Voices of Ancient Mesopotamia, Gebunden

Klappentext

Through primary sources and analysis, discover the ways in which individuals experienced family, government, sports, art, and societal interaction in Ancient Mesopotamian societies.

Approach daily life through an examination of select primary sources that cover all aspects of the sociocultural environment of Mesopotamia (ca. 3000 BCE-330 BCE, the traditional beginning of the Hellenistic period). The book is organized as a thematic / topical overview of the world's most ancient civilizations; within each section, readers will find sources that illuminate the chronological development of related ideas, practices, and beliefs.

Examples of topics to be considered include law; art; sports; music; food; agricultural practices; creation narratives; religion; kingship and empire; warfare; family structures; technological and scientific developments; medicine; natural disasters; and trade. Throughout, readers will become acquainted with many "firsts" of human civilization, such as the invention of the wheel, the first peace treaty, the first organized religion, first attempts at explaining the origin of the world, and the development of the first writing systems.

Excerpts of texts are intended to give the reader a grasp of the full spectrum of available source material and include law codes; literary epics; astronomical and omen texts; royal inscriptions; and hymns. A thorough examination of the book's sources and commentary will reveal the great debt that both ancient and modern societies owe to Mesopotamian influence.