Ms Hos-McGrane's Grade 6
Social Studies Class
Welcome to our Ancient Near East
Internet Resources Page
[Agricultural Revolution]
[Mesopotamia: General Resources]
[Mesopotamia: Lecture Notes]
[Near Eastern Art & Architecture]
[Mesopotamian Religion & Mythology]
[Student Projects]
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This track is designed for the use of students. The goal is for students to learn more about some aspects of Ancient Mesopotamia by following selected web links. Topics include: artifacts, the wheel, chariots, sailboats, maps, and Hammurabi's Code. This is part of a larger site Track Star, web-based lessons desiged by other teachers and archived at this site.
MesopotamiaClassroom projects, artifacts and selected links produced by middle school classes in as part of a museum grant to provide middle school ancient history resources on the Internet. Visitors to the site will find student projects on a variety of topics including: Hanging Gardens and Ziggurat , Tablet, Cylinder Seal and Bulla, Cities, Wheels, Writing, Religion, Helmets, and Sumerian City - Ur.
Ancient MesopotamiaAs part of a virtual museum of ancient history, grade six students from the Penn Charter School have created a unit on Mesopotamia including gods and writing in Mesopotamia, clothing and pottery, geography of the region, government and law, inventions, and social organization.
Brentwood School History Department Student Essay PageA collection of student essays from middle and secondary school history students. In response to the question "How do the laws of a society reflect its most important cultural values, as seen in the law codes and cultures of Hammurabi's Babylon and Moses' Hebrews?" there two student responses: Moses-Hammurabi Paper and The Laws of Ancient Society .
World Culture's Class: Ancient MesopotamiaStudents created an outline of Mesopotamian cultures and a set of annotated links to accompany their study of ancient civilizations. This unit is part of a larger class project about cultures and geography of the world.
Links to the Past: A Mesopotamia CivilizationA student project from 1997 with links and instructions on how to study Ancient Mesopotamia using Internet resources. Unfortunately there are a number of broken links which should be updated to Ancient Mesopotamian timeline, Map of Mesopotamia and URUK-3000 B.C. and UR-2050 B.C..
Agricultural RevolutionAn educational web site from the Science Museum of Minnesota that actively involves users in current research and questions about the discoveries found at the Anatolian city of Çatal Höüyk. Topics include: Artifacts and Findings, People and Processes, Mysteries and Activities , Virtual Tour, and Frequent Questions. (Note: Some of the sections use Quicktime plug-in.) Here is a brief article about Çatal Höüyk; The World's First City from Archeology Magazine online (April, 1998).
Focus on the Neolithic City of Çatal HöüykTo this date, Çatal Höüykis the oldest and largest Neolithic Age city known to archeologists. Approximately 8000 years old, this central Anatolian settlement is believed to have been the place where fabric, mirrors, wooden bowls, a methodic system of agriculture, cattle farming and the emergence of religion in today's format were first developed and used. Part of a larger site on Ancient Cities of Anatolia, visitors can read more about the origins, development and ongoing excavations of this Neolithic city
Quicktime Virtual Reality Views of Çatal HöüykSome QuickTime Movies of the excavation and the reconstructions of Çatal Höüyk are included here. Click on the text link and see animations of the site.(Requires Quicktime plug-in.)
The Agricultural RevolutionAn illustrated narrative by Richard Law at Washington State University which seeks to provide a sharp, intelligible contrast between the old ancestral mode of life (hunting and gathering) and the new way of life (sedentary agriculture) and to identify a set of basic problems and opportunities inherent in the development of sedentary agriculture.
The Rise of AgricultureSite produced by Dr. Richard Effland and associates, Mesa Community College, Arizona . Here are several illustrated narratives and reprints from articles which describe the birth of a new direction for humans involving greater control over the food supply they depended upon to survive: i.e. the Agricultural Revolution. Find out where different crops were first domesticated
The Great Transition - Emergence of Agriculture and City LifeThis a another set of articles and illustrated narratives from Dr. Richard Effland at Mesa Community College which describes the emergence of agriculture and city life. It is an expaned version of the general educational module developed by Washington State University (see above).
Prehistoric Art: The Hermitage CollectionThe collection of paleolithic and neolithic items from the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg is the largest and the most remarkable in Russia. The Palaeolithic Age is represented by stone and bone figurines including famous female and bird figurines over 20,000 years old. The collection of Neolithic items from the 3,000 to 2,000 BC is also numerous. Particularly interesting are the head of a female elk, the bone idol, and stone carvings of fish from the area of Lake Baikal.
The Origins and Ancient History of WinePhysical evidence of wine dating from c. 5000 B.C. has been found in the remains of an ancient pottery jar found in 1968 in Hajji Firuz Tepe, Iran. Residue in the jar contains two characteristic ingredients of wine. Read about the history of wine and wine-making among ancient civilizations including Mesopotamia and Egypt in this fascinating online exhibit.
Beer Brewing Formed part of Neolithic CeremoniesThe idea that beer was brewed in the Neolithic comes from the view that barley may have been first grown for ritual reasons, rather than as a staple food. This article discusses evidence for this view based on recent findings in the UK. (Links to a related article Finding magic in Stone Age real ale )
Inventing AgriculturePart of a collection of study aids from course on Ancient World History by Jim Jones, Professor of History, West Chester University, PA. Topics include: Beer, Bread and Work, The First Heroic Age and a comprehensive Timeline of History.
Western Civilization 101 : Prehistory LecturesPrepared by a high school history teacher as a study guide to assist his classes in Ancient & Medieval History, the site offers basic information on human prehistory including, the study of prehistory, the Paleolithic era, the emergence of humans, the Neolithic revolution and the beginning of civilization.
The Agrarian Revolution and the Birth of CivilizationHere are excerpts from books and class notes on the Neolithic revolution from a World Civilization course.
Hunters to Rice GrowersRead how agriculture was first developed in Japan and the technologies which accompanied it in this short article.
Historical Overview of the Development of AgricultureMan has always searched for more efficient means of food production. This virtual exhibition presents some of the most significant stages in the development of agriculture in the Mediterranean area. Although the site is in French (with no English translation available), there are some nice graphics such as maps showing the earliest sites where animals were domesticated and a geographical overview of the origins of agriculture.
Ancient Mesopotamia: General Resources
This award-winning educational web from Emory University explores ancient Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures. At Odyssey Online visitors will find museum objects from the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. Students can make their own discoveries through puzzles, games, and worksheets. (Requires QuickTime, Real Audio and Shockwave for some of the information.)
Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Ancient Near East : World Civilizations Reader, CUNY, NYA large collection of texts and images with desriptions and excerpts from primary source documents are available from this online course on World Civilizations. The section on Mesopotamia contains a number of texts and images including: Hammurabi's Laws, Mesopotamian Revolt , Epic of Gilgamesh, the Enuma Elish creation story images of bull idol, bull with cup, Harappan Seals, Stele of Hammurabi, ancient cuniform writing and more.
You Be The Judge on Hammurabi's CodeCreated by Phillip Martin, a middle school art and humanities teacher at International School of Manila, this site contains a prize-winning lesson and information on Hammurabi and his code of laws.
Comptons's Encyclopedia Online : Ancient Civilizations: MesopotamiaAn online searchable encyclopedia with full text articles, images and links to external web resources. Many of the articles are cross-linked to related topics (e.g. Sumer, Babylon, cuneiform writing etc.).
A Map of Mesopotamia and Slides from a lecture on Sumer & Mesopotamia Paul Brians, Washington State UniversityLecture notes and a series of art images and maps from a course at Washington State University on World Civilizations.
Mesopotamia Akkadian language, by John HeissA comprehensive and technical overview of Mesopotamia with geographical and climatological background about the Ancient Near East. Includes an introduction to the people (Sumerian, Akkadians and neighbors), the divine world, economy, including climate, people, divine world, prehistory, protohistory, Bronze Age and Iron Age.
Chronology of Rise of Civilizations in Ancient Near EastA brief timeline of events and achievements of ancient Near Eastern civilizations from 5000 BC to 500 BC.
Encarta Encyclopedia OnlineA basic overview of Mesopotamia including links to information on Ur, Sumer, cuneiform writing, Assyro-Babylonian language, King Sargon I, Hammurabi of Babylon, Babylon, maps, and other references.
The Code of HammurabiThe Yale Law School has published this full text translation of the "Law Code of Hammurabi". It has a clickable glossary that brings up definitions along the bottom frame of the site.
The Sumarians of MesopotamiaA one page article and images about the ancient Sumerians with reference to Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of brewing.
Counting in BabylonBabylon had in all probability the earliest written language. At the same time, an elegant system of weights and measures kept the peace in the marketplace. Here is a overview of the development of Babylonian mathematical system.
Ancient Tablets, Ancient Graves: Accessing Women's Lives in MesopotamiaThis site explores the Ancient Mesopotamian woman. Topics include when women held power, when they did not, the type of work women did, and things that women did not like about their treatment. Excerpts are taken from Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets and artifacts that explore these aspects of women's lives.
Medicine in Ancient MesopotamiaPart of a larger site Health and Medicine in Ancient Cultures, this article brings to light some of the medical practices and treatments developed in Mesopotamia as revealed in a study of their writings.
The Royal Game of Ur'The Royal Game of Ur' is the most ancient board game known -- predating even Egyptian Senet by about 300 years. It appears to have been very popular among the Sumerian rulers and to have spread from Sumer to sites all over the ancient world from India to the Mediterranean.P This article is part of a series on Ancient Games (including Egyptian and Viking).
The History of Plumbing - BabyloniaA brief description of Mesopotamian irrigation and pipe laying practices.
Online Lectures on Ancient Near Eastern HistoryCourse modules on Mesopotamian history and peoples including the Sumerians, the Akkadians, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Kassites, the Assyrians and the Chaldeans. Other information includes: Cuneiform Writing A Mesopotamian Timeline Gilgamesh: A Summary The Code of Hammurabi, lex talionis or "the law (lex) of retaliation".
Western Civilization 101 : The Mesopotamian CivilizationsPrepared by a high school history teacher as a study guide to assist his classes in Ancient & Medieval History, the site offers basic information on geography, Sumarians, Hittites and Phoenicians, Hebrew Civilization, Assyrians and Chaldeans and the Persian Empire.
Lecture Notes on MesopotamiaFrom Dr. Silvestri's WWW Ancient World History Resource the site is divided into twelve chapters. The first chapter synthesizes source material on Human Evolution while chapter two focuses on Mesopotamia with information on people, history, art, society, culture, language, mythology etc. There is also a map of The fertile crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers..
The Civilizations Of The Ancient Near EastAs part of his course on World Civilization to 1500 the instructor has made available these background notes on Sumeria and the ancient Near East.
Lecture Notes: Sumer, Babylon, and HittitesFull text lecture notes from a course on Ethics of Civilization: Volume 1 to 30 BC including a timeline with links Chronology of Civilization to 30 BC and lectures on Prehistoric Cultures and Mesopotamia (Sumer, Sargon the Akkadian, Sumerian Revival, Sumerian Literature, Epic of Gilgamesh, Isin, Larsa, Eshnunna, Mari, Assur, and Babylon, Hammurabi's Babylon, Kassites, Hurrians, and Assyria, Babylonian Literature and Hittites).
Mesopotamia Lecture NotesPart of an online course syllabus and study guide written for students in Mr Sanderson's Ancient and Medieval History classes.
Ancient Near Eastern Art and Architecture From The University of Oregon OSSHE Historical and Cultural Resource, here is a collection of historical maps of the ancient world.(Some require Shockwave plug-in.)
Treasures from the Royal Tombs of UrThis online exhibit features the exquisite objects from the Royal Cemetery of Ur. Elegant jewelry along with gold and silver personal items, cups and bowls were excavated at Ur during the Joint Expedition of the British Museum and the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Read more about The Ram in the Thicket one of the most unusual works unearthed in the Royal Cemetery at Ur.
Ancient Near Eastern ArtThis page features port of the permanant collection of Near Eastern art and artifacts housed at Emory University. The collection includes fine examples of stone vessels, clay figures, bronze figures, Mesopotamian cylinder seals and pottery from Jericho earliest excavations.
Art History 50: Ancient Art of SumeriaSlides from an art history course including examples of Sumerian art, Neo-Sumerian art 23OO-2OOO B.C. and Akkadian Art: 23OO-22OO B.C..
Hightlights of the Mesopotamia CollectionPart of the permanant collection of the University of Chicago there are images and explanations of a number of artifacts including: a foundation figurine of King Ur-Nammu a four-fugged vessel a Sumerian statuette, a plaque Showing a harpist, a cylinder seal and more . There are also links to photographic archives of early Middle East excavations and findings.
Nippur - Sacred City of Enlil"Settled around 5000 B.C., Nippur played an important role in the development of Sumerian civilization. The city was probably more literate than other towns, and the scribes have left Sumerian and Akkadian documents written on clay tablets (including versions of literary works, such as the Gilgamesh Epic and the Creation Story, as well as administrative, legal, medical and business records." Here are some hightlights of the University of Chicago's field expeditions to this ancient city including an excellent map of Mesopotamia.
Major Works from the Ancient Oriental CollectionSelected pieces from the museum's impressive collection include Gudea with flowing vase (Sumeria) , Law Code of Hammurabi (Babylon) and Mari alabaster figure (Syria) and bulls and reliefs originating from Khorsabad (the palace of King Sargon I). There is also another page of Mesopotamian Art from the Louvre.
The Ancient City of Ur as seen through Computer GraphicsThese images show a reconstruction of the ancient city of Ur including a bird's eye view, an interior room and a ziggurat Click each image to enlarge it.
ZigguratsA map to show the location and three structures to choose from: The White Temple at Uruk, The Ziggurat at UR, and Ziggurat of Marduk (Tower of Babel). (Note: the images may a bit slow to download due to the speed of the server.)
Slides of Mespotamian ArtPart of a World Literature course featuring The Epic of Gilgamesh, these slides were taken from American Library Color Slide Co. Inc.
Near Eastern Religion and Mythology This page is archived from an Internet newsgroup and contains a description of the pantheon, cosmology, and history of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians. There is also a good synopsis of the Epic of Gilgamesh. The site would be helpful to anyone looking for information about mythology in Mesopotamia.
Sumerian Mythology -Frequently Asked QuestionsThis page is archived from an Internet newsgroup and is very similar to Babylonian Mythology (see above). This site not only describes the mythology of the Sumerians, but it is also a good source of information about their history and culture.
GilgameshHere is a short entry from the Encylopedia Mythica which refers to the Gilgamesh epic. There is also an entry on the Babylonian creation myth Enuma Elish
Storytelling, the Meaning of Life, and The Epic of GilgameshThis essay provides an in-depth examination of the Mesopotamian epic, Gilgamesh. The author traces the god-like hero through his journey back to Uru, exposes specific passages from the work, and attempts to explain various themes of the story.
The Book of Gods, Goddesses, Heroes and Other Characters in MythologySite organized by culture (Babylonian - Sumerian), specific type of myth or by alphabet. Some are very brief definitions. Included are entries on Babylon Folklore and a very brief Summary of Gilgamesh Story.
Sumarian Gods and GoddessesA brief outline of Sumarian religion as part of class notes from a course on Western civilizations.
