested by the burial of grave goods such as pottery and stone vessels slate palettes for grinding pigments hairpins and flint knives earliest tombs called mastabas Rectangular made of mud brick and stone Burial chamber underground Decorated ware 3550 3400 B C Univ of PA Museum Later on built pyramids www crystalinks com First pyramid 2630 B C at Saqqara Step pyramid like mastabas piled on top of each other Was covered with white limestone Pyramids are monumental architecture Indus or Harappan Civilization by 4 600 ya Found along Indus River in Pakistan and India Unlike other civilizations No record was passed down It was a surprise to discover an ancient civilization that no one knew about Harappan Civilization by 4 600 ya Controlled an area of nearly 500 000 sq miles or over twice the size of either Egypt or Mesopotamia The state was based on river fed agriculture and pastoralism It had large populations Large well planned cities and smaller towns Monumental architecture Specialized artisans Long distance trade A written language Urban cities with sewer systems apartments bath houses temple granary wall streets Mohenjodaro Bath Granary or city hall Fortifications Mohenjodaro One of the five largest cities 500 acres in size Cities are usually nearly 200 miles apart Each surrounded by farmland Built on mud brick platforms surrounded by brick walls Residential quarter at Mohenjodaro street plan Here is a bath Mohenjodaro Houses had inside toilets that drained into a public sewer system These clay objects are commonly found in the sewer and are thought to have been used in the toilet Harappa com Sewers down the middle of streets were covered The great bath at Mohenjodaro The tank was waterproofed with asphalt An example of monumental architecture Public granary Reconstruction Recently questioned They used standardized weights and scales to measure the grain and other goods harappa com Terracotta model of bullock cart Terracotta wheeled bullocks Modern bullock cart still looks similar Social Stratification Stratified hierarchical society Population overwhelmingly rural farming and
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